Core Insights - Accenture plc (ACN) reported strong fourth-quarter fiscal 2025 results, with earnings and revenues exceeding Zacks Consensus Estimates [1][10] - Earnings per share were $3.03, surpassing estimates by 1.7% and reflecting an 8.6% year-over-year increase [1][10] - Total revenues reached $17.6 billion, beating estimates by 1.6% and showing a 7.3% year-over-year growth [1][10] Revenue Breakdown - Managed services revenues were $8.8 billion, up 6% year-over-year, exceeding the estimate of $8.5 billion [3] - Consulting revenues also reached $8.8 billion, an 8% increase year-over-year, surpassing the estimate of $8.6 billion [3] - Health and public service revenues declined 1% year-over-year to $3.6 billion, missing the estimate of $3.7 billion [4] - Resources segment revenues increased 8% to $2.4 billion, exceeding the estimate of $2.3 billion [4] - Product segment revenues rose 9% to $5.4 billion, beating the estimate of $5.2 billion [4] - Communications, media, and technology revenues were $3 billion, a 7% increase year-over-year, meeting estimates [5] - Financial services revenues grew 15% to $3.3 billion, surpassing the estimate of $3.1 billion [5] Geographic Performance - Revenues from the Americas were $8.8 billion, a 5% increase year-over-year, beating the estimate of $8.6 billion [6] - EMEA revenues reached $6.2 billion, up 10% year-over-year, exceeding the estimate of $6 billion [6] - Asia Pacific revenues increased 11% to $2.6 billion, surpassing the estimate of $2.4 billion [6] Booking Trends - Total bookings for the fourth quarter were $21.3 billion, a 6% increase year-over-year [7] - Consulting bookings were $8.9 billion, while managed services bookings were $12.4 billion [7] Operating Results - Gross margin for the quarter was 31.9%, down 60 basis points from the previous year [8] - Adjusted operating income was $2.7 billion, an 8% increase year-over-year [8] - Adjusted operating margin was 15.1%, down 10 basis points from the previous year [8] Cash Flow and Balance Sheet - Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the quarter were $11.5 billion, up from $9.6 billion at the end of the previous quarter [11] - Generated $3.9 billion in cash from operating activities, with capital expenditure of $107.9 million [11] - Free cash flow was $3.8 billion, with $474 million spent on share repurchases and $921.7 million paid in dividends [11] Guidance - For Q1 fiscal 2026, revenue guidance is set at $18.1-$18.75 billion, above the consensus estimate of $17.33 billion [12] - For fiscal 2026, revenue growth is expected to be between 2-5% [12] - Operating cash flow is projected at $10.8-$11.5 billion, with free cash flow expectations of $9.8-$10.5 billion [12]

Market Overview - U.S. stocks experienced a decline, with the Nasdaq Composite falling over 1% on Thursday, while the Dow decreased by 0.64% to 45,824.16 and the S&P 500 dropped 1% to 6,571.28 [1] - Energy shares increased by 0.5%, while health care stocks fell by 1.4% on the same day [1] Company Performance - Accenture (NYSE: ACN) reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter 2025 results, with earnings of $3.03 per share, surpassing the analyst consensus estimate of $2.96, and sales of $17.60 billion, slightly exceeding the estimate of $17.36 billion [2] Commodity Market - Oil prices decreased by 0.2% to $64.88, while gold also fell by 0.2% to $3,761.50. Silver prices rose by 1.2% to $44.725, and copper prices dropped by 1% to $4.7660 [5] European Market - European shares were lower, with the eurozone's STOXX 600 falling by 0.52%, Spain's IBEX 35 Index down by 0.18%, London's FTSE 100 down by 0.24%, Germany's DAX 40 dipping by 0.62%, and France's CAC 40 falling by 0.46% [6] Asian Market - Asian markets closed mostly lower, with Japan's Nikkei 225 gaining 0.27%, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng declined by 0.13%, China's Shanghai Composite fell by 0.01%, and India's BSE Sensex decreased by 0.68% [7] Notable Stock Movements - PepGen Inc. (NASDAQ: PEPG) shares surged by 89% to $5.03 following the announcement of a $100 million public offering at $3.20 per share [8] - SciSparc Ltd. (NASDAQ: SPRC) shares increased by 101% to $7.71 after announcing a quantum computing-enabled 3D protein modeling initiative [8] - Plus Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: PSTV) shares rose by 30% to $0.5264 after securing a national coverage agreement with UnitedHealthcare [8] - Stitch Fix, Inc. (NASDAQ: SFIX) shares dropped by 14% to $4.88 after releasing fourth-quarter results [8] - CarMax, Inc. (NYSE: KMX) shares fell by 23% to $43.86 after reporting second-quarter EPS and sales below estimates [8] - Cemtrex, Inc. (NASDAQ: CETX) shares decreased by 31% to $0.4359 following a 1-for-15 reverse stock split approval [8] Economic Indicators - U.S. wholesale inventories declined by 0.2% month-over-month to $898.8 billion in August, contrary to market expectations of a 0.1% increase [11] - U.S. durable goods orders rose by 2.9% month-over-month to $312.1 billion in August, compared to a revised 2.7% decline in July [11] - The U.S. trade deficit in goods decreased by $17.3 billion month-over-month to $85.5 billion in August, better than market estimates [11] - Initial jobless claims fell by 14,000 to 218,000 in the third week of September, below market expectations [11] - The U.S. economy grew at an annualized rate of 3.8% in the second quarter, an increase from the previous estimate of 3.3% [11]

Market Overview - U.S. stocks traded lower, with the Nasdaq Composite falling more than 1% on Thursday, Dow down 0.64% to 45,824.16, NASDAQ down 1.19% to 22,229.54, and S&P 500 down 1% to 6,571.28 [1] - Energy shares increased by 0.5%, while health care stocks decreased by 1.4% [1] Company Earnings - Accenture (NYSE: ACN) reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter 2025 results, with earnings of $3.03 per share, exceeding the analyst consensus estimate of $2.96, and sales of $17.60 billion, slightly above the consensus estimate of $17.36 billion [2] Stock Movements - PepGen Inc. (NASDAQ: PEPG) shares surged 89% to $5.03 after announcing a $100 million public offering at $3.20 per share [8] - SciSparc Ltd. (NASDAQ: SPRC) shares increased by 101% to $7.71 following the announcement of a quantum computing-enabled 3D protein modeling initiative [8] - Plus Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: PSTV) shares rose 30% to $0.5264 after a national coverage agreement with UnitedHealthcare [8] - Stitch Fix, Inc. (NASDAQ: SFIX) shares fell 14% to $4.88 after releasing fourth-quarter results [8] - CarMax, Inc. (NYSE: KMX) shares dropped 23% to $43.86 after reporting second-quarter EPS and sales below estimates [8] - Cemtrex, Inc. (NASDAQ: CETX) shares declined 31% to $0.4359 after a 1-for-15 reverse stock split approval [8] Commodity Prices - Oil traded down 0.2% to $64.88, gold down 0.2% to $3,761.50, silver up 1.2% to $44.725, and copper down 1% to $4.7660 [5] European Market Performance - European shares were lower, with the eurozone's STOXX 600 down 0.52%, Spain's IBEX 35 down 0.18%, London's FTSE 100 down 0.24%, Germany's DAX 40 down 0.62%, and France's CAC 40 down 0.46% [6] Asian Market Performance - Asian markets closed mostly lower, with Japan's Nikkei 225 gaining 0.27%, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng declined 0.13%, China's Shanghai Composite fell 0.01%, and India's BSE Sensex fell 0.68% [7] Economic Indicators - U.S. wholesale inventories declined by 0.2% month-over-month to $898.8 billion, against market estimates of a 0.1% increase [11] - U.S. durable goods orders increased by 2.9% month-over-month to $312.1 billion, compared to a revised 2.7% decline in July [11] - The U.S. trade deficit in goods shrank by $17.3 billion month-over-month to $85.5 billion, compared to market estimates of $95.65 billion [11] - Initial jobless claims decreased by 14,000 to 218,000, against market estimates of 235,000 [11] - The U.S. economy grew at an annualized rate of 3.8% in the second quarter, up from 3.3% in the second estimate [11]

Core Insights - Accenture reported earnings per share (EPS) of $3.03, exceeding estimates of $2.98, reflecting a 9% increase in EPS [2][6] - Revenue grew by 7% to $17.6 billion, surpassing the estimated $17.4 billion, despite challenges in the consulting sector [2][6] - The company's strong performance is largely attributed to the growing demand for artificial intelligence (AI), with AI-related bookings accounting for $1.8 billion of total bookings of $21.3 billion [3][6] Financial Metrics - Accenture's price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is approximately 18.78, indicating market valuation of its earnings [4] - The price-to-sales ratio stands at about 2.17, reflecting its market value relative to revenue [4] - The enterprise value to sales ratio is around 2.12, providing insight into its valuation compared to sales [4] Financial Health - The company has a low debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, indicating conservative use of debt [5] - A current ratio of 1.46 suggests a solid ability to cover short-term liabilities with short-term assets [5] - Accenture's earnings yield of about 5.33% presents an attractive return on investment for investors [5]

Core Insights - The company exceeded earnings and revenue estimates for the fourth quarter, but shares are down 1.3% to $235.99, despite a rise in bookings for generative AI services [1] - A lackluster fiscal 2026 sales outlook was issued alongside a six-month, $865 million restructuring plan to meet rising AI demand [1] Stock Performance - Shares are struggling to recover from a four-year low of $238.59, with a year-to-date decline of 29.7% [2] - The $260 level has emerged as a resistance layer, while the 20-day moving average is exerting overhead pressure [2] - Analysts remain bullish, with 14 out of 23 firms rating the stock as "buy" or better, and a 12-month consensus target of $302.66, representing a 28.5% premium to current levels [2] Options Activity - Options traders are active, with 11,000 calls and 9,311 puts exchanged, which is triple the intraday average volume [3] - The most popular contract is the weekly 9/26 240-strike call, indicating new positions are being opened [3] - Accenture stock's Schaeffer's Volatility Scorecard (SVS) is at 87 out of 100, suggesting it has outperformed volatility expectations over the past year [3]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In fiscal year 2025, the company achieved a revenue growth of 7%, adding $5 billion in revenue, with over $80 billion in bookings [5][22] - Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) for Q4 was $3.03, reflecting a 9% growth compared to the previous year [15][21] - Free cash flow for Q4 was $3.8 billion, and for the full year, it was $10.9 billion, up 26% year over year [15][23] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Consulting revenues for Q4 were $8.8 billion, up 6% in U.S. dollars and 3% in local currency [17] - Managed services revenues for Q4 were also $8.8 billion, reflecting an 8% increase in U.S. dollars and 6% in local currency [18][23] - The capital projects business grew 49% year on year, reaching $1.2 billion [9] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - In the Americas, revenue grew 5% in local currency, with significant contributions from banking and capital markets [18] - EMEA delivered 3% growth in local currency, driven by insurance and life sciences [18] - Asia Pacific revenues grew 6% in local currency, led by banking and capital markets [19] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to be the number one partner for the tech ecosystem, with 60% of revenue coming from partnerships with top technology companies [7] - A significant investment of $3 billion in Gen AI is expected to drive future growth, with revenue from advanced AI reaching $2.7 billion in FY25 [8][9] - The company is focusing on a three-pronged talent strategy to upskill its workforce and enhance operational efficiency [12][13] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's positioning for FY26, citing strong bookings and a solid pipeline for large transformation deals [46] - The overall market conditions have not shown significant changes, and the company remains focused on delivering results [25][26] - The management highlighted the importance of AI in driving growth and productivity, emphasizing that AI is seen as expansionary rather than deflationary [48][49] Other Important Information - The company initiated a business optimization program with an expected total cost of approximately $865 million, aimed at talent rotation and divestiture of non-aligned acquisitions [16] - The company plans to return at least $9.3 billion to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases in FY26, reflecting a 12% increase from FY25 [43] Q&A Session Summary Question: Visibility on revenue growth and discretionary spending - Management indicated strong demand for large transformation deals and a solid backlog, with guidance for FY26 reflecting a range of 2% to 5% growth [46] Question: Thoughts on AI-driven productivity and potential deflationary effects - Management does not see AI as deflationary but rather as expansionary, with savings being reinvested into new priorities [48][49] Question: Balance between Gen AI and managed services - Both consulting and managed services are expected to grow in the low to mid-single-digit range, with managed services becoming increasingly strategic [54][56] Question: Details on CapEx investments - The company expects about $1 billion in CapEx for FY26, primarily for expanding real estate and leasehold improvements [63] Question: Client behavior in using Gen AI - Many clients initially attempted to implement Gen AI independently but later sought assistance for scaling, highlighting the need for change management and process reinvention [78] Question: Expected savings from the business optimization program - The company anticipates savings of over $1 billion from the optimization program, which will be reinvested in the business and workforce [81]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In fiscal year 2025, the company achieved a revenue growth of 7%, adding $5 billion in revenue, with over $80 billion in bookings [6][7] - Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) for Q4 was $3.03, reflecting a 9% growth compared to the previous year [16][22] - Free cash flow for Q4 was $3.8 billion, and for the full year, it was $10.9 billion, up 26% year over year [16][24] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Consulting revenues for Q4 were $8.8 billion, up 6% in U.S. dollars and 3% in local currency [18] - Managed services revenues for Q4 were also $8.8 billion, reflecting an 8% increase in U.S. dollars and 6% in local currency [19][24] - The capital projects business grew 49% year on year, reaching $1.2 billion [10] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - In the Americas, revenue grew 5% in local currency, with significant contributions from banking and capital markets [19] - EMEA delivered 3% growth in local currency, driven by insurance and life sciences [19] - Asia Pacific revenues grew 6% in local currency, led by banking and capital markets [20] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to be the number one partner for the tech ecosystem, with 60% of revenue coming from partnerships with top technology companies [8] - A significant investment of $3 billion in Gen AI is expected to drive future growth, with revenue from advanced AI reaching $2.7 billion in FY25 [9][10] - The company is focusing on reinvention services, integrating all capabilities into a single unit to enhance service delivery [14] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's positioning for FY26, citing strong bookings and a solid pipeline for large transformation deals [47] - The overall market conditions remain stable, with no significant changes anticipated [26] - The company expects revenue growth in FY26 to be in the range of 2% to 5% in local currency, with an estimated 1% to 1.5% impact from federal business [41][42] Other Important Information - The company initiated a business optimization program with a total expected charge of approximately $865 million, aimed at talent rotation and divestiture of non-strategic acquisitions [17] - The board declared a quarterly cash dividend of $1.63 per share, a 10% increase over the previous year [44] Q&A Session Summary Question: Visibility on revenue growth and discretionary spending - Management indicated strong demand for large transformation deals and a solid backlog, with guidance reflecting a range of discretionary spending scenarios [46][47] Question: AI-driven productivity and potential deflationary effects - Management does not view AI as deflationary but rather expansionary, with efficiency gains being reinvested into new priorities [48][49] Question: Balance between Gen AI and managed services - Both consulting and managed services are expected to grow in the low to mid-single-digit range, with managed services becoming increasingly strategic [54][55] Question: CapEx investments and their allocation - The company expects about $1 billion in CapEx, primarily for expanding real estate and leasehold improvements [63][64] Question: Client behavior regarding Gen AI and agentic solutions - Many clients initially attempted to implement Gen AI independently but later sought assistance for scaling their efforts [82][83] Question: Expected savings from the business optimization program - The company anticipates over $1 billion in savings from the optimization program, which will be reinvested in the business and talent [85]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In fiscal year 2025, the company achieved a revenue growth of 7%, adding $5 billion in revenue, with over $80 billion in bookings [6][24] - Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) for Q4 was $3.03, reflecting a 9% growth compared to the previous year [18][23] - Free cash flow for Q4 was $3.8 billion, with a total of $10.9 billion for the fiscal year, marking a 26% year-over-year increase [18][25] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Consulting revenues for the year were $35.1 billion, up 6% in U.S. dollars and 5% in local currency, while managed services revenues reached $34.6 billion, up 9% in both U.S. dollars and local currency [25] - The capital projects business grew 49% year-over-year, reaching $1.2 billion, largely driven by organic growth [11] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue growth in the Americas was 5% in local currency, with significant contributions from banking and capital markets, while EMEA and Asia Pacific saw growth rates of 3% and 6% respectively [21][22] - The company added 37 clients with quarterly bookings greater than $100 million in Q4, totaling a record of 129 such bookings for the year [10] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to be the number one partner for the tech ecosystem, with 60% of its revenue derived from partnerships with top technology companies, which grew 9% in FY 2025 [9] - A significant focus is placed on advanced AI, with a $3 billion multi-year investment leading to a tripling of revenue from Gen AI to $2.7 billion [10][11] - The company is implementing a refreshed talent strategy to upskill its workforce, with over 550,000 employees trained in Gen AI fundamentals [13][15] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's positioning for FY 2026, citing strong bookings and a solid pipeline for large transformation deals [46] - The company anticipates revenue growth of 2%-5% in local currency for FY 2026, with an estimated 1%-1.5% impact from its federal business [41][42] Other Important Information - The company initiated a business optimization program with a total expected cost of approximately $865 million, aimed at talent rotation and divestiture of non-strategic acquisitions [19] - The board declared a quarterly cash dividend of $1.63 per share, a 10% increase over the previous year, and approved an additional $5 billion for share repurchases [43] Q&A Session Summary Question: Visibility on revenue growth and discretionary spending - Management indicated strong demand for large transformation deals and a solid backlog, with guidance reflecting a range of discretionary spending scenarios [45][46] Question: Thoughts on AI-driven productivity and potential deflationary effects - Management does not view AI as deflationary but rather as expansionary, with efficiency gains being reinvested into new priorities [47][48] Question: Balance between Gen AI and managed services - Management sees both consulting and managed services growing in the low to mid-single-digit range, emphasizing the strategic importance of managed services [53][54] Question: Details on CapEx investments - The company expects about $1 billion in CapEx, primarily for expanding real estate and leasehold improvements [61][62] Question: Client behavior regarding Gen AI adoption - Many clients initially attempted to implement Gen AI independently but later sought assistance for scaling, highlighting the need for change management and process reinvention [80][81] Question: Expected savings from the business optimization program - The company anticipates over $1 billion in savings from the optimization program, which will be reinvested in the business and workforce [83]

上海, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 全球专家网络 Guidepoint 宣布任命 Michael Wang 为中国区负责人，他将直接向亚太区负责人 Chris Bonsi 汇报。 在对专业化知识需求日益增长的背景下，此项战略性任命彰显了公司致力于加强其在中国市场业务的决心。 Michael 在构建并扩展团队以支持企业数字化转型方面拥有超过十年的经验。 他最近曾领导 PwC 的全球产品与技术加速团队，推动多个关键市场的创新与运营增长。 “Michael 在技术解决方案和客户合作方面拥有深厚背景，是巩固我们在中国市场地位的理想领导者，”Chris Bonsi 表示，“他在跨区域扩展运营方面的经验以及对数字化转型的深刻理解，将为我们带来无可估量的价值，助力公司持续通过技术赋能的研究解决方案加速专业知识获取。” 在 PwC 任职之前，Michael 曾在 Accenture 及其他知名公司担任关键职位，积累了战略咨询与技术实施方面的全面专长。 在新的职位上，Michael 将与中国及全球领导团队紧密合作，以提升 Guidepoint 的市场服务水平并推动持续增长。 Micha ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In fiscal year 2025, the company achieved a revenue growth of 7%, adding $5 billion in revenue, with over $80 billion in bookings [5][23] - Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) for Q4 was $3.03, reflecting a 9% growth compared to the previous year [15][24] - Free cash flow for the quarter was $3.8 billion, and for the full year, it was $10.9 billion, up 26% year over year [22][24] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Consulting revenues for Q4 were $8.8 billion, up 6% in U.S. dollars and 3% in local currency [19] - Managed services revenues for Q4 were also $8.8 billion, reflecting an 8% increase in U.S. dollars and 6% in local currency [20] - The capital projects business grew 49% year on year, reaching $1.2 billion [10] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue growth in the Americas was 5% in local currency, driven by banking and capital markets, while EMEA saw 3% growth led by insurance and life sciences [20] - Asia Pacific revenues grew 6% in local currency, with significant contributions from banking and capital markets [21] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to be the number one partner for the tech ecosystem, with 60% of revenue coming from partnerships with top technology companies [7] - A significant investment of $3 billion in Gen AI is expected to drive future growth, with revenue from advanced AI reaching $2.7 billion in FY25 [9][10] - The company is focusing on reinvention services to streamline operations and enhance service delivery [14] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's positioning for FY26, citing strong bookings and a solid pipeline for large transformation deals [44] - The company anticipates revenue growth of 2% to 5% in FY26, with an estimated 1% to 1.5% impact from federal business [39][40] - Management highlighted the importance of AI in driving growth and productivity, emphasizing that AI is seen as expansionary rather than deflationary [46][47] Other Important Information - The company initiated a business optimization program with an expected total charge of approximately $865 million, aimed at talent rotation and divestiture of non-strategic acquisitions [18] - The board declared a quarterly cash dividend of $1.63 per share, a 10% increase over the previous year [41] Q&A Session Summary Question: Visibility on revenue growth and discretionary spending - Management noted strong bookings of $80.6 billion in FY25 and a solid pipeline for large transformation deals, with discretionary spending assumptions allowing for potential deterioration [44] Question: Thoughts on AI-driven productivity and potential deflationary effects - Management does not see AI as deflationary but rather as expansionary, with savings being reinvested into new priorities [46][47] Question: Balance between Gen AI and managed services - Both consulting and managed services are expected to grow in the low to mid-single-digit range in FY26, with managed services becoming increasingly strategic [52][54] Question: Details on CapEx investments - The company expects about $1 billion in CapEx for FY26, primarily for expanding real estate and leasehold improvements [57] Question: Client behavior in seeking Gen AI solutions - Many clients initially attempted to implement Gen AI independently but later sought assistance for scaling, highlighting the need for change management and process reinvention [71]