Core Insights - FTI Consulting, Inc. announced the affiliation of Dr. Xi Chen with its subsidiary Compass Lexecon, enhancing its expertise in digital markets and AI [1][4] Group 1: Dr. Xi Chen's Background and Expertise - Dr. Chen is an award-winning expert in machine learning, AI, quantitative economics, and digital platforms, having collaborated with major companies like Google, Meta, and JPMorganChase [2][5] - His research has been published in top academic journals and he has authored significant works on blockchain and AI [4][5] Group 2: Role at Compass Lexecon - In his new role, Dr. Chen will focus on issues related to digital market competition, online advertising, algorithmic fairness, and the economics of digital assets [3][7] - His appointment is part of Compass Lexecon's strategy to expand its team of antitrust and finance experts, having added 20 academic experts in 2025 [7] Group 3: Company Overview - Compass Lexecon is recognized as a leading economic consulting firm with over 600 professionals in 25 offices globally, specializing in competition, finance, and intellectual property [8] - FTI Consulting, the parent company, generated $3.70 billion in revenues during fiscal year 2024 and employs over 8,100 staff across 32 countries [9]

Core Viewpoint - Accenture's share price has decreased by approximately 22% this year due to slowing contract momentum and macroeconomic uncertainties, despite management's emphasis on strong AI-enabled growth opportunities [1] Financial Performance - Wall Street forecasts earnings of $3.72 per share on revenue of $18.53 billion for the upcoming quarter [2] - The company has consistently beaten consensus EPS in recent quarters, but stock sell-offs have occurred due to weak new bookings [2] Market Concerns - There are fears of weaker discretionary spending, potential cuts in U.S. federal contracts, and increased competition from cloud hyperscalers, with U.S. federal government business accounting for about 8% of Accenture's global revenue [3] - Analysts are particularly focused on guidance updates for fiscal 2026, with previous management comments indicating moderated revenue growth expectations of 2-5% [3] AI Developments - Accenture's pivot to AI has seen generative AI bookings grow rapidly, reaching a multi-billion-dollar run rate, but this still represents only a small portion of total bookings [4] - For the year ending August 31, Accenture reported total new bookings of $80.6 billion, with only $5.9 billion coming from generative AI [5] - The company is undergoing an $865 million restructuring program to align its workforce and operations with rising demand for digital and AI services [5] Strategic Partnerships - Accenture announced plans to acquire a majority stake in AI data center firm DLB Associates and to form a joint business group with Palantir Technologies, becoming Palantir's preferred global partner for large-scale enterprise AI deployments [6] - A multi-year partnership with Amazon-backed Anthropic was launched to train about 30,000 professionals, alongside a deal with OpenAI to implement agentic AI systems and ChatGPT Enterprise across its consulting and operations workforce [7] Stock Performance - Over the past 12 months, Accenture's stock has declined by 23.86%, contrasting with IBM's 32.41% increase and the Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund's 18% rise [8] - As of the latest trading session, Accenture's shares closed down nearly 1% at $272.04 [8] Upcoming Events - Accenture is set to report its fiscal 2026 Q1 results before markets open on December 18 [9]

Core Insights - Accenture is expected to report an EPS of $3.74 and revenue of approximately $18.51 billion on December 18, 2025, indicating strong market performance [1] - The EPS for the quarter ending November 2025 is projected to be $3.74, reflecting a 4.2% increase year-over-year, while revenue is anticipated to reach $18.56 billion, marking a 4.9% rise from the previous year [2][6] - Recent consensus EPS estimates have been slightly revised downwards by 0.1%, indicating a reassessment by analysts that may influence investor actions [3] Financial Metrics - Accenture has a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of approximately 22.06, indicating the price investors are willing to pay for each dollar of earnings [4] - The company’s price-to-sales ratio is about 2.44, reflecting the value placed on each dollar of sales, while the enterprise value to sales ratio is around 2.39 [4] - The enterprise value to operating cash flow ratio is approximately 14.53, and the earnings yield stands at 4.53%, providing a return on investment relative to earnings [5] - Accenture's debt-to-equity ratio is 0.26, indicating a relatively low level of debt compared to equity, and a current ratio of 1.42 suggests good liquidity to cover short-term liabilities [5][6]

Core Insights - Accenture and Palantir Technologies have established the Accenture Palantir Business Group to enhance the deployment of AI and data solutions globally [1] - Palantir has designated Accenture as a preferred global partner for enterprise transformation [1] Group Structure and Team Composition - The new business group will consist of dedicated forward-deployed engineers from Palantir and over 2,000 Accenture professionals skilled in Palantir technologies [2] - These teams will collaborate directly with clients to transition from isolated data systems to integrated, AI-driven decision-making using Palantir's platforms [2] Industry Focus and Applications - The partnership aims to support clients across various industries, including government, energy, oil and gas, healthcare, telecommunications, manufacturing, consumer goods, and financial services [3] - Accenture has noted existing activities in government and energy sectors while planning to develop additional use cases in other industries [3] Operational Focus - A primary focus for the group will be on data center and AI infrastructure operations, deemed critical for economic resilience [4] - Accenture and Palantir will assist clients in utilizing Palantir Foundry and Artificial Intelligence Platform, as well as accessing secure computing resources in complex environments [4] Strategic Expansion - Accenture's CEO, Julie Sweet, emphasized that the expanded partnership will enable clients to accelerate advanced AI across enterprises and achieve faster business outcomes [5] - The combination of Accenture's industry experience and Palantir's platforms is expected to facilitate the development of scalable enterprise AI systems [5] Acquisition and Capabilities Enhancement - Accenture has agreed to acquire a 65% stake in DLB Associates, a US-based AI data center engineering and consulting firm, to enhance its end-to-end data center capabilities [5][6] - DLB Associates specializes in data center site selection, design engineering, and energy optimization services, supporting clients in accelerating speed to market [6][7]

Core Insights - Deloitte Ireland has appointed Aziz Ahmad and Vikram Kunnath as partners to enhance its consultative businesses, part of a broader investment in talent with 18 new partners appointed in the last ten months [1][5] - Ahmad will lead the Valuations practice within the Advisory business, bringing over 20 years of international experience, particularly in technology, life sciences, and aviation finance [1][2] - Kunnath joins as a partner in the Technology and Transformation business, focusing on life sciences, with a background of 25 years in global roles at major firms [3][4] Group 1: Appointments and Roles - Aziz Ahmad has extensive experience in complex valuation assignments, including cross-border IP transfers and acquisition accounting [2] - Vikram Kunnath's expertise lies in manufacturing and supply chain within life sciences, emphasizing technology-led transformation [4] Group 2: Company Strategy and Workforce - Deloitte Ireland's CEO highlighted the importance of these strategic appointments in addressing clients' interconnected decisions and the need for quality insights [5] - The firm employs around 3,000 people in Ireland, providing a range of services including audit, tax, consulting, and financial advisory [5][6]

Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN) is one of the Trending AI Stocks on Wall Street. On December 12, Stifel maintained its Buy rating on the stock with a price target of $315.00. The firm believes that the impact of artificial intelligence is being oversimplified, noting that enterprises will require third-party support to scale AI use cases. As such, the recent slowdown in growth can be largely attributed to economic and technology uncertainty instead of fundamental shifts in the service model. Three men discussi ...

Core Insights - Accenture plc is set to release its first-quarter earnings results on December 18, with analysts expecting earnings of $3.72 per share, an increase from $3.59 per share in the previous year [1] - The consensus estimate for quarterly revenue is $18.53 million, up from $17.69 million reported last year [1] - Accenture has agreed to acquire a majority stake in DLB Associates, a US-based AI data center engineering and consulting firm [2] Analyst Ratings - Morgan Stanley upgraded Accenture from Equal-Weight to Overweight, raising the price target from $271 to $320 [3] - Citigroup initiated coverage with a Neutral rating and a price target of $266 [3] - Mizuho maintained an Outperform rating but reduced the price target from $348 to $309 [3] - BMO Capital maintained a Market Perform rating and cut the price target from $325 to $270 [3] - Baird maintained an Outperform rating and lowered the price target from $350 to $330 [3]

Group 1 - Accenture plc is set to release its first-quarter earnings results on December 18, with expected earnings of $3.72 per share, an increase from $3.59 per share in the same period last year [1] - The consensus estimate for Accenture's quarterly revenue is $18.53 million, up from $17.69 million reported last year [1] - Accenture has agreed to acquire a majority stake in US-based AI data center engineering and consulting firm DLB Associates [2] Group 2 - Morgan Stanley upgraded Accenture's stock from Equal-Weight to Overweight, raising the price target from $271 to $320 [3] - Citigroup initiated coverage on Accenture with a Neutral rating and a price target of $266 [3] - Mizuho maintained an Outperform rating but cut the price target from $348 to $309 [3] - BMO Capital maintained a Market Perform rating and reduced the price target from $325 to $270 [3] - Baird maintained an Outperform rating and lowered the price target from $350 to $330 [3]

Core Viewpoint - Booz Allen Hamilton's shares fell 6.7% following the announcement of CFO Matthew A. Calderone's resignation, raising questions about the company's stability and potential investment opportunities [1][2]. Company Overview - Booz Allen Hamilton's current market capitalization is approximately $11 billion, with shares trading at $85.23 after a decline from all-time highs [3][5]. - The company has a gross margin of 21% and a dividend yield of 2.39% [3]. Executive Departure - CFO Matthew A. Calderone will leave Booz Allen on February 1, 2026, to take a new position at S&P Global Mobility, which is set to be spun off from S&P Global [3][4]. - COO Kristine Martin Anderson will assume Calderone's responsibilities on an interim basis [3]. Market Context - The departure of Calderone is perceived as routine, given S&P Global's larger market capitalization of $152 billion compared to Booz Allen's [5]. - The S&P Mobility unit generated $1.6 billion in revenue in 2024, reflecting an 8% growth, indicating potential for high valuation upon its spin-off [6]. Financial Performance - Booz Allen has experienced a 52% decline from its all-time highs, leading to a current trading multiple of 13 times trailing earnings [10]. - The company has faced challenges in its civil administration consulting business due to cost-cutting measures, but two-thirds of its operations are focused on defense and technology sectors, which remain robust [9]. Investment Considerations - The recent sell-off may present a buying opportunity for value investors, as the company appears undervalued despite current market concerns [8][10].

Students from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management Let’s start with the numbers: for the MBA Class of 2024, 35 % of graduates accepted roles in consulting, making it by far the largest single industry choice at Kellogg. Even more impressive: those going into consulting had a median base salary of $190,000. For anyone who wants consulting, those stats send a clear signal: Kellogg doesn’t just talk about consulting—it delivers. Why does that matter? Because consulting isn’t just a nice- ...