Accenture PLC (NYSE:ACN) Receives Consensus Rating of “Hold” from Analysts

Accenture PLC (NYSE:ACN) has been given a consensus rating of “Hold” by the twenty-seven brokerages that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, fourteen have issued a hold rating and eleven have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 1-year price objective among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $218.59.

A number of analysts have commented on ACN shares. Argus upped their price target on Accenture from $220.00 to $260.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday. Dbs Bank downgraded shares of Accenture from a “moderate buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 23rd. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price objective on shares of Accenture from $230.00 to $260.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday. TD Cowen upped their price objective on Accenture from $173.00 to $193.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday. Finally, Evercore set a $250.00 price objective on Accenture and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday.

More Accenture News

Here are the key news stories impacting Accenture this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Strong quarterly beat: Fiscal fourth-quarter revenue rose 6.2% year over year to $18.68 billion, exceeding the $18.03 billion consensus estimate, while EPS of $3.29 topped expectations of $3.18. Accenture fiscal fourth-quarter earnings report
• Positive Sentiment: Bookings eased AI-disruption fears: Quarterly bookings reached $22.17 billion, up 4%, contributing to record fiscal-year bookings of approximately $84.5 billion. Management said AI demand is broadening into fiscal 2027, supported by large-scale reinvention projects and managed services. Accenture Q4 earnings call and AI demand
• Positive Sentiment: Constructive fiscal 2027 outlook: Accenture forecast 3%–6% revenue growth in local currency, a 15.9%–16.1% operating margin and $14.39–$14.81 in EPS. The company also plans roughly $5 billion of acquisitions, signaling continued investment in growth. Accenture fiscal 2027 outlook
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst target increases: Argus raised its target to $260 with a Buy rating, while RBC lifted its target to $240 and upgraded the stock to Outperform. Truist also raised its target to $220, though it retained a Hold rating.
• Positive Sentiment: Higher shareholder returns: Accenture increased its quarterly dividend 4.9% to $1.71 per share, or $6.84 annually, representing a yield of about 3.4%.

Accenture Stock Performance

NYSE ACN opened at $199.17 on Friday. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $180.91 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $173.64. The stock has a market capitalization of $133.01 billion, a PE ratio of 14.69, a P/E/G ratio of 1.75 and a beta of 1.11. Accenture has a 1 year low of $118.15 and a 1 year high of $291.09. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31, a current ratio of 1.43 and a quick ratio of 1.34.

Accenture (NYSE:ACN) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 1st. The information technology services provider reported $3.29 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.18 by $0.11. Accenture had a return on equity of 26.53% and a net margin of 11.28%.The firm had revenue of $18.68 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $18.03 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $3.03 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Accenture has set its FY 2027 guidance at 14.390-14.810 EPS. Analysts predict that Accenture will post 14.65 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Accenture declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a stock buyback plan on Tuesday, June 23rd that authorizes the company to repurchase $2.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the information technology services provider to buy up to 2.4% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are generally a sign that the company’s leadership believes its stock is undervalued.

Accenture Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 13th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, October 13th will be given a dividend of $1.71 per share. This represents a $6.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.4%. This is a boost from Accenture’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.63. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, October 13th. Accenture’s payout ratio is 48.08%.

Insider Transactions at Accenture

In related news, General Counsel Joel Unruch sold 10,498 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, July 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $162.98, for a total value of $1,710,964.04. Following the completion of the transaction, the general counsel directly owned 17,735 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,890,450.30. This trade represents a 37.18% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders own 0.02% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Accenture

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Dogwood Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in Accenture by 147.1% in the 2nd quarter. Dogwood Wealth Management LLC now owns 215 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 128 shares in the last quarter. IMG Wealth Management Inc. boosted its position in shares of Accenture by 134.8% during the first quarter. IMG Wealth Management Inc. now owns 155 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 89 shares during the period. Arlington Trust Co LLC lifted its holdings in Accenture by 110.4% in the second quarter. Arlington Trust Co LLC now owns 284 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 149 shares during the period. S&G Foundation acquired a new stake in shares of Accenture in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $37,000. Finally, Whipplewood Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Accenture by 57.9% during the first quarter. Whipplewood Advisors LLC now owns 210 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock worth $42,000 after acquiring an additional 77 shares during the period. 75.14% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Accenture Company Profile

Accenture plc (NYSE: ACN) is a global professional services company that helps organizations improve performance, modernize operations and respond to technological and market changes. Its services span strategy and consulting, technology, operations, and managed services, with expertise across industries including communications, financial services, health care, public service, retail, manufacturing and resources.

The company provides digital transformation, cloud migration, data and artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, systems integration and technology implementation services.