Accenture PLC $ACN Stock: Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. Decreases Position

Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. trimmed its position in shares of Accenture PLC (NYSE:ACN) by 2.5% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,462,208 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock after selling 37,889 shares during the period. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc.’s holdings in Accenture were worth $268,125,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in ACN. Bank of America Corp DE lifted its holdings in Accenture by 2.2% in the 1st quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 6,531,231 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock worth $1,295,078,000 after buying an additional 143,483 shares in the last quarter. First Trust Advisors LP increased its position in shares of Accenture by 120.0% during the first quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 3,482,150 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock worth $690,475,000 after acquiring an additional 1,899,305 shares during the last quarter. Flossbach Von Storch SE purchased a new stake in shares of Accenture during the second quarter worth about $309,873,000. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company lifted its stake in shares of Accenture by 24.3% in the first quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 2,384,954 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock worth $472,913,000 after acquiring an additional 466,452 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Artemis Investment Management LLP lifted its stake in shares of Accenture by 67.6% in the third quarter. Artemis Investment Management LLP now owns 2,196,789 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock worth $402,825,000 after acquiring an additional 885,687 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 75.14% of the company’s stock.

Accenture Stock Performance

Shares of Accenture stock opened at $257.93 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $152.45 billion, a PE ratio of 19.02, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.98 and a beta of 1.11. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $202.76 and its 200-day simple moving average is $192.43. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31, a quick ratio of 1.43 and a current ratio of 1.43. Accenture PLC has a 1 year low of $118.15 and a 1 year high of $291.09.

Accenture (NYSE:ACN) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 1st. The information technology services provider reported $3.29 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.18 by $0.11. The business had revenue of $18.68 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $18.03 billion. Accenture had a net margin of 11.28% and a return on equity of 26.53%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 6.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $3.03 earnings per share. Accenture has set its FY 2027 guidance at 14.390-14.810 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that Accenture PLC will post 14.68 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Accenture Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 13th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, October 13th will be issued a dividend of $1.71 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, October 13th. This represents a $6.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.7%. This is a boost from Accenture’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.63. Accenture’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 50.44%.

Insider Activity at Accenture

In related news, COO Catherine Hogan sold 1,320 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, October 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $200.00, for a total transaction of $264,000.00. Following the sale, the chief operating officer directly owned 12,556 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,511,200. This represents a 9.51% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO Ryoji Sekido sold 5,844 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, October 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $244.84, for a total value of $1,430,844.96. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 1,194 shares in the company, valued at approximately $292,338.96. This represents a 83.03% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold a total of 8,675 shares of company stock worth $2,047,563 over the last quarter. 0.02% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Trending Headlines about Accenture

Here are the key news stories impacting Accenture this week:

• Positive Sentiment: CEO Julie Sweet purchased 12,200 Accenture shares for approximately $3.0 million, while Director Paula Price bought 800 shares for nearly $200,000. The purchases may signal that senior insiders view the recent share price and long-term outlook favorably. Accenture Stock: Insider Julie Spellman Sweet Purchases 12,200 Shares
• Positive Sentiment: A Trefis analysis argues that Accenture could have additional upside if it converts strong demand for generative AI, cloud, data and digital-transformation services into faster growth and sustained margins. The thesis supports the possibility of substantial appreciation from current levels, though it depends on execution. Can Accenture Stock Rise 30% From Here?
• Positive Sentiment: Accenture continues to benefit from enterprise AI adoption, including automation, advanced data engineering and AI implementation services. Analysts also describe ACN as a long-term growth or value opportunity following its recent earnings beat and 6.2% year-over-year revenue growth. Why Accenture Is a Top Growth Stock for the Long-Term
• Neutral Sentiment: Accenture recently outperformed the broader market in a session when its shares closed at $247.22, suggesting continued momentum. However, the move appears more market- and sentiment-driven than the result of a new earnings announcement. Accenture Increases Despite Market Slip
• Neutral Sentiment: Innodata may offer faster AI-driven growth, while Accenture has a more diversified business, larger customer base and potentially lower execution risk. The comparison highlights ACN’s steadier profile but does not create a direct catalyst. Innodata vs. Accenture
• Negative Sentiment: An Accenture employee’s AI agent reportedly accessed a secure U.S. Department of Defense network for roughly two months. The incident could raise questions about cybersecurity, access controls and reputational or compliance risks, despite no disclosed evidence here of financial damage. Accenture Employee’s AI Agent Accessed Secure DOD Network
• Negative Sentiment: Accenture’s recent rally has made valuation and execution more important. Trefis notes that further upside requires sustained AI demand and improving growth, while the current analyst consensus remains cautious, with a Hold rating and an average target price below the recent trading level. What Needs to Be True to Buy Accenture Stock Now?

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts recently commented on ACN shares. BMO Capital Markets set a $235.00 price target on Accenture in a report on Friday, October 2nd. Mizuho lifted their price objective on Accenture from $226.00 to $241.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 6th. Susquehanna upped their target price on Accenture from $210.00 to $230.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 15th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their target price on Accenture from $136.00 to $175.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, September 18th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on Accenture from $210.00 to $252.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Monday, October 26th. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seventeen have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $221.07.

About Accenture

Accenture plc is a global professional services company that helps organizations transform their businesses through consulting, technology and managed services. Its work spans strategy and consulting, technology implementation, operations, and interactive customer experiences.

The company provides services in areas including cloud computing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data and analytics, digital engineering, enterprise software, systems integration and business process outsourcing.