Accenture (NYSE:ACN) Releases FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

Accenture (NYSE:ACN) updated its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Thursday. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of 13.520-13.900 for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of 13.770. The company issued revenue guidance of $71.1 billion-$73.2 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $73.6 billion. Accenture also updated its Q2 2026 guidance to EPS.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

ACN has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Cowen reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Accenture in a report on Friday, September 26th. Evercore ISI restated an “outperform” rating and set a $300.00 price objective on shares of Accenture in a research note on Thursday. Citigroup upgraded Accenture to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, October 23rd. Robert W. Baird reduced their price objective on Accenture from $350.00 to $330.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, September 26th. Finally, Rothschild & Co Redburn boosted their target price on shares of Accenture from $250.00 to $255.00 in a research note on Friday, September 19th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have given a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $298.29.

Accenture Price Performance

Shares of ACN opened at $272.57 on Friday. Accenture has a 12 month low of $229.40 and a 12 month high of $398.35. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16, a current ratio of 1.41 and a quick ratio of 1.42. The company has a market cap of $179.48 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.53, a PEG ratio of 2.63 and a beta of 1.26. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $252.81 and a 200 day moving average price of $264.05.

Accenture (NYSE:ACN) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, December 18th. The information technology services provider reported $3.94 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.73 by $0.21. Accenture had a return on equity of 26.65% and a net margin of 10.76%.The company had revenue of $18.74 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $18.51 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $3.59 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 5.7% on a year-over-year basis. Accenture has set its FY 2026 guidance at 13.520-13.900 EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that Accenture will post 12.73 earnings per share for the current year.

Accenture Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 13th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, January 13th will be paid a dividend of $1.63 per share. This represents a $6.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, January 13th. Accenture’s payout ratio is 53.66%.

Insider Transactions at Accenture

In related news, insider Manish Sharma sold 6,902 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, October 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $250.01, for a total value of $1,725,569.02. Following the transaction, the insider owned 1,860 shares in the company, valued at approximately $465,018.60. This represents a 78.77% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, CEO Ryoji Sekido sold 2,500 shares of Accenture stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, October 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $249.47, for a total transaction of $623,675.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 1,390 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $346,763.30. This trade represents a 64.27% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 33,319 shares of company stock valued at $8,335,225 over the last quarter. Company insiders own 0.02% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Accenture

Here are the key news stories impacting Accenture this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Beat on revenue and earnings; bookings strength. Accenture reported Q1 FY2026 revenue (~$18.7B) and EPS that topped consensus, and management said bookings rose in the double‑digits — a core reason analysts cite for confidence. Accenture Reports First-Quarter Fiscal 2026 Results
• Positive Sentiment: AI momentum and client adoption. Management said roughly 100 incremental clients started AI projects over nine quarters and emphasized AI bookings as a growth driver — a positive catalyst for longer‑term revenue mix and margins. Accenture’s AI Momentum Impresses Analysts Despite Early-Stage Rollouts
• Positive Sentiment: Strategic government/AI partnerships. Accenture Federal Services announced work with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Genesis Mission — a high‑profile AI initiative that can expand federal revenue and credibility in cutting‑edge AI services. Accenture Partners With U.S. Department of Energy
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend and cash flow strength. Company declared a quarterly dividend ($1.63 per share) and reported stronger operating cash flow, supporting shareholder returns and the balance sheet. (Dividend announcement included in company filings.)
• Positive Sentiment: Institutional endorsement. The Aoris International Fund flagged a positive outlook on Accenture in its investor letter, signaling continued institutional interest. Aoris International Fund Has a Positive Outlook on Accenture
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst moves are mixed. TD Cowen raised its target to $300 (buy), Susquehanna nudged its target to $277 (neutral). These adjustments show differing views on upside but don’t move consensus decisively. TD Cowen Adjusts Price Target Susquehanna Adjusts Price Target
• Negative Sentiment: Near‑term revenue guidance disappointed some. Management’s Q2 revenue range and FY revenue midpoint were viewed as slightly conservative versus Street expectations, prompting profit‑taking despite the beat. Accenture dips despite Q1 beat, Q2 revenue outlook below estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Mixed investor concerns about AI’s long‑term impact and recent stock weakness. Some commentaries point to investor worry over how AI changes demand dynamics and note ACN’s price has pulled back from earlier highs — factors that can amplify volatility. Accenture stock price dropped after earnings

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Accenture

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of ACN. Voloridge Investment Management LLC bought a new position in Accenture during the third quarter valued at about $311,694,000. AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its position in Accenture by 268.3% during the third quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 1,252,334 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock worth $308,826,000 after purchasing an additional 912,348 shares during the period. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV grew its holdings in Accenture by 199.0% during the third quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV now owns 166,834 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock valued at $38,555,000 after purchasing an additional 335,394 shares during the last quarter. Boston Partners acquired a new stake in shares of Accenture in the third quarter worth $80,728,000. Finally, Credit Agricole S A acquired a new position in Accenture in the 3rd quarter valued at $62,670,000. 75.14% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Accenture

Accenture is a global professional services company that provides a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. The firm works with organizations across industries to design and implement business transformation programs, deploy and manage enterprise technology, optimize operations, and develop customer and digital experiences. Its offerings encompass management and technology consulting, systems integration, application and infrastructure services, cloud migration and managed services, as well as security and analytics capabilities.

The company delivers industry- and function-specific solutions, combining consulting expertise with proprietary tools, platforms and partnerships with major technology vendors.