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The new group will be made up of 1,000 forward-deployed engineers.

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Accenture today announced the appointment of Emma Chalwin as Chief Marketing Officer, effective October 1, 2026.

Google Cloud and Accenture are working together on a joint unit dedicated to sending engineers into enterprises to help them better adopt Google’s AI tools and services. 

The new unit, dubbed Accenture Gemini Enterprise Business Group, is Google’s latest foray into the increasingly competitive world of “forward-deployed engineers,” or FDEs. Rivals in the AI race, including OpenAI, Anthropic, Microsoft, and Amazon, have all recently launched separate business units in a bet that implementing AI models can become its own trillion-dollar business.

It’s the kind of bet AI companies and hyperscalers increasingly need to make. Hyperscalers are committing hundreds of billions of dollars a year to GPUs, data centers, and power capacity even as the revenue directly attributable to AI remains a fraction of that investment.

Google Cloud generated $24.8 billion in the second quarter, a big chunk of which was driven by enterprise AI. But the commitments behind that growth are enormous. Google Cloud’s parent company Alphabet reportedly accumulated $811 billion in purchase commitments and contractual obligations as of June 30.

This return on investment is not yet materializing in the way companies and investors need it to, so everything hinges on whether or not AI companies can create enough demand for their services. But that demand is not guaranteed, as enterprises themselves are struggling to see a true return on investment on their AI spending.

It’s conventionally held that enterprises have simply lacked the expertise to intelligently integrate AI tools and services into their workflows in a way that not only saves them money, but helps them make more of it in the long run. That’s where the FDEs come in as a steady, guiding hand that, ideally, possesses the perfect mental cocktail of business acumen and agentic AI prowess needed to change everything. 

As part of its deal with Accenture, Google will train up to 1,000 of the consultancy firm’s FDEs to work with enterprises and build custom AI applications on the Gemini Enterprise platform. The organization will live under Accenture, according to a Google spokesperson.

According to August data from Ramp, Google accounts for roughly 6% of enterprise AI spending among Ramp’s U.S. customers, compared to Anthropic’s 43.5% and OpenAI’s 39.7%. (A Google spokesperson pointed out that many of Ramp’s customers exclude the types of major enterprises that are signing large, strategic AI deals with Google Cloud, which go beyond just model API usage — like Oracle, Meta, Anthropic, and ServiceNow.) Google’s new unit with Accenture, which The Wall Street Journal first reported, is the latest of its aggressive expansions of its FDE model this year as it attempts to resolve enterprise deployment bottlenecks and catch up to rivals. 

Earlier this year, Google Cloud launched a $750 million partner ecosystem commitment that embedded Google’s own FDEs across multiple consultancies, including Capgemini, Cognizant, and Deloitte. The tech giant also struck a multi-year partnership with CVC Capital Partners to deploy FDEs directly into the investment firm’s portfolio companies.

Google isn’t the only giant at risk of being outpaced by newer firms. Companies that are dedicated specifically to embedding engineers into businesses to build bespoke AI workflows — like Ode with Anthropic, or OpenAI’s The Deployment Co. — threaten big consultancy firms like Accenture as well. For the professional services giant, the Google tie-up adds to its own wave of FDE programs this year, which include a similar Microsoft FDE practice in March, an FDE initiative with ServiceNow in May, and a joint program with SAP in June.

This article has been updated with comments from Google.

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Rebecca Bellan is a senior reporter at TechCrunch where she covers the business, policy, and emerging trends shaping artificial intelligence. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, Bloomberg, The Atlantic, The Daily Beast, and other publications.

You can contact or verify outreach from Rebecca by emailing [email protected] or via encrypted message at rebeccabellan.491 on Signal.

In the latest close session, Accenture (ACN - Free Report) was up +2.9% at $193.12. The stock outperformed the S&P 500, which registered a daily gain of 1.06%. Meanwhile, the Dow gained 1.18%, and the Nasdaq, a tech-heavy index, added 1.4%.

The consulting company's shares have seen an increase of 9.93% over the last month, surpassing the Computer and Technology sector's gain of 3.99% and the S&P 500's gain of 2.46%.

Analysts and investors alike will be keeping a close eye on the performance of Accenture in its upcoming earnings disclosure. The company's earnings report is set to go public on October 1, 2026. It is anticipated that the company will report an EPS of $3.19, marking a 5.28% rise compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Simultaneously, our latest consensus estimate expects the revenue to be $18.01 billion, showing a 2.36% escalation compared to the year-ago quarter.

Regarding the entire year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates forecast earnings of $13.86 per share and revenue of $73.54 billion, indicating changes of +7.19% and +5.55%, respectively, compared to the previous year.

Investors should also take note of any recent adjustments to analyst estimates for Accenture. These revisions help to show the ever-changing nature of near-term business trends. As a result, upbeat changes in estimates indicate analysts' favorable outlook on the business health and profitability.

Research indicates that these estimate revisions are directly correlated with near-term share price momentum. To exploit this, we've formed the Zacks Rank, a quantitative model that includes these estimate changes and presents a viable rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, spanning from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), boasts an impressive track record of outperformance, audited externally, with #1 ranked stocks yielding an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 0.03% higher. At present, Accenture boasts a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

Investors should also note Accenture's current valuation metrics, including its Forward P/E ratio of 12.79. This denotes a discount relative to the industry average Forward P/E of 13.54.

Also, we should mention that ACN has a PEG ratio of 1.51. Comparable to the widely accepted P/E ratio, the PEG ratio also accounts for the company's projected earnings growth. As the market closed yesterday, the Computers - IT Services industry was having an average PEG ratio of 1.37.

The Computers - IT Services industry is part of the Computer and Technology sector. At present, this industry carries a Zacks Industry Rank of 98, placing it within the top 40% of over 250 industries.

The strength of our individual industry groups is measured by the Zacks Industry Rank, which is calculated based on the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within these groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

Be sure to use Zacks.com to monitor all these stock-influencing metrics, and more, throughout the forthcoming trading sessions.

If you are looking for a stock that has a solid history of beating earnings estimates and is in a good position to maintain the trend in its next quarterly report, you should consider Accenture (ACN - Free Report) . This company, which is in the Zacks Computers - IT Services industry, shows potential for another earnings beat.

This consulting company has an established record of topping earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The company boasts an average surprise for the past two quarters of 2.58%.

For the last reported quarter, Accenture came out with earnings of $3.8 per share versus the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.7 per share, representing a surprise of 2.70%. For the previous quarter, the company was expected to post earnings of $2.86 per share and it actually produced earnings of $2.93 per share, delivering a surprise of 2.45%.

Price and EPS Surprise

Thanks in part to this history, there has been a favorable change in earnings estimates for Accenture lately. In fact, the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) for the stock is positive, which is a great indicator of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with its solid Zacks Rank.

Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven.

The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.

Accenture has an Earnings ESP of +0.33% at the moment, suggesting that analysts have grown bullish on its near-term earnings potential. When you combine this positive Earnings ESP with the stock's Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), it shows that another beat is possibly around the corner. The company's next earnings report is expected to be released on October 1, 2026.

When the Earnings ESP comes up negative, investors should note that this will reduce the predictive power of the metric. But, a negative value is not indicative of a stock's earnings miss.

Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, though this is not the only reason why their shares gain. Additionally, some stocks may remain stable even if they end up missing the consensus estimate.

Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.

Accenture (ACN - Free Report) closed at $181.38 in the latest trading session, marking a -2.97% move from the prior day. The stock's performance was behind the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.02%. Meanwhile, the Dow experienced a drop of 0.21%, and the technology-dominated Nasdaq saw a decrease of 0.08%.

The consulting company's shares have seen an increase of 13.52% over the last month, surpassing the Computer and Technology sector's gain of 4.99% and the S&P 500's gain of 3.67%.

The investment community will be closely monitoring the performance of Accenture in its forthcoming earnings report. The company is scheduled to release its earnings on October 1, 2026. The company's earnings per share (EPS) are projected to be $3.19, reflecting a 5.28% increase from the same quarter last year. Our most recent consensus estimate is calling for quarterly revenue of $18.01 billion, up 2.36% from the year-ago period.

For the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates project earnings of $13.85 per share and a revenue of $73.54 billion, demonstrating changes of +7.12% and +5.55%, respectively, from the preceding year.

It's also important for investors to be aware of any recent modifications to analyst estimates for Accenture. Recent revisions tend to reflect the latest near-term business trends. As a result, upbeat changes in estimates indicate analysts' favorable outlook on the business health and profitability.

Our research suggests that these changes in estimates have a direct relationship with upcoming stock price performance. To utilize this, we have created the Zacks Rank, a proprietary model that integrates these estimate changes and provides a functional rating system.

The Zacks Rank system ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell). It has a remarkable, outside-audited track record of success, with #1 stocks delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate remained stagnant. Accenture presently features a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

Looking at valuation, Accenture is presently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 13.5. This valuation marks a premium compared to its industry average Forward P/E of 13.47.

It's also important to note that ACN currently trades at a PEG ratio of 1.93. This popular metric is similar to the widely-known P/E ratio, with the difference being that the PEG ratio also takes into account the company's expected earnings growth rate. The average PEG ratio for the Computers - IT Services industry stood at 1.26 at the close of the market yesterday.

The Computers - IT Services industry is part of the Computer and Technology sector. This group has a Zacks Industry Rank of 92, putting it in the top 38% of all 250+ industries.

The strength of our individual industry groups is measured by the Zacks Industry Rank, which is calculated based on the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within these groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

Keep in mind to rely on Zacks.com to watch all these stock-impacting metrics, and more, in the succeeding trading sessions.

Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has agreed to acquire [url="]COMWARE Co., Ltd.[/url], a Tokyo-based provider of end-to-end technology services for mid-market companies. T

Taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for new and old investors, and Zacks Premium offers many different ways to do both.

Featuring daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, the research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor.

It also includes access to the Zacks Style Scores.

What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Style Scores is a unique set of guidelines that rates stocks based on three popular investing types, and were developed as complementary indicators for the Zacks Rank. This combination helps investors choose securities with the highest chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.

Each stock is given an alphabetic rating of A, B, C, D or F based on their value, growth, and momentum qualities. With this system, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on, meaning the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.

The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:

Value ScoreValue investors love finding good stocks at good prices, especially before the broader market catches on to a stock's true value. Utilizing ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and many other multiples, the Value Style Score identifies the most attractive and most discounted stocks.

Growth ScoreWhile good value is important, growth investors are more focused on a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score takes projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow into account to uncover stocks that will see long-term, sustainable growth.

Momentum ScoreMomentum investors, who live by the saying "the trend is your friend," are most interested in taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Utilizing one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, among other factors, the Momentum Style Score can help determine favorable times to buy high-momentum stocks.

VGM ScoreWhat if you like to use all three types of investing? The VGM Score is a combination of all Style Scores, making it one of the most comprehensive indicators to use with the Zacks Rank. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, which helps narrow down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.

How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank, which is a proprietary stock-rating model, employs earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to make building a winning portfolio easier.

It's highly successful, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.8% average annual return since 1988. That's more than double the S&P 500. But because of the large number of stocks we rate, there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.

But it can feel overwhelming to pick the right stocks for you and your investing goals with over 800 top-rated stocks to choose from.

That's where the Style Scores come in.

To maximize your returns, you want to buy stocks with the highest probability of success. This means picking stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you find yourself looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, make sure they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.

As mentioned above, the Scores are designed to work with the Zacks Rank, so any change to a company's earnings outlook should be a deciding factor when picking which stocks to buy.

A stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, for instance, even one with Scores of A and B, will still have a declining earnings forecast, and a greater chance its share price will fall too.

Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.

Stock to Watch: Accenture (ACN - Free Report) Accenture plc is a leading global professional services company focused on helping enterprises reinvent by building their digital core and applying AI across the organization. Years of investment in digital, cloud and security have supported its position as a trusted adviser to large companies and governments. Fiscal 2025 revenues were $69.7 billion, up 7.4% year over year.

ACN is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.

It also boasts a Value Style Score of B thanks to attractive valuation metrics like a forward P/E ratio of 13.53; value investors should take notice.

For fiscal 2026, one analyst revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.00 to $13.85 per share. ACN boasts an average earnings surprise of +3.1%.

With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Value and VGM Style Scores, ACN should be on investors' short list.

Accenture plc is undergoing a strategic shift toward high-margin SaaS and OT cybersecurity, decoupling revenue from headcount and targeting a $240B mid-market TAM. I upgrade ACN to Strong Buy, citing a compressed ~13.1x forward P/E versus a potential re-rating to ~23.15x as SaaS revenue grows and platform integration accelerates. ACN is deploying $9B in M&A, acquiring OT cybersecurity assets at ~20x EV/ARR, which, if integrated smoothly, could drive 50%+ ARR growth and margin expansion.

Is It Too Late to Buy Accenture PLC (ACN) After 5.9% Rally? GF Value Says Undervalued

On August 19, 2026, Accenture PLC ACN shares rose 5.9% to $183.17, showing some recovery after a challenging year. The stock has fluctuated between a 52-week high of $291.09 and a low of $118.15, indicating volatility in investor sentiment.

GF Value™ verdict: Current price of $183.17 is 48.8% below the estimated fair value of $357.45.GF Score™ of 77/100 indicates the stock is above average in terms of overall quality.Notable signal: Financial strength rated at 8/10 suggests a solid financial position.Is ACN Overvalued or Undervalued?Accenture PLC's current price of $183.17 is significantly below the GF Value™ estimate of $357.45, representing a substantial margin of safety of 48.8%. This suggests that the stock may be undervalued, providing an opportunity for investors who believe in the company's long-term prospects. The GF Valuation label classifies the stock as "Significantly Undervalued," indicating that it trades at a discount relative to its intrinsic value, which is derived from historical trading multiples, past business growth, and future performance estimates.

While the GF Value™ perspective indicates a favorable buying opportunity, potential investors should consider other factors such as market conditions and the company's ongoing performance. Given the financial strength rating of 8/10 and a strong profitability rank of 9/10, there are signs that the underlying business is robust, which could support a rebound in share price.

How Does ACN's Valuation Compare to Its History?MetricCurrentHistoricalP/E (TTM)14.6x27.5xForward P/E12.5xN/ACurrently, Accenture's P/E ratio of 14.6x is significantly below its 5-year median of 27.5x, indicating that the stock is trading at a discount compared to its historical valuation. The forward P/E of 12.5x further supports this idea of undervaluation. This P/E analysis aligns with the GF Value™ verdict, reinforcing the notion that the stock may provide an attractive entry point for long-term investors.

What Does ACN's GF Score™ Tell Us?The GF Score™ assesses a stock's quality based on various factors, including financial strength, profitability, growth, valuation, and momentum. Accenture's GF Score™ of 77/100 suggests that the stock is above average in quality, with particularly strong scores in profitability and growth.

MetricRatingGF Score™77/100Financial Strength8/10Profitability9/10Growth9/10Valuation2/10Momentum2/10Accenture's strongest areas are profitability and growth, with scores of 9/10, indicating a highly efficient and expanding business. However, the valuation and momentum ranks at 2/10 suggest that the stock may currently lack upward price momentum and is relatively undervalued compared to its historical metrics. These mixed signals highlight the need for careful consideration when evaluating the stock's potential.

What Are Gurus and Insiders Doing with ACN?Currently, 19 gurus hold shares of Accenture PLC, with 12 increasing their positions and 8 trimming their stakes in recent quarters. This indicates a generally positive outlook from institutional investors, which can be a strong signal for retail investors. The presence of significant guru ownership often suggests that experienced investors believe in the company's long-term potential.

On the insider front, however, there has been notable selling activity, with insiders selling $18.7 million worth of shares over the past 12 months and no buying. This pattern may raise some concerns about the confidence of insiders in the company's near-term prospects, contrasting with the positive guru activity. Investors should weigh this insider selling against the overall guru sentiment when making decisions.

What This Means for InvestorsBased on the assessment of GF Value™, Accenture PLC appears to be undervalued, offering a potential opportunity for investors who are comfortable with the associated risks. While the stock's current price presents an attractive entry point, the mixed signals from insider activity and valuation metrics should be considered. For those interested in a company with strong fundamentals and a robust growth outlook, Accenture may still be worth monitoring closely.

For further details on Accenture PLC ACN, visit the Accenture PLC (ACN) stock page or explore the GF Value™ page.

Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat is ACN's GF Score™?

Accenture PLC has a GF Score™ of 77/100, indicating it is above average in terms of overall quality and performance.

Is ACN overvalued or undervalued?

ACN is currently considered undervalued, with a GF Value™ estimate indicating a significant margin of safety of 48.8% compared to its current price.

What is ACN's P/E ratio?

ACN's P/E ratio is 14.6x, which is significantly below its 5-year median P/E of 27.5x, indicating it is trading at a discount based on historical valuation metrics.

This stock alert was generated using automated technology and GuruFocus financial data to provide readers with timely and accurate market reporting. This content was reviewed by GuruFocus editorial team prior to publication. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].

Disclosures I/We may personally own shares in some of the companies mentioned above. However, those positions are not material to either the company or to my/our portfolios.

In the latest trading session, Accenture (ACN - Free Report) closed at $169.98, marking a -3.91% move from the previous day. This change lagged the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.52%. Meanwhile, the Dow lost 0.51%, and the Nasdaq, a tech-heavy index, lost 0.32%.

Coming into today, shares of the consulting company had gained 23.21% in the past month. In that same time, the Computer and Technology sector gained 1.99%, while the S&P 500 gained 3.3%.

The investment community will be closely monitoring the performance of Accenture in its forthcoming earnings report. The company is forecasted to report an EPS of $3.19, showcasing a 5.28% upward movement from the corresponding quarter of the prior year. Our most recent consensus estimate is calling for quarterly revenue of $18.01 billion, up 2.36% from the year-ago period.

Looking at the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates suggest analysts are expecting earnings of $13.85 per share and revenue of $73.54 billion. These totals would mark changes of +7.12% and +5.55%, respectively, from last year.

Investors should also pay attention to any latest changes in analyst estimates for Accenture. These revisions typically reflect the latest short-term business trends, which can change frequently. As such, positive estimate revisions reflect analyst optimism about the business and profitability.

Research indicates that these estimate revisions are directly correlated with near-term share price momentum. To take advantage of this, we've established the Zacks Rank, an exclusive model that considers these estimated changes and delivers an operational rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, ranging from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), possesses a remarkable history of outdoing, externally audited, with #1 stocks returning an average annual gain of +25% since 1988. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has witnessed an unchanged state. Accenture is holding a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold) right now.

Digging into valuation, Accenture currently has a Forward P/E ratio of 12.77. This represents a discount compared to its industry average Forward P/E of 13.9.

It's also important to note that ACN currently trades at a PEG ratio of 1.83. Comparable to the widely accepted P/E ratio, the PEG ratio also accounts for the company's projected earnings growth. The Computers - IT Services industry had an average PEG ratio of 1.2 as trading concluded yesterday.

The Computers - IT Services industry is part of the Computer and Technology sector. This industry, currently bearing a Zacks Industry Rank of 79, finds itself in the top 33% echelons of all 250+ industries.

The Zacks Industry Rank gauges the strength of our individual industry groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

Don't forget to use Zacks.com to keep track of all these stock-moving metrics, and others, in the upcoming trading sessions.

It doesn't matter your age or experience: taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for all investors. Luckily, Zacks Premium offers several different ways to do both.

The research service features daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, all of which will help you become a smarter, more confident investor.

Zacks Premium also includes the Zacks Style Scores.

What are the Zacks Style Scores? Developed alongside the Zacks Rank, the Zacks Style Scores are a group of complementary indicators that help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.

Each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics. Just like in school, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on -- that means the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.

The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:

Value ScoreValue investors love finding good stocks at good prices, especially before the broader market catches on to a stock's true value. Utilizing ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and many other multiples, the Value Style Score identifies the most attractive and most discounted stocks.

Growth ScoreWhile good value is important, growth investors are more focused on a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score takes projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow into account to uncover stocks that will see long-term, sustainable growth.

Momentum ScoreMomentum trading is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook, and these investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." The Momentum Style Score can pinpoint good times to build a position in a stock, using factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates.

VGM ScoreWhat if you like to use all three types of investing? The VGM Score is a combination of all Style Scores, making it one of the most comprehensive indicators to use with the Zacks Rank. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, which helps narrow down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.

How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank A proprietary stock-rating model, the Zacks Rank utilizes the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings outlook, to help investors create a successful portfolio.

It's highly successful, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.94% average annual return since 1988. That's more than double the S&P 500. But because of the large number of stocks we rate, there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.

This totals more than 800 top-rated stocks, and it can be overwhelming to try and pick the best stocks for you and your portfolio.

That's where the Style Scores come in.

To have the best chance of big returns, you'll want to always consider stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B, which will give you the highest probability of success. If you're looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, it's important they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.

As mentioned above, the Scores are designed to work with the Zacks Rank, so any change to a company's earnings outlook should be a deciding factor when picking which stocks to buy.

For instance, a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one that boasts Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings forecast, and a much greater likelihood its share price will decline as well.

Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.

Stock to Watch: Accenture (ACN - Free Report) Years of investment in digital, cloud and security strategy have helped Accenture evolve as a trusted and viable consulting services provider. It is currently one of the top consultancy firms in the world by revenues that increased 7.4% in fiscal 2025.

ACN is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of A.

Additionally, the company could be a top pick for growth investors. ACN has a Growth Style Score of B, forecasting year-over-year earnings growth of 7.1% for the current fiscal year.

Five analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.02 to $13.85 per share. ACN boasts an average earnings surprise of +3.1%.

With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Growth and VGM Style Scores, ACN should be on investors' short list.

Accenture (ACN - Free Report) closed the most recent trading day at $175.72, moving +2.69% from the previous trading session. This move outpaced the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.62%. Meanwhile, the Dow experienced a rise of 0.28%, and the technology-dominated Nasdaq saw an increase of 1.3%.

The consulting company's shares have seen an increase of 23.05% over the last month, surpassing the Computer and Technology sector's loss of 0.09% and the S&P 500's gain of 2.3%.

Analysts and investors alike will be keeping a close eye on the performance of Accenture in its upcoming earnings disclosure. The company's upcoming EPS is projected at $3.19, signifying a 5.28% increase compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Meanwhile, our latest consensus estimate is calling for revenue of $18.01 billion, up 2.36% from the prior-year quarter.

For the entire fiscal year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates are projecting earnings of $13.85 per share and a revenue of $73.54 billion, representing changes of +7.12% and +5.55%, respectively, from the prior year.

Investors should also pay attention to any latest changes in analyst estimates for Accenture. Recent revisions tend to reflect the latest near-term business trends. As a result, upbeat changes in estimates indicate analysts' favorable outlook on the business health and profitability.

Empirical research indicates that these revisions in estimates have a direct correlation with impending stock price performance. To exploit this, we've formed the Zacks Rank, a quantitative model that includes these estimate changes and presents a viable rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, running from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), holds an admirable track record of superior performance, independently audited, with #1 stocks contributing an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate remained stagnant. Accenture currently has a Zacks Rank of #4 (Sell).

Valuation is also important, so investors should note that Accenture has a Forward P/E ratio of 12.36 right now. For comparison, its industry has an average Forward P/E of 14.21, which means Accenture is trading at a discount to the group.

We can additionally observe that ACN currently boasts a PEG ratio of 1.77. This metric is used similarly to the famous P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also takes into account the stock's expected earnings growth rate. The Computers - IT Services industry had an average PEG ratio of 1.14 as trading concluded yesterday.

The Computers - IT Services industry is part of the Computer and Technology sector. Currently, this industry holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 156, positioning it in the bottom 37% of all 250+ industries.

The Zacks Industry Rank evaluates the power of our distinct industry groups by determining the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks forming the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

Don't forget to use Zacks.com to keep track of all these stock-moving metrics, and others, in the upcoming trading sessions.

Posted by Defense World Staff on Aug 7th, 2026

Chapin Davis Inc. bought a new stake in Accenture PLC (NYSE:ACN – Free Report) in the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor bought 3,486 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $434,000.

Several other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Teacher Retirement System of Texas lifted its position in Accenture by 27.7% during the 4th quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas now owns 282,340 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock worth $75,752,000 after acquiring an additional 61,314 shares during the period. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Accenture by 197.2% during the fourth quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 141,484 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock worth $37,960,000 after purchasing an additional 93,880 shares during the last quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank raised its stake in shares of Accenture by 36.6% during the fourth quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 557,516 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock worth $149,582,000 after purchasing an additional 149,357 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Accenture by 1.3% during the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 66,070,930 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock worth $17,726,831,000 after purchasing an additional 854,361 shares during the period. Finally, Swiss Life Asset Management Ltd grew its position in Accenture by 12.0% in the 4th quarter. Swiss Life Asset Management Ltd now owns 335,314 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock valued at $89,965,000 after buying an additional 36,037 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.14% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets ACN has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. DA Davidson cut their price objective on shares of Accenture from $275.00 to $175.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, June 23rd. Robert W. Baird set a $190.00 price target on shares of Accenture in a research note on Thursday, June 18th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on shares of Accenture from $247.00 to $201.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Monday, June 8th. Weiss Ratings lowered Accenture from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “sell (d+)” rating in a report on Thursday, July 9th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group dropped their target price on Accenture from $210.00 to $185.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, June 15th. Twelve investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $192.96.

Read Our Latest Research Report on ACN

Insider Buying and Selling In other Accenture news, General Counsel Joel Unruch sold 10,498 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction 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 sale, the general counsel owned 17,735 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,890,450.30. This represents a 37.18% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders own 0.02% of the company’s stock.

Accenture Stock Up 0.3% ACN stock opened at $171.25 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $114.36 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.68, a P/E/G ratio of 1.77 and a beta of 1.09. Accenture PLC has a 52 week low of $118.15 and a 52 week high of $291.09. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $151.88 and its 200 day moving average price is $187.23. The company has a current ratio of 1.34, a quick ratio of 1.34 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15.

Accenture (NYSE:ACN – Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, June 18th. The information technology services provider reported $3.80 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.70 by $0.10. Accenture had a net margin of 10.66% and a return on equity of 26.47%. The company had revenue of $18.72 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $18.78 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $3.49 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 5.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Accenture has set its FY 2026 guidance at 13.780-13.900 EPS. On average, research analysts expect that Accenture PLC will post 13.85 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Accenture Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 14th. Investors of record on Thursday, July 9th will be issued a dividend of $1.63 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, July 9th. This represents a $6.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.8%. Accenture’s payout ratio is currently 52.08%.

Accenture announced that its Board of Directors has approved a share buyback plan on Tuesday, June 23rd that allows the company to repurchase $2.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization allows the information technology services provider to repurchase up to 2.4% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are often an indication that the company’s management believes its shares are undervalued.

Accenture Profile (Free Report)

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.

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Accenture (ACN - Free Report) closed at $165.92 in the latest trading session, marking a +1.61% move from the prior day. The stock outpaced the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.7%. Meanwhile, the Dow gained 0.53%, and the Nasdaq, a tech-heavy index, added 1%.

Heading into today, shares of the consulting company had gained 18.89% over the past month, outpacing the Computer and Technology sector's loss of 6.59% and the S&P 500's loss of 0.49%.

Analysts and investors alike will be keeping a close eye on the performance of Accenture in its upcoming earnings disclosure. The company's upcoming EPS is projected at $3.19, signifying a 5.28% increase compared to the same quarter of the previous year. At the same time, our most recent consensus estimate is projecting a revenue of $18.01 billion, reflecting a 2.36% rise from the equivalent quarter last year.

ACN's full-year Zacks Consensus Estimates are calling for earnings of $13.85 per share and revenue of $73.54 billion. These results would represent year-over-year changes of +7.12% and +5.55%, respectively.

Any recent changes to analyst estimates for Accenture should also be noted by investors. These revisions typically reflect the latest short-term business trends, which can change frequently. As a result, we can interpret positive estimate revisions as a good sign for the business outlook.

Our research shows that these estimate changes are directly correlated with near-term stock prices. To exploit this, we've formed the Zacks Rank, a quantitative model that includes these estimate changes and presents a viable rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, which ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, there's been no change in the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. Accenture presently features a Zacks Rank of #4 (Sell).

Looking at its valuation, Accenture is holding a Forward P/E ratio of 11.79. This indicates a discount in contrast to its industry's Forward P/E of 13.55.

We can additionally observe that ACN currently boasts a PEG ratio of 1.69. The PEG ratio bears resemblance to the frequently used P/E ratio, but this parameter also includes the company's expected earnings growth trajectory. As the market closed yesterday, the Computers - IT Services industry was having an average PEG ratio of 1.15.

The Computers - IT Services industry is part of the Computer and Technology sector. This group has a Zacks Industry Rank of 90, putting it in the top 37% of all 250+ industries.

The Zacks Industry Rank gauges the strength of our individual industry groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

Be sure to follow all of these stock-moving metrics, and many more, on Zacks.com.

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NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--UniCredit, Accenture and IBM collaborate to build Europe's next-generation banking platform.

Key Takeaways Palantir's U.S. commercial revenues jumped 133% year over year as AIP moved into production.U.S. commercial contracts of at least $1 million rose 1.6 times, signaling larger AI deployments.Accenture's bookings fell 2% in U.S. dollars as AI raised concerns for traditional consulting demand. Both are major players in the enterprise technology and AI space, with Palantir Technologies (PLTR - Free Report) focusing on advanced data and AI-driven software platforms and Accenture plc (ACN - Free Report) operating as a global IT services and consulting powerhouse deeply involved in digital transformation and AI deployments.

While Palantir specializes in developing cutting-edge platforms such as Foundry, Gotham, and AIP to empower organizations with data-driven intelligence and decision-making capabilities, Accenture integrates AI across industries through its consulting expertise, cloud capabilities, and vast client network. Together, they represent two complementary forces in the AI ecosystem, one providing transformative technology and the other driving large-scale adoption.

The Case for PLTRPalantir's AIP is delivering exceptional momentum across its U.S. commercial business. The clearest evidence is reflected in revenue growth, with U.S. commercial revenues surging 133% year over year and 18% sequentially. The performance suggests that enterprises are moving beyond AI experimentation and increasingly deploying Palantir's AI-powered software in mission-critical production environments.

Customer expansion remains equally encouraging. U.S. commercial customer count increased 42% year over year and 8% sequentially, highlighting the company's ability to win new clients while deepening relationships with existing customers. A growing installed base not only expands recurring revenue opportunities but also creates favorable conditions for higher-value platform adoption over time.

Demand strength is also evident in Palantir's expanding deal pipeline. The number of U.S. commercial contracts valued at $1 million or more increased 1.6 times from the prior year. Deals worth at least $5 million also grew at the same pace, indicating that customers are committing to increasingly larger AI deployments as confidence in the platform continues to rise.

Meanwhile, remaining deal value climbed 112% year over year, while total contract value reached $1.18 billion, representing a 45% increase from the prior-year period. These metrics provide stronger visibility into future revenue opportunities and reinforce the durability of Palantir's commercial momentum.

The Case for ACNAccenture continues to benefit from robust demand for artificial intelligence solutions as enterprises increasingly shift their focus from cost optimization to growth-oriented digital transformation. The company is strengthening its AI ecosystem through strategic investments and partnerships that expand its capabilities across emerging technologies.

Through Accenture Ventures, the company recently invested in General Robotics, an AI company developing general-purpose robotic intelligence. The collaboration is designed to help industries such as manufacturing and logistics accelerate automation by deploying AI-powered robotics that improve productivity and operational efficiency.

Earlier this year, Accenture also expanded its alliance with ServiceNow by launching a joint AI-powered cybersecurity solution. The offering combines managed security services built on the ServiceNow AI Platform with Accenture's AI-driven migration capabilities, enabling enterprises to modernize legacy cybersecurity infrastructure more efficiently. By reducing implementation complexity and lowering migration costs, the solution addresses two of the biggest hurdles organizations face while upgrading their security operations. The partnership is particularly timely as enterprises contend with increasingly sophisticated and costly cyber threats.

However, AI is also emerging as a potential headwind for Accenture's core consulting and managed-services business. Those concerns were evident in the company's third-quarter fiscal 2026 (ended May 31, 2026) results, where new bookings declined 2% year over year in U.S. dollars and 3% in local currency. The softer bookings and below-expectation revenue performance have heightened investor concerns that AI-driven automation is beginning to reshape demand for traditional consulting and outsourcing services. As enterprises increasingly adopt AI tools to automate workflows and improve productivity internally, investors remain cautious about the potential for AI to reduce demand for some of the services that have historically driven Accenture's growth.

How Do Zacks Estimates Compare for PLTR & ACN?The Zacks Consensus Estimate for PLTR’s 2026 sales and EPS indicates year-over-year growth of 72% and 97%, respectively. EPS estimates have been trending higher over the past 30 days.

                                                                  Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ACN’s fiscal 2026 sales and EPS indicates year-over-year growth of 5.6% and 7.1%, respectively. EPS estimates have been trending flat over the past 30 days.

                                                               Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

ACN’s Valuation More Attractive Than PLTRWhile ACN appears attractively valued with a forward 12-month P/E of 11.28X versus its median of 17.17X, suggesting that the stock could be undervalued relative to its historical range, PLTR is trading at a forward 12-month P/E of 67.62X, below its 12-month median of 195.56X.

PLTR Outshines on Superior AI ExecutionPalantir stands out as the stronger investment choice because its AI strategy is translating into faster commercial adoption, expanding customer relationships and growing demand for larger enterprise deployments. Its software platforms are becoming increasingly embedded in customers’ operations, creating a foundation for durable long-term growth. While Accenture remains a respected technology services leader with deep AI expertise, it is also navigating concerns that AI could disrupt parts of its traditional consulting business. Palantir, by contrast, is benefiting directly from enterprise AI adoption, making it better positioned to capitalize on the next phase of artificial intelligence-driven growth.

While PLTR carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), ACN carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) at present.

You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Radisson Hotel Group has collaborated with Accenture (NYSE: ACN) in launching an AI-powered hotel discovery app in ChatGPT, helping travelers move from trip int

Posted by Defense World Staff on Jul 26th, 2026

CI Investments Inc. lowered its position in Accenture PLC (NYSE:ACN – Free Report) by 98.4% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 2,821 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock after selling 169,584 shares during the period. CI Investments Inc.’s holdings in Accenture were worth $559,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Triumph Capital Management acquired a new position in Accenture in the third quarter valued at about $26,000. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Accenture during the fourth quarter worth about $27,000. McMillan Office Inc. bought a new position in shares of Accenture during the 4th quarter valued at about $27,000. University of Texas Texas AM Investment Management Co. acquired a new position in shares of Accenture in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Finally, Private Wealth Management Group LLC increased its stake in Accenture by 96.4% during the 4th quarter. Private Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 108 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 53 shares in the last quarter. 75.14% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Accenture Price Performance NYSE:ACN opened at $147.04 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $98.20 billion, a PE ratio of 11.74, a P/E/G ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 1.13. Accenture PLC has a 1-year low of $118.15 and a 1-year high of $291.09. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $153.92 and a 200 day simple moving average of $194.99. The company has a current ratio of 1.34, a quick ratio of 1.34 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15.

Accenture (NYSE:ACN – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, June 18th. The information technology services provider reported $3.80 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.70 by $0.10. Accenture had a net margin of 10.66% and a return on equity of 26.47%. The firm had revenue of $18.72 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $18.78 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $3.49 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 5.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Accenture has set its FY 2026 guidance at 13.780-13.900 EPS. On average, research analysts expect that Accenture PLC will post 13.85 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Accenture declared that its Board of Directors has approved a stock buyback program on Tuesday, June 23rd that allows the company to buyback $2.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization allows the information technology services provider to repurchase up to 2.4% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are often a sign that the company’s management believes its stock is undervalued.

Accenture Announces Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 14th. Investors of record on Thursday, July 9th will be paid a $1.63 dividend. This represents a $6.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.4%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, July 9th. Accenture’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 52.08%.

Insider Transactions at Accenture In related news, CEO Atsushi Egawa sold 4,872 shares of Accenture stock in a transaction dated Thursday, April 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $177.14, for a total transaction of $863,026.08. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 12,802 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,267,746.28. This trade represents a 27.57% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Company insiders own 0.02% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes Several analysts have commented on ACN shares. Morgan Stanley dropped their target price on shares of Accenture from $177.00 to $130.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, June 22nd. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their price objective on shares of Accenture from $270.00 to $230.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, June 18th. DA Davidson dropped their price objective on shares of Accenture from $275.00 to $175.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, June 23rd. BNP Paribas Exane cut their price objective on shares of Accenture from $180.00 to $130.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, June 26th. Finally, Argus lowered their target price on Accenture from $335.00 to $220.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Monday, June 22nd. Twelve investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $192.96.

Check Out Our Latest Research Report on ACN

About Accenture (Free Report)

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.

Featured Articles Five stocks we like better than Accenture Telecom Earnings Reveal a Sector That Finally Looks Healthier Defense Earnings Show Readiness Now and Modernization Ahead Why Palantir Investors Aren’t Panicking While the Rest of AI Sells Off MarketBeat Week in Review – 07/20- 07/24 Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ACN? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Accenture PLC (NYSE:ACN – Free Report).

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Accenture (ACN - Free Report) has been one of the most searched-for stocks on Zacks.com lately. So, you might want to look at some of the facts that could shape the stock's performance in the near term.

Shares of this consulting company have returned +8.5% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.4% change. The Zacks Computers - IT Services industry, to which Accenture belongs, has lost 1.5% over this period. Now the key question is: Where could the stock be headed in the near term?

Although media reports or rumors about a significant change in a company's business prospects usually cause its stock to trend and lead to an immediate price change, there are always certain fundamental factors that ultimately drive the buy-and-hold decision.

Revisions to Earnings EstimatesRather than focusing on anything else, we at Zacks prioritize evaluating the change in a company's earnings projection. This is because we believe the fair value for its stock is determined by the present value of its future stream of earnings.

Our analysis is essentially based on how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to take the latest business trends into account. When earnings estimates for a company go up, the fair value for its stock goes up as well. And when a stock's fair value is higher than its current market price, investors tend to buy the stock, resulting in its price moving upward. Because of this, empirical studies indicate a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and short-term stock price movements.

For the current quarter, Accenture is expected to post earnings of $3.19 per share, indicating a change of +5.3% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed -0.5% over the last 30 days.

For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $13.85 points to a change of +7.1% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has remained unchanged.

For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $14.67 indicates a change of +5.9% from what Accenture is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed -0.9%.

Having a strong externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, offers a more conclusive picture of a stock's price direction in the near term, since it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. Due to the size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, Accenture is rated Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).

The chart below shows the evolution of the company's forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:

12 Month EPS

Projected Revenue GrowthWhile earnings growth is arguably the most superior indicator of a company's financial health, nothing happens as such if a business isn't able to grow its revenues. After all, it's nearly impossible for a company to increase its earnings for an extended period without increasing its revenues. So, it's important to know a company's potential revenue growth.

In the case of Accenture, the consensus sales estimate of $18.01 billion for the current quarter points to a year-over-year change of +2.4%. The $73.54 billion and $76.51 billion estimates for the current and next fiscal years indicate changes of +5.5% and +4%, respectively.

Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryAccenture reported revenues of $18.72 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +5.6%. EPS of $3.8 for the same period compares with $3.49 a year ago.

Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $18.79 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of -0.37%. The EPS surprise was +2.7%.

The company beat consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters. The company topped consensus revenue estimates three times over this period.

ValuationNo investment decision can be efficient without considering a stock's valuation. Whether a stock's current price rightly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects is an essential determinant of its future price performance.

While comparing the current values of a company's valuation multiples, such as price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), with its own historical values helps determine whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of the reasonability of the stock's price.

The Zacks Value Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which pays close attention to both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics to grade stocks from A to F (an A is better than a B; a B is better than a C; and so on), is pretty helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.

Accenture is graded A on this front, indicating that it is trading at a discount to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.

Bottom LineThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about Accenture. However, its Zacks Rank #4 does suggest that it may underperform the broader market in the near term.

Posted by Defense World Staff on Jul 20th, 2026

Boston Common Asset Management LLC cut its position in Accenture PLC (NYSE:ACN – Free Report) by 75.0% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 3,604 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock after selling 10,840 shares during the quarter. Boston Common Asset Management LLC’s holdings in Accenture were worth $715,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in ACN. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in Accenture in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $27,000. McMillan Office Inc. acquired a new position in Accenture in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $27,000. University of Texas Texas AM Investment Management Co. acquired a new position in Accenture in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Triumph Capital Management acquired a new position in shares of Accenture during the third quarter worth $26,000. Finally, Private Wealth Management Group LLC grew its stake in shares of Accenture by 96.4% in the fourth quarter. Private Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 108 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 53 shares during the last quarter. 75.14% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Accenture Stock Performance ACN stock opened at $143.56 on Monday. The firm has a market cap of $95.87 billion, a PE ratio of 11.47, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.49 and a beta of 1.13. The company has a current ratio of 1.34, a quick ratio of 1.34 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $156.38 and a 200-day moving average price of $198.86. Accenture PLC has a 1-year low of $118.15 and a 1-year high of $291.09.

Accenture (NYSE:ACN – Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, June 18th. The information technology services provider reported $3.80 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.70 by $0.10. Accenture had a return on equity of 26.47% and a net margin of 10.66%.The business had revenue of $18.72 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $18.78 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $3.49 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 5.6% on a year-over-year basis. Accenture has set its FY 2026 guidance at 13.780-13.900 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Accenture PLC will post 13.85 earnings per share for the current year.

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

Accenture Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 14th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, July 9th will be paid a $1.63 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, July 9th. This represents a $6.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.5%. Accenture’s dividend payout ratio is 52.08%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Accenture In related news, CEO Atsushi Egawa sold 4,872 shares of Accenture stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, April 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $177.14, for a total transaction of $863,026.08. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 12,802 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,267,746.28. The trade was a 27.57% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. 0.02% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth ACN has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Jefferies Financial Group decreased their price objective on Accenture from $210.00 to $185.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a report on Monday, June 15th. Truist Financial reduced their price target on Accenture from $210.00 to $150.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. DA Davidson decreased their price target on Accenture from $275.00 to $175.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, June 23rd. Evercore set a $180.00 price objective on Accenture in a research report on Thursday, June 18th. Finally, Berenberg Bank cut their price objective on Accenture from $273.00 to $220.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, June 17th. Twelve equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Accenture currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $193.19.

Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on ACN

Accenture Company Profile (Free Report)

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.

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Accenture (ACN - Free Report) has been one of the most searched-for stocks on Zacks.com lately. So, you might want to look at some of the facts that could shape the stock's performance in the near term.

Shares of this consulting company have returned -19.5% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1.1% change. The Zacks Computers - IT Services industry, to which Accenture belongs, has lost 6.7% over this period. Now the key question is: Where could the stock be headed in the near term?

Although media reports or rumors about a significant change in a company's business prospects usually cause its stock to trend and lead to an immediate price change, there are always certain fundamental factors that ultimately drive the buy-and-hold decision.

Earnings Estimate RevisionsRather than focusing on anything else, we at Zacks prioritize evaluating the change in a company's earnings projection. This is because we believe the fair value for its stock is determined by the present value of its future stream of earnings.

Our analysis is essentially based on how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to take the latest business trends into account. When earnings estimates for a company go up, the fair value for its stock goes up as well. And when a stock's fair value is higher than its current market price, investors tend to buy the stock, resulting in its price moving upward. Because of this, empirical studies indicate a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and short-term stock price movements.

For the current quarter, Accenture is expected to post earnings of $3.21 per share, indicating a change of +5.9% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed -3.4% over the last 30 days.

The consensus earnings estimate of $13.84 for the current fiscal year indicates a year-over-year change of +7%. This estimate has changed -0.2% over the last 30 days.

For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $14.68 indicates a change of +6% from what Accenture is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed -1.7%.

Having a strong externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, offers a more conclusive picture of a stock's price direction in the near term, since it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. Due to the size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, Accenture is rated Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).

The chart below shows the evolution of the company's forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:

12 Month EPS

Projected Revenue GrowthWhile earnings growth is arguably the most superior indicator of a company's financial health, nothing happens as such if a business isn't able to grow its revenues. After all, it's nearly impossible for a company to increase its earnings for an extended period without increasing its revenues. So, it's important to know a company's potential revenue growth.

For Accenture, the consensus sales estimate for the current quarter of $18.01 billion indicates a year-over-year change of +2.4%. For the current and next fiscal years, $73.54 billion and $76.55 billion estimates indicate +5.5% and +4.1% changes, respectively.

Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryAccenture reported revenues of $18.72 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +5.6%. EPS of $3.8 for the same period compares with $3.49 a year ago.

Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $18.79 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of -0.37%. The EPS surprise was +2.7%.

The company beat consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters. The company topped consensus revenue estimates three times over this period.

ValuationWithout considering a stock's valuation, no investment decision can be efficient. In predicting a stock's future price performance, it's crucial to determine whether its current price correctly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects.

While comparing the current values of a company's valuation multiples, such as price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), with its own historical values helps determine whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of the reasonability of the stock's price.

As part of the Zacks Style Scores system, the Zacks Value Style Score (which evaluates both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics) organizes stocks into five groups ranging from A to F (A is better than B; B is better than C; and so on), making it helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.

Accenture is graded A on this front, indicating that it is trading at a discount to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.

Bottom LineThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about Accenture. However, its Zacks Rank #4 does suggest that it may underperform the broader market in the near term.

Key Takeaways Accenture won a seven-year NATO contract to support the Protected Business Network.Accenture and Leonardo will build a secure cloud platform for about 29,000 NATO users.The deal expands Accenture's role in defense tech and may support recurring revenue opportunities. Accenture (ACN - Free Report) has secured a multi-million-euro contract from the NATO Communications and Information Agency (“NCIA”) to support the Protected Business Network (“PBN”) program, a major initiative aimed at building NATO’s secure, cloud-enabled digital enterprise. The company will execute the seven-year contract in collaboration with Italy’s Leonardo. The agreement, valued at approximately €200 million over the contract period, marks a significant milestone in NATO’s digital transformation efforts.

The Protected Business Network will serve as the foundation for classified digital operations across the NATO Enterprise. It is designed to enable military personnel and decision-makers across multiple domains to communicate, collaborate and access critical information through a standardized, scalable and secure cloud environment that offers greater resilience against cyber threats and operational disruptions.

The program is intended to replace legacy systems with a modern digital infrastructure based on a common cloud operating model, standardized engineering practices and a secure platform for developing, deploying and maintaining digital services more efficiently. This framework is expected to improve the agility and security of NATO’s digital ecosystem while supporting future technological capabilities.

Under the contract, Accenture and Leonardo will design, implement and operate the core Protected Business Network platform across NCIA’s multi-cloud environment. The platform will facilitate the phased deployment and long-term adoption of secure cloud services for approximately 29,000 users across the NATO Alliance. Leonardo will also implement a Zero Trust Architecture secured by its proprietary Global Cybersec Platform, an AI-powered multi-agent cyber defense platform, to strengthen cyber resilience.

According to Accenture, the project represents one of the most significant digital transformation initiatives undertaken by the Alliance and emphasized that, together with Leonardo, it will provide the cloud and cybersecurity capabilities needed to build a resilient, interoperable and future-ready digital backbone for NATO.

The contract further strengthens Accenture’s position in the defense and public-sector technology market by expanding its role in delivering large-scale, mission-critical cloud transformation projects. The long-term, seven-year engagement provides recurring revenue opportunities while showcasing the company’s expertise in cloud computing, cybersecurity and digital modernization. Successfully executing a high-profile NATO program is also likely to enhance Accenture’s credentials for securing similar government and defense contracts globally.

Similar Contracts Won by ACN’s Fellow Sectoral PlayersIn 2024, CACI International (CACI - Free Report) , housed in the same sector as Accenture, won a five-year task order worth $1.3 billion to provide communications and information technology services. Under the contract, CACI will modernize and enhance critical software and hardware systems, improve network IT and communications, and provide end-user support to more than 11,000 personnel across 60 locations in Europe and Africa. This modernization effort will support global multi-domain digital operations, enterprise software deployment, and secure interoperability among mission partners across the European theater.

In 2024, Science Applications International (SAIC - Free Report) secured a $229 million contract from the U.S. Department of Defense to deliver critical IT solutions under the NORAD/USNORTHCOM Information Technology Enterprise Services (“NITES”) program. The contract enables Science Applications International to support the modernization, innovation, and operational efficiency of the NITES program. To achieve this, the company provides skilled professionals and expertise in IT service management, network modernization, automation of existing IT systems, cloud migration, and cybersecurity. Science Applications International also works across all branches of the U.S. military to deliver mission-ready solutions that help maintain a strategic advantage.

Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesAccenture has lost 51.2% in the past year compared with a 24.2% decline in its industry.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

1-Year Price ComparisonFrom a valuation standpoint, ACN trades at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 1.2, way below the industry’s 11.64.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

See how the Zacks Consensus Estimate for ACN’s earnings has been revised over the past 90 days.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

ACN’s Zacks RankACN currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).

You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.  

On July 07, 2026, Accenture PLC (ACN) shares rose 3.8% today, closing at $142.14. The stock has seen a volatile performance, trading within a 52-week range of $