
Accenture plc (ACN)
Accenture is a global professional services giant that helps businesses modernise their technology, operations, and digital strategies.
Is Accenture plc a good stock for a UK beginner?
The honest version: Accenture is a global professional services giant that helps businesses modernise their technology, operations, and digital strategies.
Over about 2 years to 2026-07-31. This is the share price only - reinvesting the dividends would add to it. And it's the USD return - as a UK investor your actual £ return also moves with the exchange rate. Past performance is not a guide to the future, and it could just as easily have fallen.
Based on beta - how much the price swings versus the whole market. Bumpier isn't bad; it just means a rougher ride, which matters more the sooner you might need the money.
Prices move on results, news and the mood of the whole market - no single headline explains a day, and a quiet week is usually just noise, not a signal.
Accenture becomes the primary partner for global AI infrastructure.
Structural shift in consulting models makes their services less essential.
What does Accenture plc do?
Accenture acts as a high-tech consultant, helping big companies navigate complex digital transformations and cloud computing shifts. Income arrives through fees charged for their expertise and project-based services across various industries. Their ability to adapt to the rapid rise of artificial intelligence is central, since it is currently the biggest driver of demand for their consulting services.
On our factor screen it looks strongest on value and income, and weakest on momentum.
- ✓Pays a dividend - about 4.0% a year
- ✓Growing - revenue up about 6% over the year
- ✓Low debt - a sturdier balance sheet
- ✓Strong return on shareholder money (ROE 24%)
- Value screens high (75/100)
- Strong track record of helping large organisations adapt to new technology
- High return on equity suggests efficient use of capital
- Attractive dividend yield for those looking for income
- Momentum screens low (25/100)
- Economic downturns often lead to immediate cuts in consulting budgets
- Rapid changes in technology could make current service offerings obsolete
- Intense competition from both traditional rivals and new boutique tech firms
What do Accenture plc's numbers mean?
How much money does Accenture plc make?
Revenue and profit by quarter, and how much of each sale turns into profit.
Does Accenture plc pay a dividend?
Yes - Accenture plc currently pays a dividend of about 4.0% a year (the yearly payout as a share of the price). A dividend is a slice of profit handed to shareholders; the yield moves as the price moves, and a company can cut or stop it.
When does Accenture plc report earnings, and how did recent quarters go?
Accenture plc is next scheduled to report on about 2026-09-24 - dates can move, and we don't predict results; this just tells you when to look.
Each quarter a company reports its results against what analysts expected. ‘Beating’ or ‘missing’ is about that expectation, not whether the business is doing well in absolute terms.
| Reported | Expected EPS: The earnings per share analysts expected for the quarter - the average of their forecasts. 'Beating' or 'missing' is measured against this number. | Actual EPS | vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | $3.71 | $3.80 | Beat +2% |
| 2026-03-19 | $2.84 | $2.93 | Beat +3% |
| 2025-12-18 | $3.72 | $3.94 | Beat +6% |
| 2025-09-25 | $2.97 | $3.03 | Beat +2% |
| 2025-06-20 | $3.32 | $3.49 | Beat +5% |
| 2025-03-20 | $2.81 | $2.82 | In line |
Across the last 6 quarters here, Accenture plc came in ahead of what analysts expected 5 times. One quarter is noise, not a trend.
See who else reports over the next two weeks →
Reported vs expected earnings per share (EPS) from published results; the expectation is the analyst consensus, not our view. Report dates are estimates that can move.
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What are the scenarios for Accenture plc?
An illustrative range for the year ahead, with the assumption behind each case — not a prediction or a price target.
What are the pros and cons of Accenture plc?
How many points the write-up makes each way — a balance check, not a score or verdict.
- Strong track record of helping large organisations adapt to new technology
- High return on equity suggests efficient use of capital
- Attractive dividend yield for those looking for income
- Recent share price decline reflects market caution
- Consulting is a people-heavy business, making it sensitive to wage inflation
- Relies heavily on the willingness of other companies to spend on IT projects
- Economic downturns often lead to immediate cuts in consulting budgets
- Rapid changes in technology could make current service offerings obsolete
- Intense competition from both traditional rivals and new boutique tech firms
The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.
- A significant, sustained drop in global corporate IT spending
- Evidence that AI is replacing the need for human-led consulting rather than boosting it
Built from public filings & market prices, checked for an education-only tone, and never a price target. How we make these →
This plain-English summary was auto-generated on 2026-08-01 from public data and checked for an education-only, no-advice tone (the figures above carry their own, usually fresher, 'as of' date). It's information, never a recommendation.