Accenture (ACN)
Information Technology · $150B market cap · SEC CIK 0001467373
ahead of 67% of the S&P 500 · #26 of 73 in Information Technology
Next reports on Dec 16, 2026, with analysts expecting $3.99 in earnings per share.
52-week range $118.15 to $291.09. 11% below its 52-week high and 119% above its low.
The case for ACN
- Earns 27% back on shareholder equity.
- Generated $11.6B of free cash flow in FY2026, 16% of revenue.
- Holds more cash ($12.8B) than long-term debt ($10.0B).
- Free cash flow of 7.7% of its market value a year: a lot of cash for the price.
- Pays a modest 1.5% dividend.
- Price/sales of 2.0× is lower than 88% of Information Technology companies.
The case against
- Revenue growth of +6.5% is slower than 86% of Information Technology companies.
- Weakest against its peers: net margin of 11% is thinner than 72% of Information Technology companies.
What the score is made of
Each factor is half a curve over reported figures and half a rank among the other Information Technology companies (momentum is judged against fixed thresholds only), and the five are blended by weight. The score is where that blend places it in the S&P 500. It describes the last filing and the current price. It is not a forecast.
| Valuewhat you pay for the earnings and cash, against the growth you get | 71 |
|---|---|
| Growthhow fast revenue and earnings are moving, this year and over five | 39 |
| Profitabilityhow much of the revenue becomes profit, and how much of that is cash | 50 |
| Momentumhow the price has behaved lately | 78 |
| Stabilityhow violently it moves, what it owes and what it pays you | 74 |
- Each factor except momentum is half fixed thresholds, half rank among the 73 Information Technology companies.
The financials
Revenue growth
Is the business growing? Slowly
| Last 12 months | +6.5% |
|---|---|
| Over 5 years | +8.0% a year |
| FY2026 revenue | $74.2B (+6%) |
Free cash flow
Is it generating real cash? Yes, plenty
| FY2026 free cash flow | $11.6B |
|---|---|
| Of revenue | 16% |
| Of profit | 139% |
Profit margins
Is profitability improving? Holding steady
| Gross margin | 32% |
|---|---|
| Operating margin | 15% |
| Net margin, FY25 → FY26 → now | 11.0% → 11.3% → 11.3% |
Debt vs. cash
Is the balance sheet healthy? Yes, more cash than debt
| Cash | $12.8B |
|---|---|
| Long-term debt | $10.0B |
| Net cash | $2.8B |
| Years to repay | 0.8 yrs |
Valuation
Is the stock price reasonable? Yes, it looks cheap
| P/E | 18.0× |
|---|---|
| Fair P/E for its growth | 22× |
| P/FCF | 12.9× |
| Forward P/E | 17.4× |
| EV / EBITDA | 10.7× |
At 18.0× earnings it trades below the 22× that 8% a year of growth plus a 1.5% dividend would justify. At 12.9× free cash flow it trades well below that same mark.
The financials, five years deep
Pulled from Accenture's XBRL filings on SEC EDGAR. Italic rows are worked out from the others.
| FY2026 | FY2025 | FY2024 | FY2023 | FY2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth | |||||
| Revenue | $74.2B | $69.7B | $64.9B | $64.1B | $61.6B |
| Change on the year | +6% | +7% | +1% | +4% | — |
| Free cash flow | |||||
| Free cash flow | $11.6B | $10.9B | $8.6B | $9.0B | $8.8B |
| Of revenue | 16% | 16% | 13% | 14% | 14% |
| Profit margins | |||||
| Operating margin | 15.4% | 14.7% | 14.8% | 13.7% | 15.2% |
| Net margin | 11.3% | 11.0% | 11.2% | 10.7% | 11.2% |
| Debt vs. cash | |||||
| Cash | $12.8B | $11.5B | $5.0B | $9.0B | $7.9B |
| Long-term debt | $10.0B | $5.0B | $78.6M | $43.1M | $45.9M |
| Net cash (debt) | $2.8B | $6.4B | $4.9B | $9.0B | $7.8B |
What Accenture says it does
Overview Accenture is a business reinvention and technology company. Our ambition is to be the reinvention partner of choice for our clients and lead in the safe, widespread adoption of AI, and to be the most client-focused, AI-enabled, great place to work in the world. Our people bring deep insights across industries and functions, with capabilities spanning strategy, process, operating model, change management, talent, data, technology and AI. We deliver this expertise through consulting, managed services, proprietary assets and platforms, and increasingly, software . We bring innovation and new solutions informed by our experience across industries, enabling us to apply relevant insights, capabilities and leading practices from adjacent sectors to address emerging business challenges and opportunities. We serve more than 9,000 clients and generated revenues of approximately $74 billion in fiscal year 2026. Fiscal 2026 Highlights We…
Risk factors ACN lists in its 10-K
- Risks and uncertainties related to the development and use of AI, including advanced AI, could harm our business, damage our reputation or give rise to legal or regulatory action
- We face legal, reputational and financial risks from any failure to protect client and/or Accenture data from security incidents or cyberattacks
- The markets in which we operate are highly competitive, and we might not be able to compete effectively
- If we do not successfully manage and develop our relationships with our ecosystem partners or if we fail to anticipate and establish new alliances in new technologies, our results of operations could be adversely affected
- Our ability to attract and retain business and employees may depend on our reputation in the marketplace
- Pricing pressures have had and may continue to have a negative impact on our profitability
- Our profitability could suffer if we are not able to remain competitive
- Our profitability could suffer if our cost-management strategies are unsuccessful, and we may not be able to improve our profitability
- Our debt obligations could adversely affect our business and financial condition
- As a result of our geographically diverse operations and our strategy to continue to grow in our key markets around the world, we are more susceptible to certain risks
- If we are unable to manage the organizational challenges associated with our size, we might be unable to achieve our business objectives
- We might not be successful at acquiring, investing in or integrating businesses, entering into joint ventures or divesting businesses
- Our business could be materially adversely affected if we incur legal liability
- Our work with government clients exposes us to additional risks inherent in the government contracting environment
- Our global operations expose us to numerous and sometimes conflicting legal and regulatory requirements, and violation of these regulations could harm our business
- If we are unable to protect or enforce our IP rights, or if our solutions or services infringe upon the IP rights of others or we lose our ability to utilize the IP of others, our business could be adversely affected