Dublin, Ireland-based Accenture plc (ACN), with a market capitalization of approximately $117.3 billion, is a global professional services company that helps businesses transform and improve their operations through technology, consulting, digital services, cloud and AI solutions. The company serves clients across more than 120 countries, helping them address complex business challenges and drive growth.
Accenture is set to report its Q4 earnings on Thursday, October 1, 2026, before the market opens. Ahead of the release, analysts expect the company to report diluted EPS of $3.19, up 5.3% from $3.03 in the year-ago quarter. Moreover, Accenture has surpassed Wall Street’s EPS estimates in each of the past four quarters, highlighting its consistent earnings performance.
For fiscal 2026, analysts expect the company to report EPS of $13.86, up 7.2% from $12.93 in fiscal 2025. EPS is projected to increase another 5.8% year over year to $14.66 in fiscal 2027.
ACN stock has plunged 24.3% over the past 52 weeks, significantly underperforming the S&P 500 Index ($SPX), which gained 17.2%, and the State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK), which climbed 41.2% over the same period.
Accenture’s underperformance over the past year is partly due to softer quarterly results, declining returns on invested capital and growing concerns about its future growth prospects. The company’s ROIC has decreased significantly in recent years, raising questions about whether its new investments are generating sufficient returns. More recently, sentiment was pressured after Guggenheim analyst Jonathan Lee downgraded the stock to “Neutral” on September 18, triggering a 3.3% intraday decline and adding to selling pressure.
Analysts remain moderately bullish on ACN, with the stock carrying a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating. Among the 25 analysts covering the stock, 10 recommend a “Strong Buy,” one rates it a “Moderate Buy,” and 14 suggest a “Hold.” Meanwhile, the average price target of $195.33 implies potential upside of 10.9% from the current share price.
On the date of publication, Kritika Sarmah did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.