Purpose Unlimited Inc. purchased a new position in Accenture PLC (NYSE:ACN – Free Report) in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 30,577 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $8,206,000.
Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of ACN. Board of the Pension Protection Fund acquired a new position in shares of Accenture in the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Accenture during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $27,000. McMillan Office Inc. bought a new position in Accenture during the fourth quarter worth $27,000. University of Texas Texas AM Investment Management Co. acquired a new position in Accenture in the fourth quarter worth $27,000. Finally, Triumph Capital Management bought a new stake in Accenture during the third quarter valued at $26,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.14% of the company’s stock.
Accenture Stock Performance
Shares of ACN opened at $126.75 on Friday. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $176.76 and a 200-day moving average of $218.35. The company has a market cap of $84.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.12, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.21 and a beta of 1.08. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15, a quick ratio of 1.34 and a current ratio of 1.34. Accenture PLC has a 1 year low of $125.60 and a 1 year high of $307.77.
Accenture Announces Dividend
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 14th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, July 9th will be paid a $1.63 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, July 9th. This represents a $6.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.1%. Accenture’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 52.08%.
Insider Buying and Selling at Accenture
In other news, CEO Atsushi Egawa sold 4,872 shares of the business’s 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 completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 12,802 shares in the company, valued at approximately $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 SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Company insiders own 0.02% of the company’s stock.
Trending Headlines about Accenture
Here are the key news stories impacting Accenture this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Accenture beat quarterly EPS expectations and reported 5.6% year-over-year revenue growth, showing the business is still growing despite a tougher backdrop.
- Positive Sentiment: The company announced a quarterly dividend of $1.63 per share, which may appeal to income-focused investors and signals ongoing cash-return capacity.
- Positive Sentiment: Accenture is expanding its cybersecurity push with acquisitions and investments aimed at critical infrastructure defense, which could support longer-term growth in a high-demand area. Accenture to Strengthen Critical Infrastructure Defense with End-to-End Cybersecurity Platform in Age of AI-Driven Cyber Threats and Geopolitical Risk
- Neutral Sentiment: Analysts at Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, and BNP Paribas lowered price targets, but many still see upside from current levels; ratings were mostly maintained at neutral or equivalent.
- Neutral Sentiment: Commentary around Accenture drawing fresh S&P 500 attention suggests investors are reassessing whether the selloff has become excessive relative to fundamentals. Why Accenture (NYSE:ACN) Is Drawing Fresh S&P 500 Attention?
- Negative Sentiment: Management’s reduced revenue outlook is the main catalyst behind the stock’s sharp decline, as it points to weaker client spending and slower growth ahead.
- Negative Sentiment: The company’s large cybersecurity acquisition plans are also raising questions about integration risk and capital allocation during a period of slowing growth.
- Negative Sentiment: Multiple headlines say the weak outlook has sparked a broad selloff in IT shares globally, reinforcing the market’s negative reaction to Accenture’s guidance cut. Indian IT stocks slump up to 7% as Accenture cuts revenue outlook, fueling fresh concerns over sector growth
Analyst Ratings Changes
A number of brokerages have weighed in on ACN. BNP Paribas Exane dropped their target price on shares of Accenture from $210.00 to $180.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an “equal weight” rating and set a $177.00 price objective (down from $240.00) on shares of Accenture in a research report on Monday, June 15th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft dropped their price objective on shares of Accenture from $210.00 to $199.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, June 2nd. TD Cowen cut their target price on shares of Accenture from $282.00 to $258.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, June 8th. Finally, Susquehanna lowered their target price on Accenture from $222.00 to $186.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, June 16th. Fifteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and thirteen have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Accenture has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $226.19.
Check Out Our Latest Research Report on ACN
About Accenture
Accenture is a global professional services company that provides a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. The firm works with organizations across industries to design and implement business transformation programs, deploy and manage enterprise technology, optimize operations, and develop customer and digital experiences. Its offerings encompass management and technology consulting, systems integration, application and infrastructure services, cloud migration and managed services, as well as security and analytics capabilities.
The company delivers industry- and function-specific solutions, combining consulting expertise with proprietary tools, platforms and partnerships with major technology vendors.
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