Accenture PLC $ACN Stock: Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors LLC Boosts Position

Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Accenture PLC (NYSE:ACN – Free Report) by 117.9% during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 29,446 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock after buying an additional 15,935 shares during the period. Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors LLC’s holdings in Accenture were worth $5,400,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of ACN. Dogwood Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Accenture by 147.1% during the 2nd quarter. Dogwood Wealth Management LLC now owns 215 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 128 shares in the last quarter. IMG Wealth Management Inc. grew its stake in shares of Accenture by 134.8% during the 1st quarter. IMG Wealth Management Inc. now owns 155 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 89 shares during the period. Foresight Capital Management Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Accenture during the 3rd quarter worth $31,000. Signature Equity Partners LLC increased its holdings in shares of Accenture by 50.9% in the 3rd quarter. Signature Equity Partners LLC now owns 172 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 58 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Arlington Trust Co LLC increased its holdings in shares of Accenture by 110.4% in the 2nd quarter. Arlington Trust Co LLC now owns 284 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock valued at $35,000 after purchasing an additional 149 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 75.14% of the company’s stock.

Accenture Price Performance

Accenture stock opened at $258.82 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $152.97 billion, a PE ratio of 19.09, a P/E/G ratio of 1.95 and a beta of 1.01. Accenture PLC has a 52 week low of $118.15 and a 52 week high of $291.09. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $213.02 and its 200 day simple moving average is $191.64. The company has a quick ratio of 1.43, a current ratio of 1.43 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31.

Accenture (NYSE:ACN – Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, October 1st. The information technology services provider reported $3.29 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.18 by $0.11. The firm had revenue of $18.68 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $18.03 billion. Accenture had a net margin of 11.28% and a return on equity of 26.53%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $3.03 EPS. Accenture has set its FY 2027 guidance at 14.390-14.810 EPS. On average, equities research analysts predict that Accenture PLC will post 14.68 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Accenture Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 13th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, October 13th will be given a $1.71 dividend. This is a boost from Accenture’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.63. This represents a $6.84 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.6%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, October 13th. Accenture’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 50.44%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages recently commented on ACN. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on shares of Accenture from $179.00 to $200.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, September 25th. Wolfe Research increased their target price on shares of Accenture from $165.00 to $215.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, August 25th. Guggenheim reiterated a “neutral” rating on shares of Accenture in a research report on Friday, October 2nd. Evercore set a $250.00 price target on Accenture and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 1st. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group set a $220.00 price target on Accenture in a report on Friday, October 2nd. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seventeen have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, Accenture currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $221.07.

View Our Latest Report on ACN

Insider Buying and Selling at Accenture

In other news, CAO Melissa Burgum sold 811 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, October 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total transaction of $202,750.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer directly owned 9,820 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,455,000. This trade represents a 7.63% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO Atsushi Egawa sold 10,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, November 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $270.00, for a total value of $2,700,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 5,996 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,618,920. The trade was a 62.52% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 18,675 shares of company stock worth $4,747,563. 0.02% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Trending Headlines about Accenture

Here are the key news stories impacting Accenture this week:

  • Positive Sentiment: Accenture is working with Qantas to modernize its operations, providing evidence of continued demand for its transformation services. Qantas said the program will involve cutting 850 jobs over the coming years; the reductions are at Qantas, not Accenture. Reuters: Australia’s Qantas to axe 850 jobs in offshoring deal with Accenture
  • Positive Sentiment: A WSIB digital modernization project involving Accenture reduced employer registration from eight to ten business days to under ten minutes. The result offers a concrete example of Accenture’s ability to deliver cloud-based transformation and could help support future client sales. Ontario WSIB project announcement
  • Positive Sentiment: U.S. management and technical consulting employment rose by 17,300 in October, its biggest monthly increase since December 2024. The gain may indicate improving demand for consulting services, although it does not guarantee higher spending at Accenture. The Overlooked AI Trade Hiding in a Beaten-Down Corner of the Market
  • Neutral Sentiment: Recent comparisons describe Accenture as a large, profitable company with strong cash generation, but note that its revenue has fluctuated while some software peers have shown steadier growth. These comparisons highlight competitive strengths and trade-offs rather than a new change in the company’s outlook. Accenture vs. Adobe comparison
  • Neutral Sentiment: The Qantas job cuts may draw scrutiny because the modernization arrangement includes offshoring, though the reporting does not indicate a direct financial or operational cost to Accenture. Qantas to Cut 850 Jobs After Tech Deal With Accenture

Accenture Profile

(Free Report)

Accenture plc is a global professional services company that helps businesses, governments and other organizations solve operational and technology challenges. Its work includes strategy and management consulting, digital transformation, systems integration and the design, implementation and management of technology solutions. The company serves clients across a broad range of industries and geographies. Its services span cloud computing, data and artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, software and platforms, business process operations, and digital marketing and customer experience.

Further Reading

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Institutional Ownership by Quarter for Accenture (NYSE:ACN)

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