Accenture’s stock rallied following the release of fiscal fourth-quarter results that outperformed consensus forecasts. The consulting firm reported earnings per share of $3.29 and revenue of $18.68 billion, compared to LSEG consensus estimates of $3.18 per share and $18.03 billion in revenue. The stock climbed more than 22% at its peak before closing up close to 16% for the trading day.
CEO Julie Sweet attributed the strong performance to artificial intelligence serving as a significant growth driver, with the company securing partnerships in key sectors including data centers and capital infrastructure. Sweet noted that the company concluded the period with $85 billion in new business bookings heading into the following year, driven by a strategic focus on large transformational deals and AI capabilities. For fiscal year 2026, Accenture recorded adjusted earnings of $13.97 per share, representing an 8% increase year over year, while full-year revenue reached $74.2 billion, marking a 6% increase.
The company achieved several notable milestones including record-setting bookings for large-value client contracts worth $100 million or more and record cash returns to shareholders. Accenture also announced a 5% increase to its quarterly dividend, raising it to $1.71 per share, with payment scheduled for Nov. 13. For fiscal 2027, management provided guidance projecting 3%-6% year-over-year growth in both revenue and adjusted earnings per share.
Following the earnings announcement, Stifel maintained its buy rating and raised the stock’s price target to $242 per share from $225. Analyst David Grossman highlighted broad-based outperformance driven by smaller discretionary deals, federal government sector activity, and rising demand from AI-related partners. Despite Thursday’s significant gains, the stock remained down more than 18% year to date amid concerns that artificial intelligence could disrupt key business segments.
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