Quantitative Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Accenture PLC (NYSE:ACN – Free Report) during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor bought 28,685 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $7,073,000. Accenture accounts for 1.0% of Quantitative Investment Management LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 25th biggest position.
Several other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of ACN. Investors Research Corp boosted its stake in Accenture by 73.8% in the third quarter. Investors Research Corp now owns 106 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 45 shares during the last quarter. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. raised its position in shares of Accenture by 132.6% during the 3rd quarter. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 107 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 61 shares during the last quarter. Davis Capital Management bought a new position in shares of Accenture in the 3rd quarter worth $28,000. Elevation Wealth Partners LLC grew its stake in shares of Accenture by 146.0% during the third quarter. Elevation Wealth Partners LLC now owns 123 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 73 shares during the period. Finally, Heartwood Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Accenture in the third quarter valued at about $32,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.14% of the company’s stock.
Accenture News Summary
Here are the key news stories impacting Accenture this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Udacity (part of Accenture) launched an accredited MBA focused on AI product leadership — strengthens Accenture’s talent pipeline and positioning as a provider of AI skills and services, which supports long?term demand for consulting and implementation work. Udacity, Part of Accenture, Launches Accredited MBA to Train the Next Generation of AI Product Leaders
- Positive Sentiment: Analysts and investors highlight Accenture’s exposure to AI implementation contracts as a key growth driver — supports revenue upside if enterprise AI spending accelerates. Accenture (ACN) is Poised to Benefit from AI Implementation Contracts
- Positive Sentiment: Accenture expanded a Google Cloud security partnership to help customers strengthen cloud security — reinforces pipeline for cloud/security services and cross?sell into large enterprise accounts. Accenture Helps Organizations Strengthen Cloud Security with Google Cloud
- Neutral Sentiment: Seeking Alpha published a bullish valuation take that argues Accenture may now be undervalued after years of premium multiples — supportive long?term view but not an immediate catalyst. Accenture: Undervalued After Years Of Overvaluation
- Neutral Sentiment: Coverage and investor?attention pieces (Zacks, Yahoo summaries) are highlighting Accenture ahead of earnings — increases visibility but not a directional catalyst by itself. Accenture PLC (ACN) is Attracting Investor Attention: Here is What You Should Know
- Neutral Sentiment: Guggenheim trimmed its price target (still a Buy) — a modest signal that some analysts are moderating upside expectations while remaining positive on the name. Benzinga
- Negative Sentiment: Truist cut its price target from $317 to $260 and warned of pressure on long?term estimates tied to enterprise AI adoption checks — contributes to downward pressure on the stock and investor caution. Truist Lowers Accenture (ACN) Target to $260, Warns of Pressure on Long-Term Estimates
- Negative Sentiment: Deutsche Bank lowered its target to $230 and maintained a Hold — another sign of tempered analyst expectations ahead of results. Deutsche Bank Lowers Accenture (ACN) Target as it Maintains Hold View
- Negative Sentiment: A Zacks preview flagged that Accenture may lack the ideal setup for an earnings beat in the upcoming report — could increase downside volatility if results or guidance disappoint. Accenture (ACN) Earnings Expected to Grow: Should You Buy?
Accenture Trading Down 2.8%
Accenture (NYSE:ACN – Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, December 18th. The information technology services provider reported $3.94 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.73 by $0.21. Accenture had a return on equity of 26.65% and a net margin of 10.76%.The business had revenue of $18.74 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $18.51 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $3.59 EPS. Accenture’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Accenture has set its FY 2026 guidance at 13.520-13.900 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Accenture PLC will post 12.73 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Accenture Announces Dividend
The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Investors of record on Tuesday, January 13th were issued a dividend of $1.63 per share. This represents a $6.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.3%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, January 13th. Accenture’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 53.88%.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
ACN has been the topic of several analyst reports. Guggenheim cut their target price on Accenture from $305.00 to $275.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday. UBS Group cut Accenture from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. Susquehanna increased their price target on shares of Accenture from $270.00 to $277.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, December 19th. Argus decreased their price objective on shares of Accenture from $370.00 to $335.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut their target price on shares of Accenture from $280.00 to $230.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, March 6th. Sixteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eleven have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $288.35.
Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on ACN
Insiders Place Their Bets
In other news, CEO Julie Spellman Sweet sold 6,057 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $241.23, for a total value of $1,461,130.11. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 15,255 shares in the company, valued at $3,679,963.65. The trade was a 28.42% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, General Counsel Joel Unruch sold 1,026 shares of Accenture stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $281.70, for a total value of $289,024.20. Following the completion of the sale, the general counsel directly owned 27,181 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,656,887.70. This represents a 3.64% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold a total of 22,088 shares of company stock worth $5,970,434 in the last ninety days. 0.02% of the stock is owned by insiders.
Accenture Profile
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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