Accenture (ACN) Falls More Steeply Than Broader Market: What Investors Need to Know

Accenture (ACN) closed at $181.38 in the latest trading session, marking a -2.97% move from the prior day. The stock's performance was behind the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.02%. Meanwhile, the Dow experienced a drop of 0.21%, and the technology-dominated Nasdaq saw a decrease of 0.08%.

The consulting company's shares have seen an increase of 13.52% over the last month, surpassing the Computer and Technology sector's gain of 4.99% and the S&P 500's gain of 3.67%.

The investment community will be closely monitoring the performance of Accenture in its forthcoming earnings report. The company is scheduled to release its earnings on October 1, 2026. The company's earnings per share (EPS) are projected to be $3.19, reflecting a 5.28% increase from the same quarter last year. Our most recent consensus estimate is calling for quarterly revenue of $18.01 billion, up 2.36% from the year-ago period.

For the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates project earnings of $13.85 per share and a revenue of $73.54 billion, demonstrating changes of +7.12% and +5.55%, respectively, from the preceding year.

It's also important for investors to be aware of any recent modifications to analyst estimates for Accenture. Recent revisions tend to reflect the latest near-term business trends. As a result, upbeat changes in estimates indicate analysts' favorable outlook on the business health and profitability.

Our research suggests that these changes in estimates have a direct relationship with upcoming stock price performance. To utilize this, we have created the Zacks Rank, a proprietary model that integrates these estimate changes and provides a functional rating system.

The Zacks Rank system ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell). It has a remarkable, outside-audited track record of success, with #1 stocks delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate remained stagnant. Accenture presently features a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

Looking at valuation, Accenture is presently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 13.5. This valuation marks a premium compared to its industry average Forward P/E of 13.47.

It's also important to note that ACN currently trades at a PEG ratio of 1.93. This popular metric is similar to the widely-known P/E ratio, with the difference being that the PEG ratio also takes into account the company's expected earnings growth rate. The average PEG ratio for the Computers - IT Services industry stood at 1.26 at the close of the market yesterday.

The Computers - IT Services industry is part of the Computer and Technology sector. This group has a Zacks Industry Rank of 92, putting it in the top 38% of all 250+ industries.

The strength of our individual industry groups is measured by the Zacks Industry Rank, which is calculated based on the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within these groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

Keep in mind to rely on Zacks.com to watch all these stock-impacting metrics, and more, in the succeeding trading sessions.

Research Chief Names "Single Best Pick to Double"

From thousands of stocks, 5 Zacks experts each have chosen their favorite to skyrocket +100% or more in months to come. From those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all.

This company targets millennial and Gen Z audiences, generating nearly $1 billion in revenue last quarter alone. A recent pullback makes now an ideal time to jump aboard. Of course, all our elite picks aren’t winners but this one could far surpass earlier Zacks’ Stocks Set to Double like Nano-X Imaging which shot up +129.6% in little more than 9 months.

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report

This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

Zacks Investment Research