Key Takeaways
- Q4 beat: Revenue hit $18.68B; EPS reached $3.29.
- AI momentum: AI bookings more than tripled.
- 2027 outlook: Revenue growth forecast at 3%-6%.
Accenture shares surged Thursday after the technology services company reported stronger-than-expected fiscal fourth-quarter results and forecast fiscal 2027 revenue growth above Wall Street estimates. The Accenture Fiscal 2027 Outlook comes as demand for artificial intelligence services offsets concerns about AI-driven disruption.
Accenture Beats Estimates On Revenue And Bookings
Accenture reported fiscal fourth-quarter revenue of $18.68 billion, up about 6% from a year earlier and above analysts’ expectations of $18.03 billion. Adjusted earnings rose 46% to $3.29 per share, beating the $3.18 estimate.
New bookings reached $22.17 billion, a 4% increase from the prior year and well above analysts’ expectations. Consulting revenue rose 7% to $9.28 billion, while demand remained broad across Accenture’s markets and service offerings.
“AI is now embedded across all of our work,” Accenture Chair and CEO Julie Sweet said during the company’s earnings call. She said revenue from emerging data and AI partners doubled during fiscal 2026, while bookings from those partners more than tripled.
The company’s full-year fiscal 2026 revenue reached $74.18 billion, up 6% in U.S. dollars and 5% in local currency. Full-year bookings totaled $84.54 billion.
Accenture Guides For Higher Fiscal 2027 Growth
The Accenture Fiscal 2027 Outlook calls for revenue growth of 3% to 6% in local currency, above the average analyst expectation. The company also plans to invest about $5 billion in acquisitions as it expands its capabilities in artificial intelligence and other growth areas.
The outlook comes as businesses increasingly turn to outside technology providers to automate operations and implement AI. At the same time, AI-related productivity gains can reduce the amount of traditional consulting work clients require, creating uncertainty for the broader IT-services industry.
Reuters reported that Accenture’s outlook helped ease some investor concerns about AI disruption across technology-services companies. Shares rose 22% Thursday, their strongest one-day gain on record, while Cognizant and IBM also advanced.
AI Creates Both Demand And Pricing Pressure
Accenture executives and analysts have highlighted both sides of the AI shift. New AI projects are creating demand for implementation, data, automation and safety services, while productivity improvements could pressure traditional billing models.
Accenture also expects to continue investing heavily in acquisitions. The company completed cybersecurity deals worth $4.18 billion in June and has identified acquisitions as a key part of its strategy to expand AI and technology capabilities.
The company is scheduled to hold its Investor Day on Oct. 14 in New York, where executives are expected to provide more detail on its AI strategy and growth plans.
