Heritage Investors Management Corp Sells 7,741 Shares of Accenture PLC $ACN

Heritage Investors Management Corp decreased its stake in Accenture PLC (NYSE:ACN) by 9.9% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 70,524 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock after selling 7,741 shares during the period. Heritage Investors Management Corp’s holdings in Accenture were worth $12,932,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Dogwood Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in 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 during the last quarter. IMG Wealth Management Inc. increased its position in shares of Accenture by 134.8% during the first quarter. IMG Wealth Management Inc. now owns 155 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 89 shares during the period. Foresight Capital Management Advisors Inc. bought a new position in Accenture during the third quarter worth $31,000. Arlington Trust Co LLC raised its stake in Accenture by 110.4% during the second quarter. Arlington Trust Co LLC now owns 284 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock worth $35,000 after buying an additional 149 shares during the last quarter. Finally, S&G Foundation acquired a new position in Accenture in the second quarter valued at $37,000. 75.14% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CEO Julie Sweet bought 12,200 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, October 26th. The shares were bought at an average price of $245.99 per share, for a total transaction of $3,001,078.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the chief executive officer directly owned 48,910 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $12,031,370.90. This trade represents a 33.23% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director Paula A. Price purchased 800 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, October 26th. The shares were bought at an average price of $249.81 per share, with a total value of $199,848.00. Following the acquisition, the director directly owned 9,361 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,338,471.41. This represents a 9.34% increase in their position. The disclosure for this purchase is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold a total of 8,675 shares of company stock worth $2,047,563 over the last ninety days. Insiders own 0.02% of the company’s stock.

Accenture Trading Down 0.1%

NYSE ACN opened at $257.93 on Monday. The company has a market cap of $152.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.02, a P/E/G ratio of 1.98 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 business has a 50 day moving average price of $202.76 and a 200-day moving average price of $192.43. 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) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 1st. The information technology services provider reported $3.29 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.18 by $0.11. The business had revenue of $18.68 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $18.03 billion. Accenture had a net margin of 11.28% and a return on equity of 26.53%. Accenture’s quarterly revenue was up 6.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $3.03 EPS. Accenture has set its FY 2027 guidance at 14.390-14.810 EPS. As a group, equities analysts expect that Accenture PLC will post 14.68 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Accenture Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 13th. Investors of record on Tuesday, October 13th will be issued a $1.71 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, October 13th. This represents a $6.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.7%. This is a boost from Accenture’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.63. Accenture’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 50.44%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have weighed in on ACN. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on Accenture from $210.00 to $252.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Monday, October 26th. Susquehanna raised their target price on Accenture from $210.00 to $230.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 15th. Truist Financial lifted their target price on Accenture from $150.00 to $220.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, October 2nd. Evercore set a $250.00 price target on Accenture and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 1st. Finally, UBS Group set a $278.00 price target on Accenture in a report on Thursday, October 15th. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seventeen have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Accenture has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $221.07.

Key Headlines Impacting Accenture

Here are the key news stories impacting Accenture this week:

• Positive Sentiment: CEO Julie Sweet purchased 12,200 Accenture shares for approximately $3.0 million, while Director Paula Price bought 800 shares for nearly $200,000. The purchases may signal that senior insiders view the recent share price and long-term outlook favorably. Accenture Stock: Insider Julie Spellman Sweet Purchases 12,200 Shares
• Positive Sentiment: A Trefis analysis argues that Accenture could have additional upside if it converts strong demand for generative AI, cloud, data and digital-transformation services into faster growth and sustained margins. The thesis supports the possibility of substantial appreciation from current levels, though it depends on execution. Can Accenture Stock Rise 30% From Here?
• Positive Sentiment: Accenture continues to benefit from enterprise AI adoption, including automation, advanced data engineering and AI implementation services. Analysts also describe ACN as a long-term growth or value opportunity following its recent earnings beat and 6.2% year-over-year revenue growth. Why Accenture Is a Top Growth Stock for the Long-Term
• Neutral Sentiment: Accenture recently outperformed the broader market in a session when its shares closed at $247.22, suggesting continued momentum. However, the move appears more market- and sentiment-driven than the result of a new earnings announcement. Accenture Increases Despite Market Slip
• Neutral Sentiment: Innodata may offer faster AI-driven growth, while Accenture has a more diversified business, larger customer base and potentially lower execution risk. The comparison highlights ACN’s steadier profile but does not create a direct catalyst. Innodata vs. Accenture
• Negative Sentiment: An Accenture employee’s AI agent reportedly accessed a secure U.S. Department of Defense network for roughly two months. The incident could raise questions about cybersecurity, access controls and reputational or compliance risks, despite no disclosed evidence here of financial damage. Accenture Employee’s AI Agent Accessed Secure DOD Network
• Negative Sentiment: Accenture’s recent rally has made valuation and execution more important. Trefis notes that further upside requires sustained AI demand and improving growth, while the current analyst consensus remains cautious, with a Hold rating and an average target price below the recent trading level. What Needs to Be True to Buy Accenture Stock Now?

About Accenture

Accenture plc is a global professional services company that helps organizations transform their businesses through consulting, technology and managed services. Its work spans strategy and consulting, technology implementation, operations, and interactive customer experiences.

The company provides services in areas including cloud computing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data and analytics, digital engineering, enterprise software, systems integration and business process outsourcing.