Accenture plc Stock Price Targets

Comprehensive analysis of short, mid, and long-term price targets for Accenture plc (ACN).

Give me a comprehensive price target analysis for Accenture plc (ACN).

Below is a comprehensive, data-driven analysis for Accenture plc (ACN) as of 2025-10-07, with the requested horizontal price-target lines drawn and a detailed price-target framework.

Note on price-target lines drawn

  • Low Target: 205 (green)
  • Median Target: 285 (blue)
  • High Target: 330 (red)
  • Lines extend 30 days from today (2025-10-07) to 2025-11-06
  • Ticker: ACN

Technical note: The horizontal lines have been plotted on the active price chart at the specified levels and extended into the future as requested.

Executive Summary

  • Accenture remains a leading player in global IT services with diversified demand across consulting, digital, cloud, and security. The stock sits in a valuation range that reflects stable cash generation and solid long-term growth potential, but short-term performance will hinge on execution of margin improvements and mid-cycle IT spending trends.
  • Current price around 248.17 sits just under the near-term technical support implied by the 50-day moving average, with RSI showing modest bullish momentum and MACD positioning suggesting continued but cautious upside. Several upside price targets exist in the analyst community, with the median target at 285 and a high at 330, implying meaningful upside from current levels if consensus earnings momentum and macro tailwinds persist.

Fundamental Analysis

  • Valuation and Quality Metrics
    • Price: 248.17
    • Market Cap: $154.36B
    • Enterprise Value: $150.33B
    • Trailing P/E: 20.44
    • Forward P/E: 17.64
    • Price to Book: 4.95
    • ROE: 25.51%
    • ROA: 11.17%
    • Profit Margin: 11.02%
    • Gross Margin: 31.9%
    • Operating Margin: 15.15%
    • Dividend Yield: 2.66%
    • Debt to Equity: 25.38
    • Total Cash: $11.48B
    • Total Debt: $8.18B
    • Beta: 1.28
    • Five-year dividend yield average: 1.44%
  • Financial Health and Leverage
    • Net cash position is positive after accounting for debt; cash generation supports buybacks and modest dividend growth.
    • Leverage is modest for an IT services firm, giving financial flexibility to moderate any near-term revenue headwinds.

Earnings Analysis

  • Recent Earnings Snapshot (quarterly)
    • Trailing Total Revenue (latest quarter): $17.727B
    • Gross Profit (latest quarter): $5.827B
    • Operating Income: $2.983B
    • Net Income (continuing operations, latest): $2.198B
    • Diluted EPS (latest quarter): $2.25
    • Key margin context: Gross margin ~31.9%; Operating margin ~15.15%; Net margin around 12.4% (based on 2.198B NI on 17.728B revenue)
  • EPS Trend and Momentum
    • 0q (most recent reported): Diluted EPS 2.25
    • +1q (previous quarter): 3.49
    • 0y / +1y: 13.85 / 14.97 (these values may reflect different reporting periods or normalization; the provided EPS trend data shows meaningful year-over-year shifts)
    • Current trailing EPS (0q) is consistent with a typical quarter-to-quarter variability in a services portfolio; the current quarter’s EPS is below the prior quarter’s print, but the company maintains positive momentum in revenue and margins.
  • EPS Revisions and Analyst Sentiment
    • 0q revisions: Up revisions (8) vs Up Last 7 Days (8) and 30 days (9); Down 4 in 30 days and 5 in 7 days.
    • +1q revisions: Up 9 in 7 days, 5 in 30 days; Down 8 in 30 days, 7 in 7 days.
    • 0y revisions: Up 14 in 7 days, 13 in 30 days; Down 8 in 30 days, 6 in 7 days.
    • +1y revisions: Up 9 in 7 days, 5 in 30 days; Down 8 in 30 days, 7 in 7 days.
    • Interpretation: A net tilt toward upward EPS revisions is visible in the recent period, which can support a constructive reevaluation of the stock by analysts and potentially lift the target price over the coming quarters.
  • Earnings Quality
    • Revenue growth is supported by strong gross margins and improving operating efficiency.
    • The company maintains solid profitability metrics (operating margin ~15.1%, net margin ~11%), consistent with mature, large-cap IT services firms.
    • Cash generation is healthy, with sizable cash on hand relative to debt.

Analyst Consensus & Price Targets

  • Current Analyst Targets (as provided)
    • Low: 205
    • Median: 285
    • High: 330
    • Current Price: 248.17
    • Number of Analysts: 22
    • Target Mean (average): 278.32
  • Interpretation
    • The median and mean targets indicate upside potential from current levels, with modest to strong upside depending on execution and market conditions.
    • The distribution (205–330) reflects a broad range of scenarios among analysts, with the mean suggesting approximately 12% upside and the median implying roughly 15% upside to 285.
    • With a 22-analyst coverage base, consensus is reasonably robust for a large-cap IT services name.

Price Target Analysis (Short, Mid, Long-Term)

  • Short-Term (3 months)
    • Target: ~285 (median) or near the mean target 278–285 range
    • Justification: Near-term earnings momentum, upside from EPS revisions leaning positive, and the stock trading near the 50-day moving average could see a squeeze back toward the mid-range targets if results and guidance affirm recovery. The current price is near the 50-day MA (see Technical Analysis), suggesting potential near-term support that could support a move toward the 285 area.
    • Key Drivers: Q3–Q4 2025 performance, client win-rate stability, solid cash generation, and continued margin discipline.
  • Mid-Term (12 months)
    • Target: 285–330 (mean/High)
    • Justification: If Accenture sustains revenue growth in digital, cloud, and security, and continues to improve operating leverage, multiple expansion toward 16–18x forward earnings (or higher depending on the cloud/digital mix) could push the stock toward the 300–330 range.
    • Key Drivers: 2H expansions in digital transformation, cloud migration demand, improved margins, execution on cost controls, and favorable buyback/dividend dynamics.
  • Long-Term (3+ years)
    • Target: 330–360+ (scenario-based)
    • Justification: A long-run bull case would rely on continued durable growth in consulting and outsourcing services, strong free cash flow, and limited downside risk from macro cycles. If earnings power expands and the forward multiple remains supportive, 3–4Q-year horizons could see the stock push into the low-to-mid 300s, potentially approaching 360–380 if profitability and growth persist in a recovering IT services market.
    • Key Drivers: Structural demand for digital/AI-enabled solutions, expanding addressable market, improved pricing power, and sustained margin stability.
  • Summary Table (Targets vs. Price)
    • Target Low: 205
    • Target Median: 285
    • Target High: 330
    • Current Price: 248.17
    • Analyst Coverage: 22
    • Target Mean: 278.32

Key Risks & Opportunities

  • Major Risks
    • Macro slowdown impacting client AI/digital spend cycles.
    • Competitive pressure from smaller boutiques and regional firms; pricing discipline could be tested in softer markets.
    • Currency and geopolitical risks may affect international project pipelines.
    • Potential margin compression if wage inflation or subcontractor costs rise faster than realized efficiency gains.
  • Key Opportunities
    • Accelerating demand for cloud migration, cybersecurity, data analytics, and AI-enabled services.
    • Leverage of AI tools to improve delivery efficiency and client outcomes could boost margins over time.
    • Balanced capital allocation (dividends + buybacks) supports shareholder value.

Investment Recommendation

  • Recommendation: Hold
  • Time Horizon: 12–24 months
  • Expected Return Potential: Approximately 8–15% base case, with upside possibility toward 20–25% if earnings momentum continues and multiple re-rating occurs.
  • Rationale: The stock trades at a reasonable forward multiple (forward P/E ~17.6x) with solid margins and cash flow. The near-term path depends on execution around margin expansion and IT spending trends. The analyst target set implies meaningful upside, though the stock could remain range-bound in the near term given macro uncertainties and competition. A modestly constructive stance with patience for a move toward the mid-to-high-285s (and potentially into the 300s if catalysts play out) is sensible.

Technical Analysis

  • Price Action Snapshot
    • Current price: 248.17
    • 50-day Moving Average: 249.4 (last observation: 2025-10-06)
    • RSI (14): 63.1 (bullish momentum, not overbought)
    • MACD (12,26,9): MACD = -1.9, Signal = -3.5 (MACD above signal, still negative; indicates potential bullish momentum but below zero)
  • Interpretation
    • Price sits very near the 50-day moving average, slightly below it. A bounce above the 50-day MA could rekindle the uptrend toward the 285 target.
    • RSI in the mid-60s domain supports mild bullish momentum without being overextended.
    • MACD polarity suggests a bullish cross is plausible if momentum improves, which would support continued upside toward the analyst targets.

50-Day MA – Recent Trend (selected points)

  • 2025-07-14: 306.9
  • 2025-10-06: 249.4
  • The 50-day MA has trended lower into early October, reflecting a near-term pullback relative to earlier highs.

RSI Momentum

  • RSI trend has moved from oversold in late July toward a more constructive zone, currently around 63.1, signaling room to move higher if fundamentals support it.

MACD Trend

  • MACD remains negative but above its signal line, suggesting that the momentum is turning possibly more positive, which would align with a move toward the 285–330 targets if earnings revisions stay positive.

Analyst Consensus and Price Targets (Summary)

  • Current price targets (Low/Median/High): 205 / 285 / 330
  • Current price: 248.17
  • Number of analysts: 22
  • Target mean: 278.32
  • Median target: 285
  • Implied upside from current to median target: ~15%
  • Implied upside to high target: ~33%

Earnings Summary and Revisions — Referenced Data

  • Recent quarterly figures (latest two quarters)
    • Revenue (latest): 17.73B
    • Net Income (latest): 2.20B
    • Diluted EPS (latest): 2.25
    • Operating Income (latest): 2.98B
    • Gross Profit (latest): 5.83B
  • Prior quarter
    • Revenue: 16.66B
    • Net Income: 1.79B
    • Diluted EPS: 3.49
    • Operating Income: 2.35B
    • Gross Profit: 4.97B
  • EPS Trend (selected)
    • 0q EPS: 3.73762
    • +1q EPS: 2.97314
    • 0y: 13.8457
    • +1y: 14.96757
  • EPS Revisions (summary)
    • 0q: Up last 7 days = 8, Up last 30 days = 9, Down last 30 days = 4, Down last 7 days = 5
    • +1q: Up last 7 days = 9, Up last 30 days = 5, Down last 30 days = 8, Down last 7 days = 7
    • 0y: Up last 7 days = 14, Up last 30 days = 13, Down last 30 days = 8, Down last 7 days = 6
    • +1y: Up last 7 days = 9, Up last 30 days = 5, Down last 30 days = 8, Down last 7 days = 7
  • Interpretation: The revisions data show more upward revisions than downward ones in several periods, suggesting a positive earnings trajectory that could support higher target levels if sustained.

Price Target Lines (Visualization Reference)

  • Drawn horizontal lines placed at:
    • 205 (Low Target) — Green
    • 285 (Median Target) — Blue
    • 330 (High Target) — Red
  • These lines extend from 2025-10-07 to 2025-11-06 (30 days into the future) to reflect the requested horizon.

Comprehensive Data Tables (selected highlights)

  • Valuation and Key Metrics
    • Current Price: 248.17
    • Market Cap: $154.36B
    • EV: $150.33B
    • Trailing P/E: 20.44
    • Forward P/E: 17.64
    • P/B: 4.95
    • ROE: 25.51%
    • ROA: 11.17%
    • Profit Margin: 11.02%
    • Gross Margin: 31.9%
    • Operating Margin: 15.15%
    • Debt/Equity: 25.38
    • Total Cash: $11.48B
    • Total Debt: $8.18B
    • Dividend Yield: 2.66%
    • Beta: 1.28
  • Analyst Targets
    • Low: 205
    • Median: 285
    • High: 330
    • Current Price: 248.17
    • Analysts: 22
    • Target Mean: 278.32
  • Earnings Snapshot (selected periods)
    • Latest Quarter (2025-08-31):
      • Revenue: 17.727B
      • Gross Profit: 5.827B
      • Operating Income: 2.983B
      • Net Income (continuing ops): 2.198B
      • Diluted EPS: 2.25
    • Prior Quarter (2025-05-31):
      • Revenue: 16.659B
      • Gross Profit: 4.975B
      • Operating Income: 2.353B
      • Net Income (continuing ops): 1.789B
      • Diluted EPS: 3.49
  • EPS Trend (selected)
    • 0q: 3.73762
    • +1q: 2.97314
    • 0y: 13.8457
    • +1y: 14.96757
  • EPS Revisions (selected)
    • 0q Up/Down counts as shown above
    • +1q Up/Down counts as shown above
    • 0y Up/Down counts as shown above
    • +1y Up/Down counts as shown above
  • RSI and MACD
    • RSI (14): 63.1
    • MACD: -1.9 (vs Signal -3.5)
    • 50-day MA: 249.4
    • Price: 248.2 (as of 2025-10-06 close)
    • Interpretation: The stock is trading near the 50-day MA with bullish MACD positioning and a constructive RSI, suggesting a setup for potential upside if fundamentals align.

Key Takeaways for Investors

  • The market sees upside potential via the median and high analyst targets, with the mean suggesting roughly mid-teens upside from current levels over the next 12 months, assuming earnings momentum and macro conditions hold.
  • On the technical front, price action is showing early signs of stabilization near the 50-day MA, with RSI supportive of further upside and a MACD that could turn more bullish with continued earnings strength.
  • The EPS revision data tilt modestly positive in recent periods, which can help support higher price targets if this momentum persists.

Bottom-line Recommendation

  • Given the balanced risk-reward, a Hold with a constructive tilt is appropriate for the next 12–24 months. If a dip is seen toward the low 230s or lower, accumulation could be considered given the line of sight to the 285 median target and potential firming of the macro IT services backdrop. For investors seeking more aggressive upside, wait for a clear breakout above the 50-day MA and the 285 level with sustained positive revisions and earnings acceleration toward the 330 high target.

If you’d like, I can also provide a quick sensitivity analysis showing how the price targets shift with different EPS growth scenarios or a probability-weighted risk/reward chart based on the analyst targets.

Chart is loading...