Accenture lowered its fiscal 2026 revenue growth outlook to 3%-4%, down from 3%-5%, triggering a sharp share decline.
Accenture PLC (NYSE:ACN) shares plunged nearly 15% after the company reduced its fiscal 2026 revenue growth forecast to 3%-4% in local currency, below its prior 3%-5% range. Excluding a 1% impact from its US federal business, growth is expected at 4%-5%.
Third-quarter adjusted earnings per share reached $3.80, surpassing the $3.72 estimate, while revenue grew 6% year over year to $18.7 billion, slightly missing the $18.78 billion expectation. New bookings totaled $19.3 billion, down from $19.7 billion a year earlier, with operating margin expanding 20 basis points to 17.0%.
The company reported $3.6 billion in free cash flow and returned $2.2 billion to shareholders via buybacks and dividends. CEO Julie Sweet highlighted strong demand for large-scale reinvention projects, including 104 client bookings of $100 million or more year-to-date.