Farther Finance Advisors LLC has reduced its stake in Accenture PLC (NYSE: ACN) by 12.3%, according to the firm’s latest disclosure with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). As of the end of the third quarter, the institutional investor owned 20,222 shares of Accenture, worth approximately $4.99 million. This decrease followed the sale of 2,849 shares during the quarter.
Other significant investors have also made adjustments to their positions in Accenture recently. Investors Research Corp increased its holdings by 73.8% during the same period, now owning 106 shares valued at $26,000 after adding 45 shares. Elevation Wealth Partners LLC raised its stake by an impressive 146.0%, acquiring an additional 73 shares for a total of 123 shares, worth $30,000. Heartwood Wealth Advisors LLC and RMG Wealth Management LLC also entered new positions in Accenture, with investments valued at approximately $32,000 and $33,000 respectively.
As a result of these transactions, institutional investors and hedge funds now hold 75.14% of Accenture’s stock.
Insider Trading Activity and Stock Performance
Recent insider trading activity revealed that Ryoji Sekido, CEO of Accenture, sold 2,500 shares on October 22, realizing a total of $623,675 at an average price of $249.47. Following this sale, Sekido’s ownership decreased by 64.27%, leaving him with 1,390 shares valued at approximately $346,763. Similarly, CEO Julie Spellman Sweet sold 5,917 shares on November 5 for a total of $1,459,250.54, representing a 40.76% reduction in her stake.
In total, insiders at Accenture have sold 33,319 shares valued at approximately $8.34 million over the past 90 days. Currently, insiders hold only 0.02% of the company’s stock.
Accenture’s stock opened at $270.08 on Thursday. The company’s 50-day moving average is $254.49, while the 200-day moving average stands at $262.74. With a market capitalization of $177.84 billion, Accenture maintains a P/E ratio of 22.32 and a P/E/G ratio of 2.61.
Recent Earnings and Future Guidance
Accenture reported its quarterly earnings data on December 18, revealing earnings per share (EPS) of $3.94, surpassing analysts’ expectations of $3.73 by $0.21. The company reported revenues of $18.74 billion, exceeding projections of $18.51 billion. The firm experienced a year-over-year revenue increase of 5.7%, up from $3.59 EPS in the same quarter last year.
For the fiscal year 2026, Accenture has set an EPS guidance range of 13.520-13.900. Analysts anticipate an average EPS of 12.73 for the current year.
Accenture has also announced a quarterly dividend of $1.63 per share, which will be distributed on February 13, 2024. Shareholders of record on January 13, 2024, will receive this dividend, which represents an annualized total of $6.52 and a yield of 2.4%. The current dividend payout ratio is 53.88%.
Analyst Ratings and Future Outlook
Several research analysts have recently adjusted their price targets on Accenture shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered its target from $302.00 to $290.00, maintaining an “overweight” rating. Conversely, Guggenheim raised its price objective from $285.00 to $305.00 and rated the stock as a “buy.”
Overall, Accenture has received a range of ratings from analysts, with one strong buy, fifteen buy ratings, eleven holds, and one sell. The consensus rating is currently classified as “Moderate Buy,” with an average target price of $298.29, according to data from MarketBeat.com.
Accenture PLC is a global professional services firm offering a wide array of services in strategy, consulting, digital technology, and operations. The company collaborates with organizations across various sectors to implement business transformation, manage enterprise technologies, and enhance customer experiences. With a strong commitment to delivering industry-specific solutions, Accenture leverages its consulting expertise, proprietary tools, and partnerships with leading technology vendors.
