Accenture plc (ACN) Earnings History

Accenture plc - Q2 2026 EarningsBeat

Filed at: Mar 19, 2026, 6:40 AM EDT|Read from source

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Accenture reported strong second-quarter results with revenues at the top of guidance and record bookings, driven by AI-related growth and strategic acquisitions. The company raised its full-year revenue outlook, signaling confidence in continued market share gains and client transformation initiatives.

POSITIVE HIGHLIGHTS

  • •

    New bookings reached a record $22.1 billion, up 6% in USD and 1% in local currency.

    positive
  • •

    Revenues of $18.04 billion were at the top of the guided range, an increase of 8% in USD and 4% in local currency.

    positive
  • •

    Operating margin expanded 30 basis points to 13.8%, with gross margin improving to 30.3%.

    positive
  • •

    Diluted EPS increased 4% to $2.93, exceeding prior year results.

    positive
  • •

    Free cash flow was robust at $3.7 billion.

    positive
  • •

    Total cash returned to shareholders was $2.7 billion, including $1.7 billion in share repurchases and $1.0 billion in dividends.

    positive

CONCERNS & RISKS

  • •

    Full-year revenue growth guidance lowered to 3%-5% in local currency (previously 4%-6% excluding US federal business).

    attention
  • •

    Full-year GAAP diluted EPS guidance range of $13.25 to $13.50 represents a 9%-11% increase, down from prior guidance which implied a higher growth rate.

    attention
  • •

    Health & Public Service segment revenue growth slowed to 2% in USD and -1% in local currency.

    attention
  • •

    EMEA operating margin decreased by 100 basis points year-over-year to 10% in Q2 FY26.

    attention
  • •

    Asia Pacific operating income decreased by $30.7 million year-over-year despite revenue growth.

    attention
  • •

    Effective tax rate increased to 24.3% from 20.4% in the prior year quarter.

    attention

FINANCIAL METRICS

Revenue
Quarterly
$18.04B
+8.3%
Prior year: $16.66B
Annual (YTD)
$36.79B
N/A
Prior year: $34.35B
Net Income
Quarterly
$1.86B
N/A
EPS (Diluted)
Quarterly
$2.93
+3.9%
Prior year: $2.82
Operating Income
Quarterly
$2.49B
N/A
EPS (Basic)
Quarterly
$2.96
+3.9%
Prior year: $2.85

MARGIN ANALYSIS

Gross Margin
Current Quarter
30.3%
Prior Year
29.9%
YoY Change
+40 bps
Operating Margin
Current Quarter
13.8%
Prior Year
13.5%
YoY Change
+30 bps
Net Margin
Current Quarter
10.3%
Prior Year
10.9%
YoY Change
-60 bps

Margin expansion indicates improving profitability and operational efficiency. Measured in basis points (bps): 100 bps = 1.0%.

REVENUE BY SEGMENT — Q2 2026 2026

VISUAL OVERVIEW

|
Americas
0.0%
N/A
CC: +3.0%
EMEA
0.0%
N/A
CC: +2.0%
Asia Pacific
0.0%
N/A
CC: +10.0%
Communications, Media & Technology
0.0%
N/A
CC: +10.0%
Financial Services
0.0%
N/A
CC: +7.0%
Health & Public Service
0.0%
N/A
CC: -1.0%
Products
0.0%
N/A
CC: +3.0%
Resources
0.0%
N/A
CC: +2.0%
Consulting
0.0%
N/A
CC: +3.0%
Managed Services
0.0%
N/A
CC: +5.0%

DETAILED BREAKDOWN

|
SegmentCurrentPrior YrYoY% TotalCC
Americas
N/A———+3.0%
EMEA
N/A———+2.0%
Asia Pacific
N/A———+10.0%
Communications, Media & Technology
N/A———+10.0%
Financial Services
N/A———+7.0%
Health & Public Service
N/A———-1.0%
Products
N/A———+3.0%
Resources
N/A———+2.0%
Consulting
N/A———+3.0%
Managed Services
N/A———+5.0%
Total Revenue$0.00M——100.0%—

Segment performance shows business unit health and growth drivers. Constant currency (CC) removes FX impact for like-for-like comparison.

MANAGEMENT GUIDANCE

FY2026

revenue
"3% to 5% revenue growth in local currency (excluding an estimated 1% impact from its U.S. federal business)"
EPS
$13.25—$13.50
Mid-point: $13.38
"9% to 11% increase over FY25 GAAP diluted EPS"
Operating Margin
15.2%—15.4%
Mid-point: 15.3%
"50 bps – 70 bps expansion over FY25"

Q3 2026

revenue
$18350000.0B—$19000000.0B
Mid-point: $18675000.0B
"1% – 5% revenue growth in local currency"

Forward-looking guidance is subject to change and does not constitute a guarantee. Actual results may differ materially from these estimates.

SPECIAL ITEMS & ADJUSTMENTS

FY2026
Business optimization costs
Primarily for employee severance.
+$308M
$0.40 per share
FY2025
Business optimization costs
Primarily for employee severance.
+$615M
$0.78 per share
Total Impact
+$923M$1.18 per share

Special items are non-recurring events that may distort period-over-period comparisons. Analysts typically adjust for these when calculating normalized earnings.

MANAGEMENT COMMENTARY

We delivered record second quarter bookings of $22.1 billion, including a record 41 clients with quarterly bookings greater than $100 million, with revenues at the top of our guided range, while continuing to take significant share in a competitive market.

— Accenture plc, Q2 2026 2026 Earnings Call

We’re accelerating our critical work with clients to scale advanced AI across their enterprise, and we're seeing strong AI-driven growth.

— Accenture plc, Q2 2026 2026 Earnings Call

Our new strategic acquisitions will further strengthen our capabilities and expand our scale to help clients create value and achieve AI-based transformation.

— Accenture plc, Q2 2026 2026 Earnings Call

Commentary excerpts from earnings call transcripts provide management's perspective on performance, strategy, and outlook. Always review full transcripts for complete context.

OPERATIONAL METRICS

Days Services Outstanding
46
Prior year: 48
days

Operational metrics provide insight into business drivers and customer engagement beyond traditional financial measures.

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Analysis

ACN Q2 FY2026 Earnings: $0.25 Hidden EPS Drag Masks 13% Operating Beat