Accenture plc (ACN) Earnings History
Accenture plc - Q2 2026 EarningsBeat
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
MARGIN ANALYSIS
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
DETAILED BREAKDOWN
| Segment | Current | Prior Yr | YoY | % Total | CC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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
Q3 2026
Forward-looking guidance is subject to change and does not constitute a guarantee. Actual results may differ materially from these estimates.
EARNINGS CALL —
CALL GUIDANCE — Q2 2026 2026
| Metric | Value | Period | Specificity | vs Prior |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| revenue | $18.35-$19 billion | Q3 FY2026 | — | — |
| revenue | 1 to 5% growth in local currency | Q3 FY2026 | — | — |
| revenue | 3 to 5% growth in local currency | FY2026 | — | — |
| revenue | 4 to 6% growth in local currency | FY2026 | — | — |
| inorganic_contribution | 1.5% | FY2026 | — | — |
| acquisitions_investment | $5 billion | FY2026 | — | — |
| adjusted_operating_margin | 15.7-15.9% | FY2026 | — | — |
| adjusted_effective_tax_rate | 23.5% to 25.5% | FY2026 | — | — |
| adjusted_diluted_earnings_per_share | $13.65-$13.90 | FY2026 | — | — |
| operating_cash_flow | 11.5-12.2 billion | FY2026 | — | — |
| free_cash_flow | 10.8-11.5 billion | FY2026 | — | — |
| cash_return_to_shareholders | at least $9.3 billion | FY2026 | — | — |
| revenue_growth | 4% in local currency | Q2 FY2026 | — | — |
| bookings | $22.1 billion | Q2 FY2026 | — | — |
| acquisitions_investment | $1.6 billion | Q2 FY2026 | — | — |
| AI_and_data_professionals | over 85,000 | FY2026 | — | — |
| revenue | $18 billion | Q2 FY2026 | — | — |
| operating_margin | 13.8% | Q2 FY2026 | — | — |
| diluted_earnings_per_share | $2.93 | Q2 FY2026 | — | — |
| free_cash_flow | $3.7 billion | Q2 FY2026 | — | — |
| revenue_growth | 3% in local currency | Q2 FY2026 | — | — |
| revenue_growth | 2% in local currency | Q2 FY2026 | — | — |
| revenue_growth | 10% in local currency | Q2 FY2026 | — | — |
| acquisitions_investment | $1.6 billion | Q2 FY2026 | — | — |
| new_bookings | $22.1 billion | Q2 FY2026 | — | — |
| revenue_growth | 4% in local currency | Q2 FY2026 | — | — |
| business_outlook | revenue in the range of $18.35 to $19 billion | Q3 FY2026 | — | — |
| revenue_growth | 1 to 5% in local currency | Q3 FY2026 | — | — |
| revenue_growth | 3 to 5% in local currency | FY2026 | — | — |
| revenue_growth | 4 to 6% in local currency | FY2026 | — | — |
| revenue_growth | 1.5% | FY2026 | — | — |
| acquisitions_investment | $5 billion | FY2026 | — | — |
| adjusted_operating_margin | 15.7-15.9% | FY2026 | — | — |
| adjusted_effective_tax_rate | 23.5% to 25.5% | FY2026 | — | — |
| adjusted_diluted_earnings_per_share | $13.65-$13.90 | FY2026 | — | — |
| operating_cash_flow | 11.5-12.2 billion | FY2026 | — | — |
| free_cash_flow | 10.8-11.5 billion | FY2026 | — | — |
| cash_return_to_shareholders | at least $9.3 billion | FY2026 | — | — |
SPECIAL ITEMS & ADJUSTMENTS
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.
We’re accelerating our critical work with clients to scale advanced AI across their enterprise, and we're seeing strong AI-driven growth.
Our new strategic acquisitions will further strengthen our capabilities and expand our scale to help clients create value and achieve AI-based transformation.
Commentary excerpts from earnings call transcripts provide management's perspective on performance, strategy, and outlook. Always review full transcripts for complete context.
OPERATIONAL METRICS
Operational metrics provide insight into business drivers and customer engagement beyond traditional financial measures.