Q2 performance exceeds expectations but Q3 revenue guidance falls short. Accenture Plc Class A (ACN.US) fell lower in pre-market trading.

Although Accenture Plc Class A (ACN.US) announced better-than-expected performance for the second quarter of fiscal year 2026, the global consulting giant's revenue guidance for the third quarter was below market expectations. As of the time of writing, the stock fell nearly 5% in pre-market trading on Thursday. According to the financial report, Accenture Plc Class A's Q2 revenue increased by 8% year-on-year to $18.04 billion, with GAAP earnings per share rising by 4% to $2.93, both exceeding analysts' expectations. New orders for Q2 amounted to $22.11 billion, a 6% increase year-on-year. Julie Sweet, Chairman and CEO of Accenture Plc Class A, said, "We achieved a record second quarter order of $22.1 billion, including a record 41 customers with orders exceeding $100 million in the quarter; revenue reached the upper end of the guidance range, while we continued to expand market share in a competitive environment." In terms of business segments, Q2 revenue for consulting services increased by 7% to $8.86 billion, while revenue for management services increased by 10% to $9.18 billion. By region, the Americas market was its largest source of revenue, with Q2 revenue increasing by 4% to $8.9 billion. Accenture Plc Class A stated that the company repurchased 6.8 million shares of stock for $1.7 billion in Q2, including 5.1 million shares repurchased in the open market. As of February 28, the company had approximately $4.4 billion remaining in repurchase authorization. The company also announced a quarterly cash dividend of $1.63 per share, a 10% increase from $1.48 per share in fiscal year 2025. Looking ahead, Accenture Plc Class A expects Q3 revenue to be between $18.35 billion and $19 billion, with the midpoint of the forecast range at $18.675 billion, lower than analysts' general expectation of $18.73 billion. For the full fiscal year 2026, Accenture Plc Class A currently forecasts a 3% to 5% increase in revenue (in local currency), compared to the previous forecast of 2% to 5%; adjusted earnings per share for the full year are expected to be between $13.65 and $13.90, with a midpoint of $13.775, higher than the previous expectation of $13.52 to $13.90 (midpoint $13.71), but lower than analysts' general expectation of $13.86.