Accenture Exceeds Expectations Despite Stock Market Turmoil

The Dublin-based consulting giant Accenture concluded its fourth fiscal quarter with impressive results. The net profit amounted to $1.41 billion, equivalent to $2.25 per share. After adjustment for one-time costs, earnings per share even reached $3.03, surpassing Wall Street's expectations. Analysts from Zacks Investment Research had, on average, anticipated a lower profit of $2.98 per share. During the same period, Accenture achieved revenue of $17.6 billion, which also exceeded analysts' forecasts. Experts from Zacks had predicted revenue of $17.33 billion. Accenture closed the fiscal year with an impressive total profit of $7.68 billion, equivalent to $12.15 per share. The annual revenue amounted to $69.67 billion. Looking to the future, the company expects earnings between $13.52 and $13.90 per share for the next fiscal year. Despite the convincing figures at the balance sheet level, Accenture's stock has lost 32 percent of its value since the beginning of the year, while the S&P 500 Index has risen by 13 percent. Over the past twelve months, the stock recorded a decline of 30 percent.