Accenture Plc Ireland Stock Price, News & Analysis

Accenture (NYSE: ACN) is collaborating with Ripjar and Royal Dutch Shell to enhance risk screening in Shell's global supply chain using AI technology. This partnership aims to improve accuracy and efficiency in risk identification during third-party transactions, potentially reducing data-reporting errors by over 80%. The solution will be integrated into Shell's cloud infrastructure on Microsoft Azure, fostering scalability and cost efficiencies. This multi-year deal builds on Accenture Ventures' investment in Ripjar, showcasing a commitment to advancing compliance capabilities in the energy sector.

Accenture (ACN) reported Q2 fiscal 2021 revenues of $12.1 billion, an 8% increase year-over-year, despite a 2 percentage point reduction from declining reimbursable travel revenue. GAAP diluted EPS rose 17% to $2.23, while adjusted EPS increased 10% to $2.03. Operating income reached $1.65 billion, an 11% rise, with a margin of 13.7%. New bookings hit a record $16 billion. For Q3 FY21, revenue guidance is $12.55-$12.95 billion, with full-year growth expectations of 6.5%-8.5%. Accenture plans to return over $5.8 billion in cash to shareholders through dividends and buybacks.

Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has been recognized as a Leader in Everest Group’s PEAK Matrix for Google Cloud Platform (GCP) System Integrators 2021 report. The firm scored highly in both vision and capability, with the highest number of GCP specializations among all system integrators. Accenture's collaboration with Google has strengthened its offering in cloud migration, application development, data analytics, and machine learning. Additionally, the report highlights Accenture's 4,300 trained employees in GCP services.

Accenture (NYSE: ACN) will hold a conference call on Mar. 18, 2021, at 8:00 a.m. EDT to discuss its Q2 fiscal 2021 financial results. A press release with these results will be issued prior to the call. Participants can join the call by dialing +1 (877) 692-8955 or +1 (234) 720-6979 for international callers. The call will also be available live on Accenture's Investor Relations website. A replay will be accessible starting at 11:00 a.m. EDT on the same day and will remain available until June 24, 2021.

According to a recent Accenture report, boardrooms of major banks are lacking in technology expertise despite increased digital technology adoption. Analyzing the backgrounds of nearly 2,000 directors across over 100 banks, it reveals that only 10% of board directors possess professional technology experience, up by just 4% from 2015. The report recommends that 25% of bank directors should have such expertise. While there is a 33% representation of women in technology roles today, banks in the U.K. and U.S. lead in technology experience, leaving other regions lagging.

Accenture has finalized the acquisition of Imaginea, a cloud-native engineering firm based in California, enhancing its digital transformation capabilities. The terms of the acquisition remain undisclosed, but Imaginea brings approximately 1,350 skilled professionals specializing in cloud data and modernization across various platforms. This acquisition strengthens Accenture's Cloud First strategy, which is backed by a $3 billion investment and aims to improve cloud services for over 200 global clients.