Accenture Earnings: Q2 Tops Estimates, Outlook Cautious

Accenture earnings showed resilience when the company reported fiscal second-quarter results on March 19, 2026, citing rising bookings and accelerating AI demand while warning that near-term client caution left the upcoming quarter’s revenue outlook below some analysts’ expectations.

Quarter Results and Bookings

For the quarter ended February 28, 2026, Accenture plc (ACN) reported revenue of $18.0 billion, up 8.0% in U.S. dollars and 4.0% in local currency, with diluted earnings per share of $2.93, a 4.0% increase from a year earlier. The revenue figure was at the high end of the company’s guided range and slightly exceeded analyst estimates.

The company recorded a quarterly bookings record of $22.1 billion, including 41 clients with bookings above $100 million. Operating margin rose to 13.8%, operating income reached about $2.5 billion, and free cash flow totaled $3.7 billion. Accenture Chair and CEO Julie Sweet said, "We're accelerating our critical work with clients to scale advanced AI across their enterprise, and we're seeing strong AI-driven growth."

Consulting revenue was approximately $8.9 billion, slightly below managed services at $9.2 billion. Geographically, the Americas generated about $8.9 billion, EMEA $6.6 billion, and Asia Pacific $2.6 billion. Industry revenues included Communications, Media & Technology; Financial Services; Health and Public Service; Products; and Resources. For the first half of the fiscal year, the company reported revenue near $36.8 billion and net income around $4.1 billion. During the quarter, Accenture returned $2.7 billion to shareholders through $1.7 billion in share repurchases and redemptions (6.8 million shares) and $1.0 billion in dividends, a 10% increase to $1.63 per share.

Guidance and Market Signals

Accenture raised its full-year fiscal 2026 revenue growth guidance to 3.0%–5.0% in local currency, or 4.0%–6.0% excluding an estimated 1.0% impact from U.S. federal business. It set GAAP diluted EPS guidance at $13.25–13.50 and adjusted EPS at $13.65–13.90. Free cash flow guidance increased to $10.8–11.5 billion, supporting the company’s capital-return program.

Secondary reports noted that the company’s revenue forecast for the upcoming quarter fell below some analyst estimates, citing client caution on large IT transformations amid economic uncertainty and investor concern about AI-related disruption. Together, that guidance and the strong bookings suggest sustained demand for advanced AI and robust cash generation, though near-term revenue risks may slow momentum in the next quarter.