Accenture (NYSE:ACN) shares jumped 6.9% in early trading Thursday after the consulting and outsourcing services provider reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter results and issued an upbeat outlook for fiscal 2025.
The company posted adjusted earnings per share of $2.79 for the quarter ended August 31, edging past analysts' estimates of $2.78. Revenue rose 3% YoY to $16.4 billion, also surpassing the $16.35 billion consensus forecast.
New bookings hit $20.1 billion for the quarter, up 21% YoY, including $1 billion in generative AI bookings. For the full fiscal year 2024, new bookings reached a record $81.2 billion, a 13% increase from the previous year.
"Our performance in fiscal year 2024 demonstrates the resilience and agility of our business model, the power of our scale and reinvention in action," said Julie Sweet, Accenture's chair and CEO.
Looking ahead, Accenture expects fiscal 2025 revenue growth of 3% to 6% in local currency. The company forecasts full-year EPS of $12.55 to $12.91, representing 5% to 8% growth from fiscal 2024's adjusted EPS.
Accenture also announced a 15% increase in its quarterly dividend to $1.48 per share and approved an additional $4 billion for share repurchases.
The strong results and guidance appear to be driving investor optimism, as reflected in the stock's sharp rise following the earnings release.