ACN Accenture plc
Price Chart
Executive Summary
Wells Fargo upgraded Accenture (ACN) from Equal-Weight to Overweight on Feb 17, 2026, maintaining a $275 price target. The move is part of a broader cluster of 16 analyst firms that updated coverage on ACN, including multiple maintains from Mizuho, JP Morgan, BMO, RBC, Guggenheim, Baird, Evercore, Morgan Stanley, and TD Cowen in March. Wells Fargo has a 55% accuracy rate on 6,035 calls with a 3.6% average return, placing it near the middle of the pack among covering firms. Consensus is heavily bullish: 67.6% of 34 analysts rate Buy or Strong Buy, 32.4% Hold, with mean price target $250.51 (+40% from $178.71). The high target of $320 implies 79% upside, while the low of $210 gives 17.5%. However, near-term EPS revisions are negative—17 downgrades vs 1 upgrade for the next quarter—and insider selling persists, with $95K in sells as recently as Apr 30. Short interest is elevated at 66.5% of float, indicating bearish positioning. The analyst cluster and high price targets support upside, but weakening near-term estimates and insider activity create a mixed signal. Traders should watch for a catalyst to break the current divergence.
Impact Score
Consensus & Targets
Of 34 analysts covering ACN, 8 rate Strong Buy, 15 Buy, 11 Hold, and 0 Sell or Strong Sell. This gives 67.6% bullish calls and 32.4% neutral. The consensus is strongly tilted positive, with no bearish ratings.
Current price $178.71. Mean target $250.51 (implied upside +40.2%), median $250 (+39.9%). High target $320 (+79%), low $210 (+17.5%). Wells Fargo's $275 target is above the mean, implying 53.9% upside, and ranks in the top quartile of targets.
Recent Analyst Activity
| Date | Firm | Action | Rating | Price Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-23 | Mizuho | maintain | Outperform | $280.00 |
| 2026-03-20 | JP Morgan | maintain | Overweight | $247.00 |
| 2026-03-20 | BMO Capital | maintain | Market Perform | $230.00 |
| 2026-03-20 | RBC Capital | maintain | Outperform | $253.00 |
| 2026-03-20 | Guggenheim | maintain | Buy | $250.00 |
| 2026-03-20 | Baird | maintain | Outperform | $265.00 |
| 2026-03-19 | Evercore ISI Group | maintain | Outperform | $250.00 |
| 2026-03-16 | Morgan Stanley | maintain | Overweight | $240.00 |
| 2026-03-16 | TD Cowen | maintain | Buy | $275.00 |
| 2026-03-11 | Guggenheim | maintain | Buy | $275.00 |
No net upgrades or downgrades in the last 30 days; all recent actions are maintains. EPS revision trend is mixed: near-term (-1q) has 17 downgrades vs 1 upgrade (negative), while full fiscal year 2026 has 17 upgrades vs 6 downgrades (positive). Next-year estimates also show 18 upgrades vs 9 downgrades. The market is more optimistic on longer-term fundamentals but cautious near-term.
Firm Track Record — Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo accuracy: 55% on 6035 calls | avg return: 3.6%
Industry benchmark: mean 51% ± 11%. Top tier: ≥61% (mean + 1σ). Based on 15 firms with ≥5 scored calls.
| Firm | Accuracy | Calls | Avg Return | vs Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citigroup | 100% | 3/3 | 10.4% | top tier |
| TD Cowen | 100% | 6/6 | 8.8% | top tier |
| B of A Securities | 100% | 2/2 | 10% | top tier |
| Susquehanna | 75% | 3/4 | -0.2% | top tier |
| Stifel | 67% | 2/3 | 8.2% | top tier |
| Evercore ISI Group | 67% | 2/3 | 3.6% | top tier |
| Baird | 57% | 4/7 | 3.7% | above average |
| Guggenheim | 57% | 4/7 | -1.2% | above average |
| Deutsche Bank | 50% | 1/2 | 8.3% | below average |
| RBC Capital | 50% | 2/4 | -3.9% | below average |
Wells Fargo has a 55% accuracy rate on 6,035 calls with an average return of 3.6%, placing it near the median among covering firms. Top performers with larger samples include Citigroup (100% on 3), TD Cowen (100% on 6), and Baird (57% on 7). Wells Fargo's accuracy is slightly above average, but its call is not contrarian given the bullish consensus.
Earnings Estimates
Next earnings: Jun 18, 2026
| Period | EPS Est. | EPS Range | Revenue | Revisions (7d) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| +1q | $3.29 | $3.19 — $3.43 | $18.5B | ↑1 ↓0 |
| 0y | $13.88 | $13.65 — $14.15 | $74.1B | ↑17 ↓0 |
| +1y | $14.91 | $13.84 — $15.51 | $78.0B | ↑18 ↓0 |
| 0q | $3.73 | $3.60 — $3.84 | $18.8B | ↑5 ↓0 |
Cross-Platform Signals
Insider trades show persistent selling: $95K on Apr 30, $51K on Feb 10, $250K on Feb 3. Congressional activity is mixed but net bearish: Rep. Kevin Hern (R) sold $250K-$500K on Mar 16, Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D) sold small amounts on Mar 23, while Rep. Gilbert Cisneros (D) bought $1K-$15K on Mar 13. No recent institutional changes reported. Short interest is elevated at 66.5% of float, suggesting bearish sentiment that diverges from the analyst upgrade—potentially creating a squeeze opportunity if earnings confirm.
Actionable Insight
The analyst cluster and high price targets support long-term upside, but near-term EPS downgrades and insider selling argue caution. Traders should wait for a catalyst (e.g., strong earnings or a break above $190) before committing, as the 66.5% short interest adds risk/reward asymmetry.
Documents Analyzed
Report based on filing metadata.
Filters
| Type | Now | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Jun 1, 2026
8d ago
|
ANALYST-DOWNGRADE
| $196.50 $178.25 | ▲ +9.29% | ▲ +6.54% | $174.43 (+11.23%) |
|
May 31, 2026
9d ago
|
ANALYST-UPGRADE
| $219.51 $196.66 | ▼ −10.41% | ▼ −11.08% | $174.43 (−20.54%) |
|
May 1, 2026
5w ago
|
ANALYST-UPGRADE
| $219.51 $196.66 | ▼ −10.41% | ▼ −11.08% | $174.43 (−20.54%) |
|
Apr 24, 2026
6w ago
|
8-K
| $178.32 $178.71 | ▲ +0.22% | ▼ −0.69% | $174.43 (−2.18%) |
|
Feb 26, 2026
14w ago
|
GOVT-CONTRACT
| $207.20 $213.95 | ▲ +3.26% | ▲ +4.38% | $174.43 (−15.82%) |
US Market Status
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