Accenture reports Q4 and full-year fiscal 2020 results

NEW YORK — Accenture (NYSE: ACN) reported financial results for the fourth quarter and full fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2020. For the fourth quarter, revenues were $10.8 billion, a decrease of 2% in U.S. dollars and 1% in local currency compared with the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019. Revenue growth for the quarter was reduced approximately 2 percentage points by a decline in revenues from reimbursable travel costs. Diluted earnings per share were $1.99, a 14% increase from fiscal 2019, including $0.29 from gains on an investment. Excluding these gains, diluted EPS were $1.70, a 2% decline from $1.74 for the fourth quarter last year. Operating margin for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020 was 14.3%, an expansion of 10 basis points from the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019. Operating cash flow was $3.2 billion and free cash flow was $3.0 billion. New bookings were $14.0 billion.

For the full fiscal year, revenues were $44.3 billion, an increase of 3% in U.S. dollars and 4% in local currency compared with fiscal 2019. Revenue growth for the year was reduced approximately 1 percentage point by a decline in revenues from reimbursable travel costs. Diluted earnings per share were $7.89, a 7% increase from fiscal 2019, including $0.43 from gains on an investment. Excluding these gains, diluted EPS for fiscal 2020 were $7.46, a 1% increase from $7.36 in fiscal 2019. This was above the adjusted guided range for diluted EPS of $7.30 to $7.43 after removing $0.27 in gains on an investment realized in the first half of fiscal 2020 and in June 2020 — which were included in the guidance provided in the company’s third- quarter earnings release. Operating margin for fiscal 2020 was 14.7%, an expansion of 10 basis points. Operating cash flow for fiscal 2020 was $8.2 billion and free cash flow was $7.6 billion. New bookings were a record $49.6 billion.

Julie Sweet, Accenture’s chief executive officer, said, “Accenture’s fiscal 2020 results demonstrate the relevance of our growth strategy, the resilience of our business and our people, our disciplined management of the business, and the power of our relationships with the world’s leading companies and ecosystem partners. Our ability to pivot rapidly to meet the needs of our clients and new ways of operating is reflected in our record new bookings of $50 billion for fiscal 2020. We also continued to deliver revenue growth ahead of the market as well as strong profitability and superior cash flow. As we turn the page to fiscal 2021, we are better positioned than ever to continue gaining market share and delivering tangible value for our clients and shared success for all our stakeholders.”