ACN

In May 2026, Accenture's stock declined approximately 9% over 30 days and 23% over the quarter, attributed to sector-wide concerns, AI disruption fears, federal contract delays, softer guidance, macroeconomic uncertainty, elevated talent costs, and cautious IT spending. On June 18, 2026, the stock dropped about 18% after Q3 fiscal 2026 earnings missed expectations and the full-year revenue growth forecast was reduced to 3–4%. Morgan Stanley had downgraded the stock to 'Hold' two days prior. Despite earlier declines, the stock climbed 43% from mid-June to mid-September, linked to a strategic pivot towards AI and an aggressive acquisition strategy with an M&A target raised to $9 billion. On September 14, 2026, Morgan Stanley maintained an 'Equal-Weight' rating but raised its price target to $175, while Wells Fargo downgraded the stock to 'Equal-Weight' with a $194 price target. On September 15, 2026, Accenture agreed to pay $25 million to settle U.S. Justice Department anti-discrimination claims related to government contracts. On September 18, 2026, Accenture announced a multi-billion-dollar partnership with Anthropic for AI safety, which initially boosted the stock, but shares later fell over 4% after Guggenheim downgraded the company to 'Neutral'. On September 21, 2026, the stock moved up by 3.33% due to investor enthusiasm for its strategic AI developments, particularly the Anthropic partnership.