Accenture Shares Shoot Higher

Shares of consulting and outsourcing bellwether Accenture (ACN Quote) rose sharply Friday, a day after it reported strong fourth-quarter financial results and made bullish comments about the year ahead.

Shaking off concerns about a slowing U.S. economy, Accenture's forecast hit several key themes on investors' minds and underscored the company's profile as a large-cap growth stock.

And despite a decrease in operating and free cash flow, Accenture added 20% to its annual dividend, signaling confidence in its future ability to generate cash. ...