Accenture Earnings Edge Up

Profit beats forecasts on a 14% revenue rise.

Author:: TSC Staff
Publish date:: Jan 6, 2005 4:58 PM EST

Accenture

said fourth-quarter profits edged higher on a 14% revenue pop that was driven by gains in outsourcing and consulting services.

The company earned $196.3 million, or 32 cents a share, in the three months to Nov. 30, compared with earnings of $174.3 million, or 33 cents a share, last year. The company's net income isn't proportionate to its EPS because of minority profit interest that are added back for the per-share calculation.

Net revenue was $3.73 billion in the most recent quarter compared with $3.26 billion a year ago.

Accenture noted that per-share earnings growth was 22% when an $86 million gain is excluded from last year's quarter and a $7 million reorganization expense is dropped from the current year.

Analysts surveyed by Thomson First Call had been forecasting earnings of 31 cents a share on net revenue of $3.63 billion in the latest quarter.

By segment, Accenture's outsourcing revenue rose 15% in the quarter and its consulting revenue rose 14% year over year. Revenue grew in its three geographic regions, and rose in U.S. dollars across all five of its operating groups, "with exceptional top-line contributions from its Financial Services and Products operating groups."

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