Accenture PLC (NYSE:ACN)

Revenues

Revenues exhibit a generally upward trajectory over the observed period, increasing from approximately $17.1 billion in 2005 to nearly $65 billion in 2024. Notable growth spurts are visible particularly after 2016, with revenues rising from $34.8 billion to $64.9 billion over eight years. A temporary decline is observed between 2008 and 2010, where revenues dropped from $25.3 billion to around $23 billion, possibly reflecting broader economic challenges. Post-2010, revenues steadily recover and accelerate their growth, indicating sustained business expansion and possibly increased market share or pricing power.

Operating Income

Operating income follows an overall increasing pattern similar to revenues but with more volatility. Starting at about $2.1 billion in 2005, operating income declined in 2006 before climbing to a peak near $9.6 billion in 2024. The period between 2007 and 2014 shows fluctuations, with some years experiencing declines or plateauing, such as a dip in 2017 and 2023. The rise in operating income from 2014 onwards is substantial, reflecting enhanced operational efficiency or favorable cost management. Despite the significant increases, the slight dip in 2019 and 2023 may indicate periodic market or operational challenges.

Net Income Attributable to the Company

Net income demonstrates growth overall, advancing from $940 million in 2005 to $7.3 billion in 2024. The increase is not uniform; the initial years see moderate growth, followed by marked acceleration post-2010. There are fluctuations visible, notably around 2014 to 2017, where net income increases are inconsistent, possibly due to one-time items or varying tax or interest expenses. From 2017 onward, net income displays a strong upward trend, peaking around 2021 and showing slight volatility thereafter but maintaining elevated levels compared to earlier years. This trend reflects improved profitability and effective management of non-operating factors.

Overall Observations

The financial data reveals a company with a strong growth profile in revenues and operating income across the period analyzed. Periodic declines and plateaus suggest responses to external economic pressures or internal adjustments. The notable revenue growth after 2016 aligns with rising operating income and net income, highlighting improved operational performance and profitability potential. Fluctuations in net income relative to operating income suggest variations in non-operating expenses or tax strategies. The long-term trend indicates robust expansion and enhanced value generation capability.

The financial data indicates a consistent upward trend in both current assets and total assets over the examined periods, reflecting general growth and asset accumulation.

Current Assets

Current assets have shown a steady increase from approximately 6.7 billion US dollars in 2005 to around 20.9 billion US dollars in 2024. Despite some fluctuations, such as a slight decline observed between 2013 and 2015, the overall trajectory remains positive. The most significant growth occurred in the last decade, where current assets more than doubled from approximately 11.6 billion US dollars in 2013 to over 20 billion by 2024. This rise in current assets suggests improved liquidity and capacity to meet short-term obligations over time.

Total Assets

Total assets also demonstrated continuous growth, increasing from roughly 8.96 billion US dollars in 2005 to more than 55.9 billion US dollars in 2024. Key observations include steady expansion with notable acceleration in asset accumulation starting around 2014. Between 2014 and 2024, total assets approximately tripled, signaling significant capital investments, acquisition activity, or organic growth. Minor periods of slower growth or stagnation did occur, but these were outweighed by long-term expansion.

Comparative Analysis

The ratio of current assets to total assets suggests that while both asset categories have increased, the proportion of current assets relative to total assets appears to decrease slightly in recent years. This could imply a gradual shift towards a greater emphasis on long-term assets or capital investment, which might be strategic for sustained growth. The consistent growth in total assets outpacing current assets supports this interpretation.

In summary, the company has experienced robust asset growth over the period, with particularly strong increases in total assets in the most recent decade. The rising current assets indicate strengthened liquidity, while the overall trend suggests effective asset management and expansion strategies aligned with long-term growth objectives.

The analysis of the financial data indicates several notable trends in the company's key balance sheet items over the period from 2005 to 2024.

Current Liabilities

Current liabilities have exhibited a general upward trajectory throughout the examined period. Starting at approximately 4.86 billion USD in 2005, current liabilities increased consistently with some fluctuations and reached around 18.98 billion USD by 2024. The growth appears relatively steady, with notable increases after 2015 and a particularly steep rise from 2019 onwards, suggesting expanding short-term obligations or increased operational scale.

Total Debt and Bank Borrowings

This category displays a fluctuating but generally increasing trend. Debt levels were relatively low and somewhat inconsistent from 2005 through 2014, frequently remaining under 30 million USD. Post-2015, borrowing levels began to show more variation, with a sharp surge observed in 2024, reaching above 1 billion USD. This significant spike may indicate new financing activities or strategic leveraging in recent years.

Total Shareholders’ Equity

Shareholders’ equity has demonstrated consistent growth over the entire period. Beginning at roughly 1.7 billion USD in 2005, equity increased steadily year-over-year, crossing the 28 billion USD mark by 2024. The trend signals strong accumulation of retained earnings and possibly capital infusions, reflecting enhanced shareholder value and financial robustness.

Overall, the financial position indicates growth in liabilities and equity, with debt levels remaining relatively low except for a recent significant increase. The steady rise in shareholders’ equity alongside expanding current liabilities may point to a growing business scale with balanced financing strategies, though the recent debt increase may warrant further examination concerning risk and capital structure.

The data reveals notable trends in cash flow activities over the span of two decades.

Net cash provided by operating activities

This metric demonstrates a general upward trend from 2005 through 2024. Starting at approximately 1.89 billion USD in 2005, it increased significantly to a peak near 9.54 billion by 2022 before slightly declining in 2023 and 2024. The steady growth in operating cash flow reflects improving core business profitability and operational efficiency over time.

Net cash used in investing activities

Investing cash flow values are consistently negative across all periods, indicating continuous investment outflows. The amount fluctuates substantially, ranging from lows around -250 million to highs exceeding -7 billion USD, notably in the later years such as 2024. This suggests aggressive reinvestment into assets, acquisitions, or other investment opportunities, with a pronounced increase in investment spending in recent years.

Net cash used in financing activities

Financing cash flows are also persistently negative, implying ongoing outflows related to debt repayment, dividends, or share repurchase programs. The values show a general increase in cash usage for financing purposes, growing from roughly -1.38 billion USD in 2005 to over -6 billion USD by 2024. This upward trajectory indicates escalating capital returned to investors or debt reduction efforts over time.

Overall, the patterns suggest a company with expanding operational cash generation, accompanied by substantial and increasing investments financed largely through internal cash flows while simultaneously returning significant capital to financiers. The persistent increase in operating cash inflows supports growing investment and financing outflows, underpinning sustained growth strategies balanced with shareholder returns and capital structure management.

Basic earnings per share (EPS)

The basic earnings per share displayed a consistent upward trend over the analyzed period. Starting at 1.6 US$ in 2005, EPS increased steadily with minor fluctuations, reaching 11.57 US$ by 2024. Notable increments occurred between 2015 and 2016, and again from 2019 to 2022, indicating periods of strong profitability growth. Only a slight decline was observed in 2014, but this was followed by a prompt recovery and continued rise in subsequent years.

Diluted earnings per share

Diluted earnings per share mirrored the trend of basic EPS closely, starting from 1.56 US$ in 2005 and increasing to 11.44 US$ in 2024. The pattern reflects sustained earnings growth on a per-share basis after considering potential dilution. The increments and minor dips in diluted EPS correspond closely with those seen in basic EPS, suggesting that dilution effects have remained relatively stable.

Dividend per share

Dividend per share showed a rising trajectory across the measured timeframe. Dividends commenced at 0.3 US$ in 2006 and escalated steadily to 5.16 US$ by 2024. The growth in dividends indicates an increasing return to shareholders and a potentially confident outlook on future earnings. Noteworthy increases occurred particularly after 2009 and consistently from 2014 onward, signifying a company commitment to returning value to shareholders through dividends. The data for 2005 shows a missing entry, implying that dividends might not have been issued or reported that year.