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ACN vs. FOUR: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

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Here’s a clear look at ACN and FOUR, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.

Company Profile

SymbolACNFOUR
Company NameAccenture plcShift4 Payments, Inc.
CountryIrelandUnited States
GICS SectorInformation TechnologyFinancials
GICS IndustryIT ServicesFinancial Services
Market Capitalization158.86 billion USD8.00 billion USD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJuly 19, 2001June 5, 2020
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of ACN and FOUR by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.

ACN vs. FOUR: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past one year.

Historical Performance at a Glance

SymbolACNFOUR
5-Day Price Return3.61%1.56%
13-Week Price Return-20.14%0.57%
26-Week Price Return-34.52%-24.20%
52-Week Price Return-22.58%10.81%
Month-to-Date Return-4.51%-12.14%
Year-to-Date Return-27.50%-12.80%
10-Day Avg. Volume4.84M2.22M
3-Month Avg. Volume3.64M1.82M
3-Month Volatility28.16%42.64%
Beta1.301.74

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

ACN

27.11%

IT Services Industry

Max
29.51%
Q3
16.98%
Median
13.47%
Q1
7.93%
Min
-3.97%

In the upper quartile for the IT Services industry, ACN’s Return on Equity of 27.11% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.

FOUR

21.96%

Financial Services Industry

Max
40.58%
Q3
20.06%
Median
10.67%
Q1
4.19%
Min
-10.31%

In the upper quartile for the Financial Services industry, FOUR’s Return on Equity of 21.96% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.

ACN vs. FOUR: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective IT Services and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

ACN

11.61%

IT Services Industry

Max
19.82%
Q3
11.49%
Median
6.67%
Q1
3.61%
Min
-4.62%

A Net Profit Margin of 11.61% places ACN in the upper quartile for the IT Services industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.

FOUR

6.11%

Financial Services Industry

Max
52.86%
Q3
25.58%
Median
12.23%
Q1
6.64%
Min
-9.92%

Falling into the lower quartile for the Financial Services industry, FOUR’s Net Profit Margin of 6.11% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.

ACN vs. FOUR: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective IT Services and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

ACN

15.38%

IT Services Industry

Max
21.69%
Q3
14.50%
Median
10.06%
Q1
6.98%
Min
0.06%

An Operating Profit Margin of 15.38% places ACN in the upper quartile for the IT Services industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.

FOUR

7.53%

Financial Services Industry

Max
77.28%
Q3
37.68%
Median
18.17%
Q1
9.27%
Min
-8.19%

FOUR’s Operating Profit Margin of 7.53% is in the lower quartile for the Financial Services industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.

ACN vs. FOUR: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective IT Services and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

SymbolACNFOUR
Return on Equity (TTM)27.11%21.96%
Return on Assets (TTM)13.30%3.99%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)11.61%6.11%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)15.38%7.53%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)32.07%30.55%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

ACN

1.46

IT Services Industry

Max
2.42
Q3
1.81
Median
1.47
Q1
1.09
Min
0.44

ACN’s Current Ratio of 1.46 aligns with the median group of the IT Services industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.

FOUR

2.53

Financial Services Industry

Max
4.58
Q3
2.59
Median
1.33
Q1
0.69
Min
0.01

For the Financial Services industry, the Current Ratio is often not the most suitable measure of short-term liquidity.

ACN vs. FOUR: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective IT Services and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

ACN

0.17

IT Services Industry

Max
2.33
Q3
1.17
Median
0.54
Q1
0.15
Min
0.00

ACN’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.17 is typical for the IT Services industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.

FOUR

2.34

Financial Services Industry

Max
4.96
Q3
2.10
Median
0.57
Q1
0.12
Min
0.00

The Debt-to-Equity Ratio is often not the primary focus for assessing leverage in the Financial Services industry.

ACN vs. FOUR: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against their respective IT Services and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

ACN

4,205.92

IT Services Industry

Max
144.50
Q3
84.49
Median
13.76
Q1
2.59
Min
-28.13

With an Interest Coverage Ratio of 4,205.92, ACN demonstrates a superior capacity to service its debt, placing it well above the typical range for the IT Services industry. This stems from either robust earnings or a conservative debt load.

FOUR

14.17

Financial Services Industry

Max
136.23
Q3
56.08
Median
6.55
Q1
2.01
Min
-33.27

The Interest Coverage Ratio is often not a primary indicator of debt servicing capacity in the Financial Services industry.

ACN vs. FOUR: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against their respective IT Services and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

SymbolACNFOUR
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.462.53
Quick Ratio (MRQ)1.462.49
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)0.172.34
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)4,205.9214.17

Growth

Revenue Growth

ACN vs. FOUR: A side-by-side comparison of their Revenue Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

EPS Growth

ACN vs. FOUR: A side-by-side comparison of their EPS Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

Dividend

Dividend Yield (TTM)

ACN

2.24%

IT Services Industry

Max
2.80%
Q3
1.74%
Median
0.62%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

With a Dividend Yield of 2.24%, ACN offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the IT Services industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.

FOUR

0.00%

Financial Services Industry

Max
8.18%
Q3
3.60%
Median
1.56%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

FOUR currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.

ACN vs. FOUR: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective IT Services and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

ACN

45.12%

IT Services Industry

Max
147.75%
Q3
63.58%
Median
24.63%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

ACN’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 45.12% is within the typical range for the IT Services industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.

FOUR

0.00%

Financial Services Industry

Max
155.56%
Q3
63.71%
Median
18.08%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

FOUR has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.

ACN vs. FOUR: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective IT Services and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

SymbolACNFOUR
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.24%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)45.12%0.00%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

ACN

20.18

IT Services Industry

Max
41.55
Q3
31.54
Median
23.25
Q1
18.12
Min
6.57

ACN’s P/E Ratio of 20.18 is within the middle range for the IT Services industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.

FOUR

36.29

Financial Services Industry

Max
63.23
Q3
32.10
Median
14.41
Q1
10.81
Min
0.37

A P/E Ratio of 36.29 places FOUR in the upper quartile for the Financial Services industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.

ACN vs. FOUR: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against their respective IT Services and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

ACN

2.34

IT Services Industry

Max
6.61
Q3
4.37
Median
2.02
Q1
1.20
Min
0.19

ACN’s P/S Ratio of 2.34 aligns with the market consensus for the IT Services industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.

FOUR

2.22

Financial Services Industry

Max
11.16
Q3
5.45
Median
2.61
Q1
1.25
Min
0.04

The P/S Ratio is often not a primary valuation tool in the Financial Services industry.

ACN vs. FOUR: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against their respective IT Services and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

ACN

6.44

IT Services Industry

Max
11.19
Q3
6.38
Median
3.47
Q1
2.31
Min
0.96

ACN’s P/B Ratio of 6.44 is in the upper tier for the IT Services industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.

FOUR

5.45

Financial Services Industry

Max
7.09
Q3
3.79
Median
1.46
Q1
0.83
Min
0.04

FOUR’s P/B Ratio of 5.45 is in the upper tier for the Financial Services industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.

ACN vs. FOUR: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective IT Services and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

SymbolACNFOUR
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)20.1836.29
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)2.342.22
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)6.445.45
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)15.6621.02