ACN vs. KEYS: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ACN and KEYS, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
ACN’s market capitalization of 190.80 billion USD is substantially larger than KEYS’s 28.75 billion USD, indicating a significant difference in their market valuations.
With betas of 1.33 for ACN and 1.10 for KEYS, both stocks show similar sensitivity to overall market movements.
| Symbol | ACN | KEYS |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Accenture plc | Keysight Technologies, Inc. |
| Country | IE | US |
| Sector | Technology | Technology |
| Industry | Information Technology Services | Hardware, Equipment & Parts |
| CEO | Julie T. Spellman Sweet | Satish C. Dhanasekaran |
| Price | 304.78 USD | 167.05 USD |
| Market Cap | 190.80 billion USD | 28.75 billion USD |
| Beta | 1.33 | 1.10 |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| IPO Date | July 19, 2001 | October 20, 2014 |
| ADR | No | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ACN and KEYS 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.
Profitability
Return on Equity
ACN
27.11%
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 47.24%
- Q3
- 23.27%
- Median
- 12.85%
- Q1
- 2.22%
- Min
- -26.63%
In the upper quartile for the Information Technology 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.
KEYS
14.13%
Hardware, Equipment & Parts Industry
- Max
- 38.64%
- Q3
- 17.03%
- Median
- 8.95%
- Q1
- 1.23%
- Min
- -14.34%
KEYS’s Return on Equity of 14.13% is on par with the norm for the Hardware, Equipment & Parts industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Return on Invested Capital
ACN
17.83%
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 28.29%
- Q3
- 13.19%
- Median
- 7.24%
- Q1
- 0.23%
- Min
- -18.82%
In the upper quartile for the Information Technology Services industry, ACN’s Return on Invested Capital of 17.83% signifies a highly effective use of its capital to generate profits when compared to its peers.
KEYS
7.22%
Hardware, Equipment & Parts Industry
- Max
- 17.24%
- Q3
- 9.87%
- Median
- 6.54%
- Q1
- 1.56%
- Min
- -7.50%
KEYS’s Return on Invested Capital of 7.22% is in line with the norm for the Hardware, Equipment & Parts industry, reflecting a standard level of efficiency in generating profits from its capital base.
Net Profit Margin
ACN
11.61%
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 20.47%
- Q3
- 11.62%
- Median
- 5.97%
- Q1
- 1.89%
- Min
- -4.62%
ACN’s Net Profit Margin of 11.61% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Information Technology Services industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
KEYS
14.53%
Hardware, Equipment & Parts Industry
- Max
- 22.76%
- Q3
- 11.04%
- Median
- 3.80%
- Q1
- 1.13%
- Min
- -8.57%
A Net Profit Margin of 14.53% places KEYS in the upper quartile for the Hardware, Equipment & Parts industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin
ACN
15.38%
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 29.42%
- Q3
- 14.75%
- Median
- 8.92%
- Q1
- 2.62%
- Min
- -11.92%
An Operating Profit Margin of 15.38% places ACN in the upper quartile for the Information Technology Services industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
KEYS
16.84%
Hardware, Equipment & Parts Industry
- Max
- 25.25%
- Q3
- 13.73%
- Median
- 8.22%
- Q1
- 4.35%
- Min
- -0.79%
An Operating Profit Margin of 16.84% places KEYS in the upper quartile for the Hardware, Equipment & Parts industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | ACN | KEYS |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 27.11% | 14.13% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 12.55% | 7.04% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | 17.83% | 7.22% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 11.61% | 14.53% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 15.38% | 16.84% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 32.07% | 62.47% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
ACN
1.46
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 3.41
- Q3
- 2.37
- Median
- 1.58
- Q1
- 1.20
- Min
- 0.00
ACN’s Current Ratio of 1.46 aligns with the median group of the Information Technology Services industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
KEYS
3.39
Hardware, Equipment & Parts Industry
- Max
- 4.10
- Q3
- 3.23
- Median
- 2.37
- Q1
- 1.81
- Min
- 0.58
KEYS’s Current Ratio of 3.39 is in the upper quartile for the Hardware, Equipment & Parts industry. This signifies a strong liquidity position, suggesting the company is well-equipped to cover its immediate liabilities compared to its peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio
ACN
0.19
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 2.63
- Q3
- 1.16
- Median
- 0.48
- Q1
- 0.09
- Min
- 0.01
ACN’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.19 is typical for the Information Technology Services industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
KEYS
0.50
Hardware, Equipment & Parts Industry
- Max
- 1.19
- Q3
- 0.56
- Median
- 0.33
- Q1
- 0.11
- Min
- 0.00
KEYS’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.50 is typical for the Hardware, Equipment & Parts industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
Interest Coverage Ratio
ACN
210.82
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 17.52
- Q3
- 10.04
- Median
- 4.66
- Q1
- 0.80
- Min
- -10.50
With an Interest Coverage Ratio of 210.82, ACN demonstrates a superior capacity to service its debt, placing it well above the typical range for the Information Technology Services industry. This stems from either robust earnings or a conservative debt load.
KEYS
10.24
Hardware, Equipment & Parts Industry
- Max
- 28.37
- Q3
- 14.25
- Median
- 9.35
- Q1
- 2.86
- Min
- -13.16
KEYS’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 10.24 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Hardware, Equipment & Parts industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ACN | KEYS |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 1.46 | 3.39 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 1.46 | 2.75 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 0.19 | 0.50 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.09 | 0.26 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | -0.32 | -0.27 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 210.82 | 10.24 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for ACN and KEYS. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth
Free Cash Flow Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield
ACN
1.88%
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 16.57%
- Q3
- 1.39%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
With a Dividend Yield of 1.88%, ACN offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Information Technology Services industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.
KEYS
0.00%
Hardware, Equipment & Parts Industry
- Max
- 2.16%
- Q3
- 0.66%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
KEYS 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.
Dividend Payout Ratio
ACN
45.10%
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 112.81%
- Q3
- 20.98%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ACN’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 45.10% is in the upper quartile for the Information Technology Services industry. This indicates a strong commitment to shareholder returns but also suggests that a smaller portion of earnings is retained for reinvestment compared to many peers.
KEYS
0.00%
Hardware, Equipment & Parts Industry
- Max
- 71.55%
- Q3
- 25.37%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
KEYS 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.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | ACN | KEYS |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 1.88% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 45.10% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
ACN
23.94
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 49.12
- Q3
- 36.91
- Median
- 24.84
- Q1
- 15.88
- Min
- 1.55
ACN’s P/E Ratio of 23.94 is within the middle range for the Information Technology 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.
KEYS
38.72
Hardware, Equipment & Parts Industry
- Max
- 86.58
- Q3
- 53.54
- Median
- 36.07
- Q1
- 25.99
- Min
- 12.16
KEYS’s P/E Ratio of 38.72 is within the middle range for the Hardware, Equipment & Parts industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
Forward P/E to Growth Ratio
ACN
2.73
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 5.35
- Q3
- 3.79
- Median
- 2.23
- Q1
- 1.19
- Min
- 0.03
ACN’s Forward PEG Ratio of 2.73 is within the middle range of its peers in the Information Technology Services industry. This suggests a reasonable balance between the stock’s price and its expected growth, aligning with sector valuation norms.
KEYS
3.05
Hardware, Equipment & Parts Industry
- Max
- 5.22
- Q3
- 3.27
- Median
- 2.16
- Q1
- 1.77
- Min
- 0.00
The Forward PEG Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric in the Hardware, Equipment & Parts industry.
Price-to-Sales Ratio
ACN
2.79
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 8.15
- Q3
- 4.17
- Median
- 2.14
- Q1
- 1.00
- Min
- 0.10
ACN’s P/S Ratio of 2.79 aligns with the market consensus for the Information Technology Services industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
KEYS
5.63
Hardware, Equipment & Parts Industry
- Max
- 8.50
- Q3
- 4.95
- Median
- 2.45
- Q1
- 1.17
- Min
- 0.32
KEYS’s P/S Ratio of 5.63 is in the upper echelon for the Hardware, Equipment & Parts industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
Price-to-Book Ratio
ACN
6.23
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 11.78
- Q3
- 6.14
- Median
- 3.23
- Q1
- 1.97
- Min
- 0.42
The P/B Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric for the Information Technology Services industry.
KEYS
5.25
Hardware, Equipment & Parts Industry
- Max
- 7.53
- Q3
- 4.63
- Median
- 3.34
- Q1
- 2.35
- Min
- 0.48
KEYS’s P/B Ratio of 5.25 is in the upper tier for the Hardware, Equipment & Parts 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.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ACN | KEYS |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 23.94 | 38.72 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 2.73 | 3.05 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 2.79 | 5.63 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 6.23 | 5.25 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | 60.08 | 21.36 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 15.83 | 21.35 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 2.73 | 5.56 |