ACN vs. NET: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
UpdatedHere’s a clear look at ACN and NET, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
ACN’s market capitalization of 196.96 billion USD is substantially larger than NET’s 62.76 billion USD, indicating a significant difference in their market valuations.
With betas of 1.33 for ACN and 1.83 for NET, both stocks show similar sensitivity to overall market movements.
| Symbol | ACN | NET |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Accenture plc | Cloudflare, Inc. |
| Country | IE | US |
| Sector | Technology | Technology |
| Industry | Information Technology Services | Software - Infrastructure |
| CEO | Ms. Julie T. Spellman Sweet J.D. | Mr. Matthew Prince J.D. |
| Price | 314.615 USD | 181.08 USD |
| Market Cap | 196.96 billion USD | 62.76 billion USD |
| Beta | 1.33 | 1.83 |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| IPO Date | July 19, 2001 | September 13, 2019 |
| ADR | No | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ACN and NET over the past year by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each (starting one year ago).
Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Profitability
Return on Equity
ACN
26.85%
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 65.80%
- Q3
- 22.06%
- Median
- 6.60%
- Q1
- -14.62%
- Min
- -63.57%
ACN’s Return on Equity of 26.85% is in the upper quartile for the Information Technology Services industry, signaling a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
NET
-7.55%
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 98.53%
- Q3
- 24.55%
- Median
- -1.67%
- Q1
- -30.24%
- Min
- -112.38%
NET has a negative Return on Equity of -7.55%. This indicates the company is generating a loss for its shareholders, which can be a result of unprofitability or negative shareholder equity and is often a sign of financial distress.
Return on Invested Capital
ACN
18.06%
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 39.84%
- Q3
- 10.33%
- Median
- 2.12%
- Q1
- -13.33%
- Min
- -46.39%
ACN’s Return on Invested Capital of 18.06% is in the upper quartile for the Information Technology Services industry, signifying a highly effective use of its capital to generate profits when compared to its peers.
NET
-5.70%
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 43.01%
- Q3
- 9.13%
- Median
- -0.03%
- Q1
- -16.73%
- Min
- -53.11%
NET has a negative Return on Invested Capital of -5.70%. This indicates that its operations are failing to generate a profit on the total capital invested, signaling significant inefficiency or value destruction.
Net Profit Margin
ACN
11.43%
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 33.99%
- Q3
- 10.48%
- Median
- 3.10%
- Q1
- -6.24%
- Min
- -26.32%
ACN’s Net Profit Margin of 11.43% is in the upper quartile for the Information Technology Services industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
NET
-4.62%
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 50.20%
- Q3
- 9.82%
- Median
- -2.92%
- Q1
- -30.71%
- Min
- -86.77%
NET has a negative Net Profit Margin of -4.62%, indicating the company is operating at a net loss as its expenses exceed revenues.
Operating Profit Margin
ACN
15.27%
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 34.07%
- Q3
- 11.23%
- Median
- 4.25%
- Q1
- -8.59%
- Min
- -33.83%
ACN’s Operating Profit Margin of 15.27% is 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.
NET
-8.66%
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 67.95%
- Q3
- 13.11%
- Median
- -0.68%
- Q1
- -27.89%
- Min
- -81.94%
NET has a negative Operating Profit Margin of -8.66%. This signifies the company is unprofitable at the operational level, as its core business expenses exceed its revenue.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | ACN | NET |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 26.85% | -7.55% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 12.83% | -2.20% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | 18.06% | -5.70% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 11.43% | -4.62% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 15.27% | -8.66% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 32.20% | 76.88% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
ACN
1.48
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 4.16
- Q3
- 2.44
- Median
- 1.61
- Q1
- 1.21
- Min
- 0.00
ACN’s Current Ratio of 1.48 aligns with the median group of the Information Technology Services industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
NET
3.20
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 4.05
- Q3
- 2.25
- Median
- 1.44
- Q1
- 1.03
- Min
- 0.02
NET’s Current Ratio of 3.20 is in the upper quartile for the Software - Infrastructure 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
0.28
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 2.00
- Q3
- 0.87
- Median
- 0.33
- Q1
- 0.08
- Min
- 0.00
ACN’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.28 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.
NET
1.04
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 2.56
- Q3
- 1.18
- Median
- 0.38
- Q1
- 0.07
- Min
- 0.00
NET’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.04 is typical for the Software - Infrastructure 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
79.65
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 17.52
- Q3
- 8.95
- Median
- 2.11
- Q1
- -2.12
- Min
- -15.86
ACN’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 79.65 is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the Information Technology Services industry. This indicates a superior capacity to service its debt, stemming from either robust earnings or a very conservative debt load.
NET
-27.68
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 34.07
- Q3
- 5.19
- Median
- 0.10
- Q1
- -17.94
- Min
- -50.82
NET has a negative Interest Coverage Ratio of -27.68. This indicates that its operating earnings were insufficient to cover even its operational costs, let alone its interest payments, signaling significant financial distress.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ACN | NET |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 1.48 | 3.20 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 1.48 | 3.20 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 0.28 | 1.04 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.13 | 0.40 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | -0.04 | 14.36 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 79.65 | -27.68 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for ACN and NET. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth (YoY)
EPS Growth (YoY)
Free Cash Flow Growth (YoY)
Dividend
Dividend Yield
ACN
1.82%
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 5.56%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ACN’s Dividend Yield of 1.82% is in the upper quartile for the Information Technology Services industry, offering a more attractive income stream than most of its peers and signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.
NET
0.00%
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 1.88%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
NET currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting all earnings back into the business, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
Dividend Payout Ratio
ACN
45.19%
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 119.76%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ACN’s payout ratio of 45.19% is in the upper quartile for the Information Technology Services industry. This reflects a generous dividend policy compared to its peers, favoring shareholder payouts over retaining capital.
NET
0.00%
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 48.68%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
NET has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This typically means all profits are being reinvested for growth.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | ACN | NET |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 1.82% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 45.19% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
ACN
25.67
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 50.36
- Q3
- 36.48
- Median
- 25.61
- Q1
- 14.60
- Min
- 0.00
ACN’s P/E Ratio of 25.67 is comparable to the norm for the Information Technology Services industry, suggesting its valuation is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to its peers.
NET
-766.16
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 155.40
- Q3
- 76.24
- Median
- 28.21
- Q1
- 18.31
- Min
- 1.36
NET has a negative P/E Ratio of -766.16, indicating it has a net loss. A negative P/E is not a reliable indicator for valuation comparisons.
Forward P/E to Growth Ratio
ACN
3.00
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 5.65
- Q3
- 2.90
- Median
- 1.38
- Q1
- 0.20
- Min
- 0.00
ACN’s Forward PEG Ratio of 3.00 is in the upper quartile for the Information Technology Services industry, indicating that investors are paying a premium for its expected growth compared to many of its competitors.
NET
-25.86
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 5.45
- Q3
- 2.80
- Median
- 1.27
- Q1
- 0.21
- Min
- 0.00
NET has a negative Forward PEG Ratio of -25.86. This typically results from either negative earnings (a current loss) or forecasts of declining future earnings, making the ratio not meaningful for valuation purposes.
Price-to-Book Ratio
ACN
6.74
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 10.00
- Q3
- 4.79
- Median
- 2.42
- Q1
- 1.14
- Min
- 0.00
The P/B Ratio isn’t typically a primary valuation metric for companies in the Information Technology Services industry.
NET
43.91
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 17.28
- Q3
- 8.73
- Median
- 4.43
- Q1
- 2.19
- Min
- 0.00
The P/B Ratio isn’t typically a primary valuation metric for companies in the Software - Infrastructure industry.
Price-to-Sales Ratio
ACN
2.93
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 8.63
- Q3
- 4.20
- Median
- 1.99
- Q1
- 0.67
- Min
- 0.00
ACN’s P/S Ratio of 2.93 is valued in line with its peers in the Information Technology Services industry, suggesting the market’s valuation of its sales is typical for the sector.
NET
35.46
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 18.55
- Q3
- 8.28
- Median
- 3.79
- Q1
- 1.30
- Min
- 0.00
NET’s P/S Ratio of 35.46 is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Software - Infrastructure industry. This reflects a significant premium on its sales, likely driven by strong investor expectations for future growth and market share gains.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ACN | NET |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 25.67 | -766.16 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 3.00 | -25.86 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 2.93 | 35.46 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 6.74 | 43.91 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | 20.21 | 340.79 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 16.59 | 723.33 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 2.92 | 36.18 |