ACN vs. NOW: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ACN and NOW, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
ACN’s market capitalization stands at 190.80 billion USD, while NOW’s is 216.41 billion USD, indicating their market valuations are broadly comparable.
With betas of 1.33 for ACN and 0.96 for NOW, both stocks show similar sensitivity to overall market movements.
| Symbol | ACN | NOW |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Accenture plc | ServiceNow, Inc. |
| Country | IE | US |
| Sector | Technology | Technology |
| Industry | Information Technology Services | Software - Application |
| CEO | Julie T. Spellman Sweet | William R. McDermott |
| Price | 304.78 USD | 1,044.69 USD |
| Market Cap | 190.80 billion USD | 216.41 billion USD |
| Beta | 1.33 | 0.96 |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| IPO Date | July 19, 2001 | June 29, 2012 |
| ADR | No | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ACN and NOW 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.
NOW
16.32%
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 59.01%
- Q3
- 17.85%
- Median
- 4.73%
- Q1
- -10.56%
- Min
- -52.94%
NOW’s Return on Equity of 16.32% is on par with the norm for the Software - Application 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.
NOW
9.53%
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 35.07%
- Q3
- 9.72%
- Median
- 0.76%
- Q1
- -8.68%
- Min
- -34.12%
NOW’s Return on Invested Capital of 9.53% is in line with the norm for the Software - Application 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.
NOW
13.41%
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 48.14%
- Q3
- 16.07%
- Median
- 1.83%
- Q1
- -9.60%
- Min
- -45.64%
NOW’s Net Profit Margin of 13.41% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Software - Application industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
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.
NOW
12.93%
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 51.67%
- Q3
- 15.35%
- Median
- 1.79%
- Q1
- -12.42%
- Min
- -45.17%
NOW’s Operating Profit Margin of 12.93% is around the midpoint for the Software - Application industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | ACN | NOW |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 27.11% | 16.32% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 12.55% | 7.33% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | 17.83% | 9.53% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 11.61% | 13.41% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 15.38% | 12.93% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 32.07% | 78.92% |
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.
NOW
1.12
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 5.09
- Q3
- 2.84
- Median
- 1.70
- Q1
- 1.12
- Min
- 0.04
NOW’s Current Ratio of 1.12 aligns with the median group of the Software - Application industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector 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.
NOW
0.24
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 1.85
- Q3
- 0.77
- Median
- 0.18
- Q1
- 0.05
- Min
- 0.00
NOW’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.24 is typical for the Software - Application 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.
NOW
64.48
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 39.23
- Q3
- 8.55
- Median
- 1.48
- Q1
- -14.59
- Min
- -39.97
With an Interest Coverage Ratio of 64.48, NOW demonstrates a superior capacity to service its debt, placing it well above the typical range for the Software - Application industry. This stems from either robust earnings or a conservative debt load.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ACN | NOW |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 1.46 | 1.12 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 1.46 | 1.12 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 0.19 | 0.24 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.09 | 0.11 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | -0.32 | -0.42 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 210.82 | 64.48 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for ACN and NOW. 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.
NOW
0.00%
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 3.66%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
NOW 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.
NOW
0.00%
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 81.09%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
NOW 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 | NOW |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
NOW
140.48
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 194.31
- Q3
- 98.56
- Median
- 51.87
- Q1
- 22.76
- Min
- 1.02
A P/E Ratio of 140.48 places NOW in the upper quartile for the Software - Application industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.
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.
NOW
7.51
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 15.44
- Q3
- 6.57
- Median
- 2.78
- Q1
- 0.55
- Min
- 0.00
A Forward PEG Ratio of 7.51 places NOW in the upper quartile for the Software - Application industry. This suggests the stock is potentially expensive compared to its peers relative to its growth forecast, which may warrant caution.
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.
NOW
18.87
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 23.49
- Q3
- 11.14
- Median
- 5.62
- Q1
- 2.84
- Min
- 0.33
NOW’s P/S Ratio of 18.87 is in the upper echelon for the Software - Application 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.
NOW
21.31
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 21.03
- Q3
- 10.49
- Median
- 6.36
- Q1
- 2.89
- Min
- 0.12
The P/B Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric for the Software - Application industry.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ACN | NOW |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 23.94 | 140.48 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 2.73 | 7.51 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 2.79 | 18.87 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 6.23 | 21.31 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | 60.08 | 58.94 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 15.83 | 92.23 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 2.73 | 18.78 |