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ACN vs. PANW: Accenture vs. Palo Alto Networks Stock Comparison

How do Accenture (ACN) and Palo Alto Networks (PANW) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Accenture (ACN) and Palo Alto Networks (PANW) both fall under the Software & Services industry group, but ACN is classified in IT Services while PANW is classified in Software.

Company profile comparison for Accenture (ACN) and Palo Alto Networks (PANW)
Profile ItemACNPANW
NameAccenture plcPalo Alto Networks, Inc.
Country/RegionIrelandUnited States
GICS SectorInformation TechnologyInformation Technology
GICS Industry GroupSoftware & ServicesSoftware & Services
GICS IndustryIT ServicesSoftware
GICS Sub-IndustryIT Consulting & Other ServicesSystems Software
Market Capitalization153.89 billion USD256.86 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateJuly 19, 2001July 20, 2012
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ACN
PANW
GSPC
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Accenture (ACN) vs. Palo Alto Networks (PANW), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Accenture (ACN) and Palo Alto Networks (PANW). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Accenture (ACN) and Palo Alto Networks (PANW). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Accenture (ACN) and Palo Alto Networks (PANW)
MetricACNPANW
Total Return (1Y)7.87%53.99%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)-4.56%39.16%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-5.20%30.80%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ACN
PANW
GSPC
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Accenture (ACN) vs. Palo Alto Networks (PANW), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Accenture (ACN) and Palo Alto Networks (PANW). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Accenture (ACN) and Palo Alto Networks (PANW)
MetricACNPANW
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)50.02%51.34%
Beta (5Y)1.001.00
Max Drawdown (5Y)-68.17%-36.01%
Avg. Volume (3M)6.18M6.03M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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ACN and PANW are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Accenture (ACN) and Palo Alto Networks (PANW)
MetricACNPANW
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.070.97
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.101.49

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Accenture (ACN) at 26.03% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Palo Alto Networks (PANW) at 1.74% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for ACN.

ACN

Software & Services industry group

26.03%

Max
53.85%
ACN
26.03%
Q3
17.90%
Median
6.59%
Q1
-9.59%
Min
-50.52%

PANW

Software & Services industry group

1.74%

Max
53.85%
Q3
17.90%
Median
6.59%
PANW
1.74%
Q1
-9.59%
Min
-50.52%
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Accenture (ACN) vs. Palo Alto Networks (PANW): A comparison of their ROE against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Accenture (ACN) at 11.28% and Palo Alto Networks (PANW) at 2.67% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

ACN

Software & Services industry group

11.28%

Max
41.17%
Q3
15.28%
ACN
11.28%
Median
4.63%
Q1
-5.42%
Min
-33.17%

PANW

Software & Services industry group

2.67%

Max
41.17%
Q3
15.28%
Median
4.63%
PANW
2.67%
Q1
-5.42%
Min
-33.17%
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Accenture (ACN) vs. Palo Alto Networks (PANW): A comparison of their net margin against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Accenture (ACN) at 17.83% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Palo Alto Networks (PANW) at 5.40%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

ACN

Software & Services industry group

17.83%

Max
46.89%
ACN
17.83%
Q3
17.64%
Median
8.73%
Q1
-2.13%
Min
-30.45%

PANW

Software & Services industry group

5.40%

Max
46.89%
Q3
17.64%
Median
8.73%
PANW
5.40%
Q1
-2.13%
Min
-30.45%
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Accenture (ACN) vs. Palo Alto Networks (PANW): A comparison of their operating margin against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Accenture (ACN) and Palo Alto Networks (PANW)
MetricACNPANW
ROE (TTM)26.03%1.74%
ROA (TTM)10.95%1.40%
Net Margin (TTM)11.28%2.67%
Operating Margin (TTM)17.83%5.40%
Gross Margin (TTM)32.05%70.38%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Palo Alto Networks (PANW) at 24.50% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Accenture (ACN) at 6.47% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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Accenture (ACN) vs. Palo Alto Networks (PANW): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Accenture (ACN) at 11.60% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Palo Alto Networks (PANW) at -75.00% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

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Accenture (ACN) vs. Palo Alto Networks (PANW): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Accenture (ACN) and Palo Alto Networks (PANW)
MetricACNPANW
Revenue Growth (YoY)6.47%24.50%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)4.98%18.54%
EPS Growth (YoY)11.60%-75.00%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)7.98%-14.50%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Accenture (ACN) at 1.43 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Palo Alto Networks (PANW) at 0.87 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for PANW.

ACN

Software & Services industry group

1.43

Max
5.11
Q3
2.77
Median
1.67
ACN
1.43
Q1
1.01
Min
0.03

PANW

Software & Services industry group

0.87

Max
5.11
Q3
2.77
Median
1.67
Q1
1.01
PANW
0.87
Min
0.03
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Accenture (ACN) vs. Palo Alto Networks (PANW): A comparison of their current ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Accenture (ACN) at 0.40 and Palo Alto Networks (PANW) at 0.09 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

ACN

Software & Services industry group

0.40

Max
2.52
Q3
1.13
Median
0.40
ACN
0.40
Q1
0.07
Min
0.00

PANW

Software & Services industry group

0.09

Max
2.52
Q3
1.13
Median
0.40
PANW
0.09
Q1
0.07
Min
0.00
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Accenture (ACN) vs. Palo Alto Networks (PANW): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Accenture (ACN) and Palo Alto Networks (PANW)
MetricACNPANW
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.430.87
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.400.09
Net Debt / EBITDA0.04-0.32

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Palo Alto Networks (PANW) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Accenture (ACN) reports a yield of 2.49%, ranking against industry peers normally.

ACN

Software & Services industry group

2.49%

ACN
2.49%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

PANW

Software & Services industry group

0.00%

PANW
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Accenture (ACN) vs. Palo Alto Networks (PANW): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Palo Alto Networks (PANW) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Accenture (ACN) reports a payout of 48.08%, ranking against industry peers normally.

ACN

Software & Services industry group

48.08%

ACN
48.08%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

PANW

Software & Services industry group

0.00%

PANW
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Accenture (ACN) vs. Palo Alto Networks (PANW): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Accenture (ACN) and Palo Alto Networks (PANW)
MetricACNPANW
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.49%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)48.08%0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Accenture (ACN) at 19.21 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Palo Alto Networks (PANW) at 784.60 sits above its peer range — an unusually expensive price for PANW’s trailing earnings.

ACN

Software & Services industry group

19.21

Max
112.94
Q3
60.32
Median
32.91
ACN
19.21
Q1
18.77
Min
6.69

PANW

Software & Services industry group

784.60

PANW
784.60
Max
112.94
Q3
60.32
Median
32.91
Q1
18.77
Min
6.69
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Accenture (ACN) vs. Palo Alto Networks (PANW): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Accenture (ACN) at 2.07 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while Palo Alto Networks (PANW) at 22.37 prices above its industry range — a wide gap in sales valuation between them.

ACN

Software & Services industry group

2.07

Max
17.91
Q3
8.78
Median
4.25
Q1
2.23
ACN
2.07
Min
0.02

PANW

Software & Services industry group

22.37

PANW
22.37
Max
17.91
Q3
8.78
Median
4.25
Q1
2.23
Min
0.02
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Accenture (ACN) vs. Palo Alto Networks (PANW): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Accenture (ACN) at 4.91 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while Palo Alto Networks (PANW) at 9.30 carries an above-peer premium to book — PANW is pricier on assets.

ACN

Software & Services industry group

4.91

Max
16.63
Q3
8.50
ACN
4.91
Median
4.30
Q1
1.92
Min
-3.90

PANW

Software & Services industry group

9.30

Max
16.63
PANW
9.30
Q3
8.50
Median
4.30
Q1
1.92
Min
-3.90
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Accenture (ACN) vs. Palo Alto Networks (PANW): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Accenture (ACN) and Palo Alto Networks (PANW)
MetricACNPANW
P/E Ratio (TTM)19.21784.60
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.0722.37
P/B Ratio (MRQ)4.919.30
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)6.94%1.65%