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ACN vs. WDAY: Accenture vs. Workday Stock Comparison

How do Accenture (ACN) and Workday (WDAY) 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 Workday (WDAY) both fall under the Software & Services industry group, but ACN is classified in IT Services while WDAY is classified in Software.

Company profile comparison for Accenture (ACN) and Workday (WDAY)
Profile ItemACNWDAY
NameAccenture plcWorkday Inc Class A Common Stock
Country/RegionIrelandUnited States
GICS SectorInformation TechnologyInformation Technology
GICS Industry GroupSoftware & ServicesSoftware & Services
GICS IndustryIT ServicesSoftware
GICS Sub-IndustryIT Consulting & Other ServicesApplication Software
Market Capitalization153.89 billion USD46.49 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateJuly 19, 2001October 12, 2012
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ACN
WDAY
GSPC
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Accenture (ACN) vs. Workday (WDAY), 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 Workday (WDAY). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Accenture (ACN) and Workday (WDAY). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Accenture (ACN) and Workday (WDAY)
MetricACNWDAY
Total Return (1Y)7.87%-14.74%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)-4.56%-5.22%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-5.20%-8.14%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ACN
WDAY
GSPC
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Accenture (ACN) vs. Workday (WDAY), 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 Workday (WDAY). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Accenture (ACN) and Workday (WDAY)
MetricACNWDAY
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)50.02%54.35%
Beta (5Y)1.001.01
Max Drawdown (5Y)-68.17%-63.38%
Avg. Volume (3M)6.18M3.14M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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ACN and WDAY 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 Workday (WDAY)
MetricACNWDAY
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.07-0.35
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.10-0.54

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Accenture (ACN) at 26.03% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Workday (WDAY) at 16.01% 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%

WDAY

Software & Services industry group

16.01%

Max
53.85%
Q3
17.90%
WDAY
16.01%
Median
6.59%
Q1
-9.59%
Min
-50.52%
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Accenture (ACN) vs. Workday (WDAY): A comparison of their ROE against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Accenture (ACN) at 11.28% and Workday (WDAY) at 12.32% 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%

WDAY

Software & Services industry group

12.32%

Max
41.17%
Q3
15.28%
WDAY
12.32%
Median
4.63%
Q1
-5.42%
Min
-33.17%
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Accenture (ACN) vs. Workday (WDAY): 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 Workday (WDAY) at 11.82%, 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%

WDAY

Software & Services industry group

11.82%

Max
46.89%
Q3
17.64%
WDAY
11.82%
Median
8.73%
Q1
-2.13%
Min
-30.45%
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Accenture (ACN) vs. Workday (WDAY): A comparison of their operating margin against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Accenture (ACN) and Workday (WDAY)
MetricACNWDAY
ROE (TTM)26.03%16.01%
ROA (TTM)10.95%4.51%
Net Margin (TTM)11.28%12.32%
Operating Margin (TTM)17.83%11.82%
Gross Margin (TTM)32.05%75.80%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Workday (WDAY) at 13.10% 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. Workday (WDAY): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Accenture (ACN) at 11.60% and Workday (WDAY) at 32.82% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Accenture (ACN) vs. Workday (WDAY): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Accenture (ACN) and Workday (WDAY)
MetricACNWDAY
Revenue Growth (YoY)6.47%13.10%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)4.98%15.40%
EPS Growth (YoY)11.60%32.82%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)7.98%--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Accenture (ACN) at 1.43 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Workday (WDAY) at 0.91 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for WDAY.

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

WDAY

Software & Services industry group

0.91

Max
5.11
Q3
2.77
Median
1.67
Q1
1.01
WDAY
0.91
Min
0.03
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Accenture (ACN) vs. Workday (WDAY): A comparison of their current ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Accenture (ACN) at 0.40 and Workday (WDAY) at 0.58 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

WDAY

Software & Services industry group

0.58

Max
2.52
Q3
1.13
WDAY
0.58
Median
0.40
Q1
0.07
Min
0.00
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Accenture (ACN) vs. Workday (WDAY): 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 Workday (WDAY)
MetricACNWDAY
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.430.91
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.400.58
Net Debt / EBITDA0.040.23

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Workday (WDAY) 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%

WDAY

Software & Services industry group

0.00%

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

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Workday (WDAY) 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%

WDAY

Software & Services industry group

0.00%

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

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Accenture (ACN) and Workday (WDAY)
MetricACNWDAY
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.49%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)48.08%0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Accenture (ACN) at 19.21 and Workday (WDAY) at 39.29 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

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

WDAY

Software & Services industry group

39.29

Max
112.94
Q3
60.32
WDAY
39.29
Median
32.91
Q1
18.77
Min
6.69
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Accenture (ACN) vs. Workday (WDAY): 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 Workday (WDAY) at 4.58 prices around its industry’s middle — ACN costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

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

WDAY

Software & Services industry group

4.58

Max
17.91
Q3
8.78
WDAY
4.58
Median
4.25
Q1
2.23
Min
0.02
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Accenture (ACN) vs. Workday (WDAY): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both Accenture (ACN) at 4.91 and Workday (WDAY) at 7.20 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

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

WDAY

Software & Services industry group

7.20

Max
16.63
Q3
8.50
WDAY
7.20
Median
4.30
Q1
1.92
Min
-3.90
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Accenture (ACN) vs. Workday (WDAY): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Accenture (ACN) and Workday (WDAY)
MetricACNWDAY
P/E Ratio (TTM)19.2139.29
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.074.58
P/B Ratio (MRQ)4.917.20
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)6.94%6.55%