Accenture (ACN - option chain) shares are rising after the company reported Q2 2011 earnings Thursday night, posting a profit of $503.1 million, or 75 cents per share, on revenue of $6.49 billion. Analysts had forecast a profit of 71 cents per share on revenue of $5.73 billion. If you think that the stock won't fall by too much in the coming months, then now could be a good time to look at a bullish hedged trade on ACN.

ACN opened Friday morning at $56.47. In morning trading, the stock hit a low of $54.40 and a new 52-week high of $56.78. As of 12:25, ACN was trading at $54.91 up 2.95 (5.7%). The chart for ACN looks bullish and S&P gives ACN a positive 4 STARS (out of 5) buy ranking.

Continue reading Accenture's Q2 Earnings Beat Estimates

Accenture's Q2 Earnings Beat Estimates originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

NetApp (NTAP) creates innovative storage and data management solutions for small and medium-sized companies around the world. It competes mainly with EMC (EMC), IBM (IBM), HP (HPQ) and Dell (DELL) in the external disk storage systems market.

Over the years NetApp revenues coming from distribution partners (or the indirect channel) have grown significantly and now generate nearly 75% of its total sales. Some of NetApp's major distribution partners include Arrow Electronics, Avnet Hall-Mark and IBM.

Continue reading Accenture Partnership Lifts NetApp

Accenture Partnership Lifts NetApp originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Oracle (ORCL) to outperform from perform at Oppenheimer.
• Accenture (ACN) to buy from hold at Jefferies.
• Advanced Energy (AEIS) and Applied Materials (AMAT) to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
• Spreadtrum (SPRD) to buy from hold at Auriga.
• Healthcare Realty Trust (HR) and Tortoise Energy Capital (TYY) to outperform from neutral at RW Baird.
• Global Payments (GPN) to equal weight from underweight at Morgan Stanley.
• CBS (CBS) to buy from neutral at BofA/Merrill.
• Sonic (SONC) to outperform from neutral at Cowen.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: ACN, AMAT, AZN, BBT, CBS, GPN, IP, ORCL, PKG, SONC, V ...

Analyst Calls: ACN, AMAT, AZN, BBT, CBS, GPN, IP, ORCL, PKG, SONC, V ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 17 Dec 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• "This is not a rescue plan. It is the longest ransom note in history: Do what we tell you and you may, in time, get your country back," said Fintan O'Toole, a commentator and author who led a weekend protest by labor-union activists in central Dublin against the imminent bailout. He called the average interest rate being demanded "viciously extortionate."

Continue reading Chasing Value: Stocks and Irish Bailout -- ACN & IBM

Chasing Value: Stocks and Irish Bailout -- ACN & IBM originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Wells Fargo upgraded Accenture (ACN) to outperform from market perform following the company's Q4 results, citing improved tone and increased visibility. The firm raised its target range for shares to $51 to $53 from $41 to $44.
• Macquarie upgraded FirstMerit (FMER) to outperform from neutral and has a $21 price target on the stock. The firm cites FirstMerit's strong fundamentals and competitive advantage for the upgrade.
• Macquarie transferred coverage on Marshall & Ilsley (MI) with a neutral from an underperform based on improved risk/reward.
• Eaton (ETN) was upgraded to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.
• HSBC (HBC) was upgraded to conviction buy from buy at Goldman.
• Walgreen (WAG) was upgraded to overweight from equal weight at Morgan Stanley.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: ACN, ADM, BRCM, CAT, DE, FMER, GOOG, MI, NFLX, UAL, WAG ...

Analyst Calls: ACN, ADM, BRCM, CAT, DE, FMER, GOOG, MI, NFLX, UAL, WAG ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 01 Oct 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Shares of consulting giant Accenture (ACN) are trading sharply higher in after hours trading today following a strong fourth quarter earnings report.

As we noted in our earnings preview last night, analysts had been expecting to see Accenture post earnings of $0.63 per share, but actual earnings came in above expectations at $0.66.

Continue reading Accenture Posts Better-Than-Expected Q4 Earnings

Accenture Posts Better-Than-Expected Q4 Earnings originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 30 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Consulting firm Accenture (ACN) will be reporting its fiscal fourth quarter earnings after the market close tomorrow, with analysts expecting to see the company report earnings of $0.63 per share, in-line with the same period last year.

The company has issued its guidance, and expects to see revenues in a range of $5.15 to $5.35 billion. For full year earnings, the company now expects earnings somewhere between $2.61 to $2.69, on the lower end of previous guidance.

Continue reading Accenture Fourth Quarter Earnings Preview

Accenture Fourth Quarter Earnings Preview originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 29 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Rumor has it that Tiger Woods has started to brush up on his game a bit and some of golf's greats believe that he will be playing in the Masters. If, and when, he returns, Tiger will be a little lighter in the sponsorship arena, what with AT&T (T), Accenture (ACN), and PepsiCo's (PEP) Gatorade all having ended their sponsorship deals with Tiger.

Fear not though, Tiger is making enough money that he can actually turn down sponsors. Reportedly, an Irish bookie -- Paddy Power (awesome name) -- has made a $75 million offer to sponsor Tiger over the next five years.

Continue reading JockStocks: Tiger Has a New Sponsorship Offer, Should He Accept?

JockStocks: Tiger Has a New Sponsorship Offer, Should He Accept? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

So, it isn't bad enough that Tiger Woods ruined his marriage and soiled his squeaky-clean reputation. Apparently he cost his corporate sponsors $12 billion in stock value as well. According to a study conducted by UC Davis economics professors Victor Stango and Christopher Knittel, Tiger lost his sponsors a "collective $5 to $12 billion." This loss outpaces "several decades' worth of Tiger Woods' personal endorsement income."

The study examined the stock market returns during the 13 trading days after Tiger's car crash, a period concluding a week after Tiger's announcement of an indefinite leave of absent. The two economics professors then compared the returns for Tiger's sponsors during this 13-day period to those of the total stock market and each of the companies' closest competitor. Returns for the four years prior to the car accident were also taken into account in order to establish the stocks' historic performance.

Continue reading Study: Tiger Woods Scandal Cost His Sponsors up to $12 Billion

Study: Tiger Woods Scandal Cost His Sponsors up to $12 Billion originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 29 Dec 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Time to piggyback on my thoughts about Tiger Woods potentially quitting golf. A statement on Tiger's personal website announced that the world's greatest golfer is going to take "an indefinite break from professional golf." Tiger begins the statement by expressing awareness of the "disappointment and hurt that my infidelity has cause to so many people, most of all my wife and children."

This is the first time that Tiger has really spoken since the car crash, which I feel was a bit of a public relations mistake. His silence allowed the public and tabloids to assume Tiger's guilt before he spoke. Of course, it doesn't matter now, as Tiger admitted to "infidelity," confirming what many have theorized. Tiger added that "It may not be possible to repair the damage I've done, but I want to do my best to try."

Continue reading Tiger Woods to take 'indefinite break from professional golf'

Tiger Woods to take 'indefinite break from professional golf' originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 12 Dec 2009 08:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Retailers expect a strong turnout on Black Friday this year, but they are careful to explain that it doesn't guarantee a winning holiday shopping season.

Consumers are being lured by good deals and special promotions, and Black Friday specials have been leaked earlier than usual this year in the hopes of generating some buzz. The retail sector needs it. Last year's holiday season was the worst in decades, thanks to the financial crisis. This year, the survivors will benefit from fewer competitors chasing the same consumer dollars.

Continue reading Black Friday expected to be strong, no promises for Christmas

Black Friday expected to be strong, no promises for Christmas originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Here are some highlights from last week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• Accenture Ltd. (NYSE: ACN) lower Q4 earnings met analysts' expectations but the Q1 outlook was weak.
• Cal-Maine Foods Inc. (NASDAQ: CALM) posted a Q1 net loss and said it will skip its dividend this quarter.
• Cephalon Inc. (NASDAQ: CEPH) earnings prospects for 2010 resulted in an analyst's downgrade.
• Darden Restaurants Inc. (NYSE: DRI) Q1 earnings beat by a penny but revenue fell short of estimates.
• Gannett Inc. (NYSE: GCI) shares rose after it forecast Q3 earnings above Wall Street estimates.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: Nike, Walgreen, Jabil Circuit, Gannett, Darden ...

Earnings highlights: Nike, Walgreen, Jabil Circuit, Gannett, Darden ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 03 Oct 2009 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Accenture falls on weak fourth quarter earnings

Accenture falls on weak fourth quarter earnings originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Autumn has arrived and the quarter winds down this week. The Dow has been inching toward 10,000 for a while now, though it closed lower in the past three sessions. Can it make it to 10,000 for the start of the third quarter? If so, what will push it higher? If not, what will drag it down further?

• Monday is Yom Kippur, the most solemn of the Jewish holidays; trading likely will be lighter than usual. In the evening, the FDIC meets to discuss how to rebuild the Bank Deposit Insurance Fund.
• Tuesday, the Consumer Confidence Index for September is due and the SEC holds a public meeting to consider more short sale actions.

Continue reading The week in preview: Is the rally over?

The week in preview: Is the rally over? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 27 Sep 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Infosys Technologies (NASDAQ: INFY) increased its first quarter profits by 17% by tapping new markets and wrangling in 27 new clients, according to the Financial Times. The second-largest software services exporter in India, Infosys even scored some major clients, such as Waitrose, a top-shelf food retailer in the United Kingdom. Tough economic conditions can tend to favor companies that provide outsourcing services -- as well as consulting services with high, easily justifiable returns on investments (ROIs).

Nonetheless, this is a competitive space, and Infosys did caution that IBM (NYSE: IBM), Accenture (NYSE: ACN) and Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ) will be formidable global foes. With the announcement, Infosys increased the lower end of its forecast for the year, expecting revenues to fall in the $4.45 billion to $4.52 billion range.

Continue reading Infosys profits up 17%, long-term looks great

Infosys profits up 17%, long-term looks great originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Here are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• Accenture Ltd. (NYSE: ACN) beat earnings expectations but revenue was hurt by currency effects.
• Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (NASDAQ: BBBY) strong Q1 results beat estimates but same-store sales fell.
• CKE Restaurants Inc. (NYSE: CKR) lower Q1 earnings and strong sales both topped expectations.
• ConAgra Foods Inc. (NYSE: CAG) higher Q4 earnings were in line with expectations, and shares slipped.
• Darden Restaurants Inc. (NYSE: DRI) Q4 results were higher, but it warned of continuing challenges.
• Hennes & Mauritz (OTC: HMRZF) reported strong Q2 numbers, though same-stores sales slipped.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: Nike, Oracle, Kroger, Walgreen, Monsanto, KB Home ...

Earnings highlights: Nike, Oracle, Kroger, Walgreen, Monsanto, KB Home ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 27 Jun 2009 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Accenture Ltd. (NYSE: ACN), a global consulting firm that also offers outsourcing and technology services, reported earnings after the close today. Earnings per share for the quarter ending May 31 were $0.68 on $5.15 billion in revenue, compared to the $0.64 average and $0.67 high expected from analysts. The consensus revenue target was $5.2 billion, and results were hurt by currency translation effects, which reduced U.S. dollar results by 12%. Year-over-year, EPS was down 8% from the $0.74 earned in the same quarter last year, with the difference again attributable to currency exchange.

Shares, which were up fractionally today, jumped almost 5% in after-hours trading following the earnings results.

Continue reading Accenture shares rise on earnings beat

Accenture shares rise on earnings beat originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 25 Jun 2009 18:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Here are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• Accenture Ltd. (NYSE: ACN) said revenues and bookings both declined in the most recent quarter.
• Best Buy Co. Inc. (NYSE: BBY) reported strong Q4 results in the wake of Circuit City's demise.
• Carnival Corp. (NYSE: CCL) sailed past analysts' Q1 projections, sending shares higher.
• ConAgra Foods Inc. (NYSE: CAG) Q3 results topped analysts expectations and drove shares higher.
• DryShips Inc. (NASDAQ: DRYS) swung to a larger-than-expected Q4 loss and revenue slipped.
• DSW Inc. (NYSE: DSW) reported a bigger-than-expected Q4 loss as same-store sales declined.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: Best Buy, Walgreen, Tiffany, Research in Motion, KB Home and more

Earnings highlights: Best Buy, Walgreen, Tiffany, Research in Motion, KB Home and more originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 28 Mar 2009 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

For the most part, it looked like Accenture (NYSE: ACN) was weathering the economic storm. But according to the consulting firm's recent quarterly conference call, things drastically changed from December to January.

Just look at the results: Revenues fell 6.6% to $5.66 billion. However, the major flash point was bookings. That is, total bookings dropped 7.1% to $5.98 billion and consulting bookings were down 17% to $3.14 billion.

Continue reading Accenture hits a bogie

Accenture hits a bogie originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 27 Mar 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

As the calendar quarter winds down, let's take look at some of this coming week's biggest expected earnings gainers.

Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expect Memphis-based Fred's Inc. (NASDAQ: FRED) to report fourth-quarter earnings of $0.22 per share, 36.4% higher than a year ago, and revenue of $472.5 million, down 4.4%. For the full year, the forecast is for a profit of $0.66 per share on revenue of $1.8 billion, compared to $0.52 per share and $1.8 billion in the previous year. The discount retailer beat or met earnings estimates in the past three quarters. The long-term EPS growth forecast is 14.0%, which is better than the industry average and that of larger rival Walmart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT), and the forward PE ratio estimate is 15.0. In the third quarter, the company had more cash than debt. The consensus recommendation of analysts is to buy FRED. The share price has risen 2.7% since the beginning of the year to $11.05.

Continue reading The week in preview: Earnings winners, Geithner testimony, housing sales

The week in preview: Earnings winners, Geithner testimony, housing sales originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 22 Mar 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.