Accenture stock down 22% this year, facing macro uncertainty. Q1 Wall Street forecast: $3.72 EPS, $18.53B revenue. Government business 8% of revenue.

Heading into Thursday's earnings report, Accenture plc (NYSE: ACN) is facing a 22% decline in share price this year due to slowing contract momentum and macro uncertainty. Despite management's emphasis on strong AI-driven growth opportunities, investors are more concerned about how the company's guidance and bookings will counteract the impact of government austerity and competition from cloud rivals. Wall Street anticipates Q1 earnings of $3.72 per share on revenue of $18.53 billion, according to Benzinga Pro. While Accenture has frequently surpassed EPS expectations in recent quarters, the stock has often dropped due to weak new bookings, indicating potential concerns about client spending commitment. The company's U.S. federal government business constitutes roughly 8% of its operations. Fears of reduced discretionary spending, U.S. federal contract reductions, and heightened cloud hyperscaler competition have fueled concerns about the company's future performance.