Item 16. Form 10-K Summary
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Item 16. Form 10-K Summary
Not applicable.
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| ACCENTURE 2025 FORM 10-K | Signatures | 52 |
Signatures
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf on October 10, 2025 by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
| ACCENTURE PLC | |||||
| By: | /s/ JULIE SWEET | ||||
| Name: Julie Sweet Title: Chief Executive Officer |
Power of Attorney
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Julie Sweet, Angie Park and Joel Unruch, and each of them, as his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with power to act with or without the others and with full power of substitution and resubstitution, to do any and all acts and things and to execute any and all instruments which said attorneys and agents and each of them may deem necessary or desirable to enable the registrant to comply with the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and any rules, regulations and requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder in connection with the registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2025 (the “Annual Report”), including specifically, but without limiting the generality of the foregoing, power and authority to sign the name of the registrant and the name of the undersigned, individually and in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the registrant, to the Annual Report as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, to any and all amendments thereto, and to any and all instruments or documents filed as part thereof or in connection therewith; and each of the undersigned hereby ratifies and confirms all that said attorneys and agents and each of them shall do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below on October 10, 2025 by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities indicated.
| Signature | Title | |||||||
| /s/ JULIE SWEET | Chief Executive Officer, Chair of the Board and Director | |||||||
| Julie Sweet | (principal executive officer) | |||||||
| /s/ ANGIE PARK | Chief Financial Officer | |||||||
| Angie Park | (principal financial officer) | |||||||
| /s/ MELISSA A. BURGUM | Chief Accounting Officer | |||||||
| Melissa A. Burgum | (principal accounting officer) | |||||||
| /s/ ARUN SARIN | Lead Director | |||||||
| Arun Sarin | ||||||||
| /s/ JAIME ARDILA | Director | |||||||
| Jaime Ardila | ||||||||
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| ACCENTURE 2025 FORM 10-K | Signatures | 53 |
| /s/ MARTIN BRUDERMÜLLER | Director | |||||||
| Martin Brudermüller | ||||||||
| /s/ ALAN JOPE | Director | |||||||
| Alan Jope | ||||||||
| /s/ NANCY MCKINSTRY | Director | |||||||
| Nancy McKinstry | ||||||||
| /s/ JENNIFER NASON | Director | |||||||
| Jennifer Nason | ||||||||
| /s/ PAULA A. PRICE | Director | |||||||
| Paula A. Price | ||||||||
| /s/ VENKATA S.M. RENDUCHINTALA | Director | |||||||
| Venkata S.M. Renduchintala | ||||||||
| /s/ TRACEY T. TRAVIS | Director | |||||||
| Tracey T. Travis | ||||||||
| /s/ MASAHIKO UOTANI | Director | |||||||
| Masahiko Uotani |
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| ACCENTURE 2025 FORM 10-K | Index to Consolidated Financial Statements | F-1 |
Accenture plc
Index to Consolidated Financial Statements
| Page | ||||||||
| Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (Auditor Firm ID: 185) | F-2 | |||||||
| Consolidated Financial Statements as of August 31, 2025 and 2024 and for the years ended August 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023: | ||||||||
| Consolidated Balance Sheets | F-5 | |||||||
| Consolidated Income Statements | F-6 | |||||||
| Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income | F-7 | |||||||
| Consolidated Shareholders’ Equity Statements | F-8 | |||||||
| Consolidated Cash Flows Statements | F-11 | |||||||
| Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements | F-12 |
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| ACCENTURE 2025 FORM 10-K | Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm | F-2 |
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the Shareholders and Board of Directors
Accenture plc:
Opinions on the Consolidated Financial Statements and Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Accenture plc and subsidiaries (the Company) as of August 31, 2025 and 2024, the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, shareholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended August 31, 2025, and the related notes (collectively, the consolidated financial statements). We also have audited the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of August 31, 2025, based on criteria established in Internal Control – Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.
In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of August 31, 2025 and 2024, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended August 31, 2025, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Also in our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of August 31, 2025 based on criteria established in Internal Control – Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.
Basis for Opinions
The Company’s management is responsible for these consolidated financial statements, for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting, and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and an opinion on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud, and whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects.
Our audits of the consolidated financial statements included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. Our audit of internal control over financial reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audits also included performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions.
Definition and Limitations of Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
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| ACCENTURE 2025 FORM 10-K | Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm | F-3 |
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
Critical Audit Matters
The critical audit matters communicated below are matters arising from the current period audit of the consolidated financial statements that were communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relate to accounts or disclosures that are material to the consolidated financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication of critical audit matters does not alter in any way our opinion on the consolidated financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matters below, providing separate opinions on the critical audit matters or on the accounts or disclosures to which they relate.
Estimated costs to complete certain technology integration consulting services contracts
As discussed in Notes 1 and 2 to the consolidated financial statements, revenues from contracts for technology integration consulting services where the Company designs, builds, and implements new or enhanced system applications and related processes for its clients are recognized over time since control of the system is transferred continuously to the client. Generally, revenue is recognized using costs incurred to date relative to total estimated costs at completion to measure progress toward satisfying the Company’s performance obligations, which typically occurs over time periods ranging from six months to two years.
We identified the evaluation of estimated costs to complete certain technology integration consulting services contracts as a critical audit matter. Subjective auditor judgment was required to evaluate the estimate of costs to complete the contracts.
The following are the primary procedures we performed to address this critical audit matter. We evaluated the design and tested the operating effectiveness of certain internal controls over the Company’s process for estimating costs to complete technology integration consulting services contracts, including controls over the estimate of costs to complete the contracts. We tested the estimated costs to complete for certain technology integration consulting services contracts by evaluating:
-
the scope of the work and timing of delivery for consistency with the underlying contractual terms;
-
the estimated costs to complete in relation to progress toward satisfying the Company’s performance obligations, based on internal and customer-facing information;
-
changes to estimated costs, if any, including the amount and timing of the change based on internal information or contractual changes; and
-
actual costs incurred subsequent to the balance sheet date to assess if they were consistent with the estimate for that time period.
We evaluated the Company’s ability to estimate costs by comparing estimates developed at contract inception to actual costs ultimately incurred to satisfy the performance obligation.
Unrecognized tax benefits
As discussed in Note 11 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company has $2,410 million of unrecognized tax benefits as of August 31, 2025. As discussed in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company recognizes tax positions when it believes such positions are more likely than not of being sustained if challenged. Recognized tax positions are measured at the largest amount of benefit greater than 50 percent likely of being realized. The Company uses estimates and assumptions in determining the amount of unrecognized tax benefits.
We identified the evaluation of the Company’s unrecognized tax benefits related to transfer pricing and certain other intercompany transactions as a critical audit matter. Complex auditor judgment was required in evaluating the Company’s interpretation of tax law and its analysis of the recognition and measurement of its tax positions.
The following are the primary procedures we performed to address this critical audit matter. We evaluated the design and tested the operating effectiveness of certain internal controls over the Company’s unrecognized tax benefits process, including controls over transfer pricing and certain other intercompany transactions. We involved tax and transfer pricing professionals with specialized skills and knowledge, who assisted in:
- evaluating the Company’s interpretation of tax laws and income tax consequences of intercompany transactions, including internal restructurings and intra-entity transfers of assets;
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| ACCENTURE 2025 FORM 10-K | Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm | F-4 |
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assessing transfer pricing studies for compliance with applicable laws and regulations;
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analyzing the Company’s tax positions, including the methodology over the measurement of unrecognized tax benefits related to transfer pricing;
-
evaluating the Company’s determination of unrecognized tax benefits, including the associated effect in other jurisdictions; and
-
inspecting settlements with applicable taxing authorities.
In addition, we evaluated the Company’s ability to estimate its unrecognized tax benefits by comparing historical unrecognized tax benefits to actual results upon the conclusion of examinations by applicable taxing authorities.
/s/ KPMG LLP
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2002.
Chicago, Illinois
October 10, 2025
| Table of Contents | Consolidated Financial Statements (In thousands of U.S. dollars, except share and per share amounts) | ||||||||||
| ACCENTURE 2025 FORM 10-K | F-5 | ||||||||||
Consolidated Balance Sheets
August 31, 2025 and 2024
| August 31, 2025 | August 31, 2024 | ||||||||||
| ASSETS | |||||||||||
| CURRENT ASSETS: | |||||||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 11,478,729 | $ | 5,004,469 | |||||||
| Short-term investments | 5,945 | 5,396 | |||||||||
| Receivables and contract assets | 14,985,073 | 13,664,847 | |||||||||
| Other current assets | 2,430,942 | 2,183,069 | |||||||||
| Total current assets | 28,900,689 | 20,857,781 | |||||||||
| NON-CURRENT ASSETS: | |||||||||||
| Contract assets | 180,362 | 120,260 | |||||||||
| Investments | 721,260 | 334,664 | |||||||||
| Property and equipment, net | 1,566,374 | 1,521,119 | |||||||||
| Lease assets | 2,740,321 | 2,757,396 | |||||||||
| Goodwill | 22,536,416 | 21,120,179 | |||||||||
| Deferred contract costs | 1,025,391 | 862,140 | |||||||||
| Deferred tax assets | 3,791,215 | 4,147,496 | |||||||||
| Intangibles | 2,410,755 | 2,904,031 | |||||||||
| Other non-current assets | 1,522,114 | 1,307,297 | |||||||||
| Total non-current assets | 36,494,208 | 35,074,582 | |||||||||
| TOTAL ASSETS | $ | 65,394,897 | $ | 55,932,363 | |||||||
| LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY | |||||||||||
| CURRENT LIABILITIES: | |||||||||||
| Current portion of long-term debt and bank borrowings | $ | 114,484 | $ | 946,229 | |||||||
| Accounts payable | 2,695,589 | 2,743,807 | |||||||||
| Deferred revenues | 6,073,170 | 5,174,923 | |||||||||
| Accrued payroll and related benefits | 8,084,214 | 7,050,833 | |||||||||
| Income taxes payable | 701,219 | 719,084 | |||||||||
| Lease liabilities | 729,003 | 726,202 | |||||||||
| Other accrued liabilities | 1,954,418 | 1,615,049 | |||||||||
| Total current liabilities | 20,352,097 | 18,976,127 | |||||||||
| NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES: | |||||||||||
| Long-term debt | 5,034,169 | 78,628 | |||||||||
| Deferred revenues | 642,361 | 641,091 | |||||||||
| Retirement obligation | 1,858,499 | 1,815,867 | |||||||||
| Deferred tax liabilities | 471,931 | 428,845 | |||||||||
| Income taxes payable | 1,291,921 | 1,514,869 | |||||||||
| Lease liabilities | 2,305,210 | 2,369,490 | |||||||||
| Other non-current liabilities | 1,197,742 | 939,198 | |||||||||
| Total non-current liabilities | 12,801,833 | 7,787,988 | |||||||||
| COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES | |||||||||||
| SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY: | |||||||||||
| Ordinary shares, par value 1.00 euros per share, 40,000 shares authorized and issued as of August 31, 2025 and August 31, 2024 | 57 | 57 | |||||||||
| Class A ordinary shares, par value $0.0000225 per share, 20,000,000,000 shares authorized, 657,964,764 and 672,484,852 shares issued as of August 31, 2025 and August 31, 2024, respectively | 14 | 15 | |||||||||
| Class X ordinary shares, par value $0.0000225 per share, 1,000,000,000 shares authorized, 302,358 and 307,754 shares issued and outstanding as of August 31, 2025 and August 31, 2024, respectively | — | — | |||||||||
| Restricted share units | 2,790,652 | 2,614,608 | |||||||||
| Additional paid-in capital | 16,603,344 | 14,710,857 | |||||||||
| Treasury shares, at cost: Ordinary, 40,000 shares as of August 31, 2025 and August 31, 2024; Class A ordinary, 36,108,842 and 47,204,565 shares as of August 31, 2025 and August 31, 2024, respectively | (7,751,973) | (10,564,572) | |||||||||
| Retained earnings | 21,018,731 | 23,082,423 | |||||||||
| Accumulated other comprehensive loss | (1,465,379) | (1,554,742) | |||||||||
| Total Accenture plc shareholders’ equity | 31,195,446 | 28,288,646 | |||||||||
| Noncontrolling interests | 1,045,521 | 879,602 | |||||||||
| Total shareholders’ equity | 32,240,967 | 29,168,248 | |||||||||
| TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY | $ | 65,394,897 | $ | 55,932,363 |
The accompanying Notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.
| Table of Contents | Consolidated Financial Statements (In thousands of U.S. dollars, except share and per share amounts) | ||||||||||
| ACCENTURE 2025 FORM 10-K | F-6 | ||||||||||
Consolidated Income Statements
For the Years Ended August 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||
| REVENUES: | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Revenues | $ | 69,672,977 | $ | 64,896,464 | $ | 64,111,745 | ||||||||||||||
| OPERATING EXPENSES: | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Cost of services | 47,437,576 | 43,734,147 | 43,380,138 | |||||||||||||||||
| Sales and marketing | 7,043,445 | 6,846,714 | 6,582,629 | |||||||||||||||||
| General and administrative costs | 4,350,968 | 4,281,316 | 4,275,943 | |||||||||||||||||
| Business optimization costs | 615,324 | 438,440 | 1,063,146 | |||||||||||||||||
| Total operating expenses | 59,447,313 | 55,300,617 | 55,301,856 | |||||||||||||||||
| OPERATING INCOME | 10,225,664 | 9,595,847 | 8,809,889 | |||||||||||||||||
| Interest income | 336,324 | 272,256 | 280,409 | |||||||||||||||||
| Interest expense | (228,555) | (58,969) | (47,525) | |||||||||||||||||
| Other income (expense), net | (63,040) | (109,811) | 96,559 | |||||||||||||||||
| INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES | 10,270,393 | 9,699,323 | 9,139,332 | |||||||||||||||||
| Income tax expense | 2,437,993 | 2,280,126 | 2,135,802 | |||||||||||||||||
| NET INCOME | 7,832,400 | 7,419,197 | 7,003,530 | |||||||||||||||||
| Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in Accenture Canada Holdings Inc. | (7,240) | (7,198) | (7,204) | |||||||||||||||||
| Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests – other | (146,727) | (147,212) | (124,769) | |||||||||||||||||
| NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO ACCENTURE PLC | $ | 7,678,433 | $ | 7,264,787 | $ | 6,871,557 | ||||||||||||||
| Weighted average Class A ordinary shares: | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Basic | 624,891,649 | 627,852,613 | 630,608,186 | |||||||||||||||||
| Diluted | 632,435,108 | 635,940,044 | 638,591,616 | |||||||||||||||||
| Earnings per Class A ordinary share: | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Basic | $ | 12.29 | $ | 11.57 | $ | 10.90 | ||||||||||||||
| Diluted | $ | 12.15 | $ | 11.44 | $ | 10.77 | ||||||||||||||
| Cash dividends per share | $ | 5.92 | $ | 5.16 | $ | 4.48 |
The accompanying Notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.
| Table of Contents | Consolidated Financial Statements (In thousands of U.S. dollars) | ||||||||||
| ACCENTURE 2025 FORM 10-K | F-7 | ||||||||||
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income
For the Years Ended August 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |||||||||||||||
| NET INCOME | $ | 7,832,400 | $ | 7,419,197 | $ | 7,003,530 | |||||||||||
| OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS), NET OF TAX: | |||||||||||||||||
| Foreign currency translation | 235,681 | 214,889 | 341,688 | ||||||||||||||
| Defined benefit plans | 58,232 | (27,669) | 122,268 | ||||||||||||||
| Cash flow hedges | (204,550) | 1,139 | (16,715) | ||||||||||||||
| OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO ACCENTURE PLC | 89,363 | 188,359 | 447,241 | ||||||||||||||
| Other comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests | 6,231 | 2,117 | 8,489 | ||||||||||||||
| COMPREHENSIVE INCOME | $ | 7,927,994 | $ | 7,609,673 | $ | 7,459,260 | |||||||||||
| COMPREHENSIVE INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO ACCENTURE PLC | $ | 7,767,796 | $ | 7,453,146 | $ | 7,318,798 | |||||||||||
| Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests | 160,198 | 156,527 | 140,462 | ||||||||||||||
| COMPREHENSIVE INCOME | $ | 7,927,994 | $ | 7,609,673 | $ | 7,459,260 |
The accompanying Notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.
| Table of Contents | Consolidated Financial Statements (In thousands of U.S. dollars and share amounts) | ||||||||||
| ACCENTURE 2025 FORM 10-K | F-8 | ||||||||||
Consolidated Shareholders’ Equity Statements
For the Years Ended August 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023
| Ordinary Shares | Class A Ordinary Shares | Class X Ordinary Shares | Restricted Share Units | Additional Paid-in Capital | Treasury Shares | Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss | Total Accenture plc Shareholders’ Equity | Noncontrolling Interests | Total Shareholders’ Equity | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| $ | No. Shares | $ | No. Shares | $ | No. Shares | $ | No. Shares | Retained Earnings | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance as of August 31, 2022 | $ | 57 | 40 | $ | 15 | 664,561 | $ | — | 501 | $ | 2,091,382 | $ | 10,679,180 | $ | (6,678,037) | (33,434) | $ | 18,203,842 | $ | (2,190,342) | $ | 22,106,097 | $ | 640,991 | $ | 22,747,088 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income | 6,871,557 | 6,871,557 | 131,973 | 7,003,530 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other comprehensive income (loss) | 447,241 | 447,241 | 8,489 | 455,730 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Purchases of Class A shares | 3,915 | (4,322,529) | (15,314) | (4,318,614) | (3,915) | (4,322,529) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cancellation of treasury shares | (8,828) | (175,701) | 2,595,281 | 8,828 | (2,419,580) | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Share-based compensation expense | 1,790,886 | 122,165 | 1,913,051 | 1,913,051 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Purchases/redemptions of Accenture Canada Holdings Inc. exchangeable shares and Class X shares | (176) | (7,874) | (7,874) | (7,874) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Issuances of Class A shares for employee share programs | 8,883 | (1,592,561) | 2,151,005 | 1,342,773 | 3,529 | (401,493) | 1,499,724 | 1,345 | 1,501,069 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dividends | 113,667 | (2,938,102) | (2,824,435) | (2,959) | (2,827,394) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other, net | 6,092 | 6,092 | (10,170) | (4,078) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance as of August 31, 2023 | $ | 57 | 40 | $ | 15 | 664,616 | $ | — | 325 | $ | 2,403,374 | $ | 12,778,782 | $ | (7,062,512) | (36,391) | $ | 19,316,224 | $ | (1,743,101) | $ | 25,692,839 | $ | 765,754 | $ | 26,458,593 |
The accompanying Notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.
| Table of Contents | Consolidated Financial Statements (In thousands of U.S. dollars and share amounts) | ||||||||||
| ACCENTURE 2025 FORM 10-K | F-9 | ||||||||||
Consolidated Shareholders’ Equity Statements — (continued)
For the Years Ended August 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023
| Ordinary Shares | Class A Ordinary Shares | Class X Ordinary Shares | Restricted Share Units | Additional Paid-in Capital | Treasury Shares | Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss | Total Accenture plc Shareholders’ Equity | Noncontrolling Interests | Total Shareholders’ Equity | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| $ | No. Shares | $ | No. Shares | $ | No. Shares | $ | No. Shares | Retained Earnings | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income | 7,264,787 | 7,264,787 | 154,410 | 7,419,197 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other comprehensive income (loss) | 188,359 | 188,359 | 2,117 | 190,476 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Purchases of Class A shares | 3,867 | (4,509,392) | (13,913) | (4,505,525) | (3,867) | (4,509,392) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Share-based compensation expense | 1,821,490 | 120,100 | 1,941,590 | 1,941,590 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Purchases/redemptions of Accenture Canada Holdings Inc. exchangeable shares and Class X shares | (17) | (15,254) | (15,254) | (15,254) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Issuances of Class A shares for employee share programs | 7,869 | (1,739,452) | 2,280,198 | 1,007,332 | 3,059 | (131,133) | 1,416,945 | 1,186 | 1,418,131 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dividends | 129,196 | (3,367,455) | (3,238,259) | (3,220) | (3,241,479) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other, net | (456,836) | (456,836) | (36,778) | (493,614) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance as of August 31, 2024 | $ | 57 | 40 | $ | 15 | 672,485 | $ | — | 308 | $ | 2,614,608 | $ | 14,710,857 | $ | (10,564,572) | (47,245) | $ | 23,082,423 | $ | (1,554,742) | $ | 28,288,646 | $ | 879,602 | $ | 29,168,248 |
The accompanying Notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.
| Table of Contents | Consolidated Financial Statements (In thousands of U.S. dollars and share amounts) | ||||||||||
| ACCENTURE 2025 FORM 10-K | F-10 | ||||||||||
Consolidated Shareholders’ Equity Statements — (continued)
For the Years Ended August 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023
| Ordinary Shares | Class A Ordinary Shares | Class X Ordinary Shares | Restricted Share Units | Additional Paid-in Capital | Treasury Shares | Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss | Total Accenture plc Shareholders’ Equity | Noncontrolling Interests | Total Shareholders’ Equity | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| $ | No. Shares | $ | No. Shares | $ | No. Shares | $ | No. Shares | Retained Earnings | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income | 7,678,433 | 7,678,433 | 153,967 | 7,832,400 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other comprehensive income (loss) | 89,363 | 89,363 | 6,231 | 95,594 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Purchases of Class A shares | 3,708 | (4,614,969) | (14,082) | (4,611,261) | (3,708) | (4,614,969) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cancellation of treasury shares | (1) | (22,739) | (771,268) | 6,666,403 | 22,739 | (5,895,134) | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Share-based compensation expense | 1,974,575 | 119,303 | 2,093,878 | 2,093,878 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Purchases/redemptions of Accenture Canada Holdings Inc. exchangeable shares and Class X shares | (6) | (4,528) | (4,528) | (4,528) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Issuances of Class A shares for employee share programs | 8,219 | (1,933,220) | 2,540,363 | 761,165 | 2,439 | (15,625) | 1,352,683 | 1,070 | 1,353,753 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dividends | 134,689 | (3,831,366) | (3,696,677) | (3,492) | (3,700,169) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other, net | 4,909 | 4,909 | 11,851 | 16,760 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance as of August 31, 2025 | $ | 57 | 40 | $ | 14 | 657,965 | $ | — | 302 | $ | 2,790,652 | $ | 16,603,344 | $ | (7,751,973) | (36,149) | $ | 21,018,731 | $ | (1,465,379) | $ | 31,195,446 | $ | 1,045,521 | $ | 32,240,967 |
The accompanying Notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.
| Table of Contents | Consolidated Financial Statements (In thousands of U.S. dollars) | ||||||||||
| ACCENTURE 2025 FORM 10-K | F-11 | ||||||||||
Consolidated Cash Flows Statements
For the Years Ended August 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |||||||||||||||
| CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES: | |||||||||||||||||
| Net income | $ | 7,832,400 | $ | 7,419,197 | $ | 7,003,530 | |||||||||||
| Adjustments to reconcile Net income to Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities— | |||||||||||||||||
| Depreciation, amortization and other | 2,441,594 | 2,168,038 | 2,281,085 | ||||||||||||||
| Share-based compensation expense | 2,093,878 | 1,941,590 | 1,913,051 | ||||||||||||||
| Deferred tax expense (benefit) | 357,348 | (93,988) | (268,953) | ||||||||||||||
| Other, net | (200,473) | (144,920) | (219,082) | ||||||||||||||
| Change in assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions— | |||||||||||||||||
| Receivables and contract assets, current and non-current | (1,021,191) | (601,935) | 87,669 | ||||||||||||||
| Other current and non-current assets | (1,067,698) | (853,202) | (526,228) | ||||||||||||||
| Accounts payable | (110,554) | 46,512 | (171,217) | ||||||||||||||
| Deferred revenues, current and non-current | 706,585 | 28,401 | 159,819 | ||||||||||||||
| Accrued payroll and related benefits | 904,322 | (614,771) | (261,913) | ||||||||||||||
| Income taxes payable, current and non-current | (300,251) | 114,076 | 113,251 | ||||||||||||||
| Other current and non-current liabilities | (161,561) | (277,971) | (586,744) | ||||||||||||||
| Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities | 11,474,399 | 9,131,027 | 9,524,268 | ||||||||||||||
| CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES: | |||||||||||||||||
| Purchases of property and equipment | (600,039) | (516,509) | (528,172) | ||||||||||||||
| Purchases of businesses and investments, net of cash acquired | (1,471,255) | (6,582,702) | (2,530,863) | ||||||||||||||
| Proceeds from the sale of businesses and investments, net of cash transferred | 36,834 | 28,721 | 424,387 | ||||||||||||||
| Other investing, net | 14,810 | 8,672 | 12,178 | ||||||||||||||
| Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities | (2,019,650) | (7,061,818) | (2,622,470) | ||||||||||||||
| CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES: | |||||||||||||||||
| Proceeds from issuance of shares | 1,353,753 | 1,418,131 | 1,501,069 | ||||||||||||||
| Purchases of shares | (4,619,497) | (4,524,646) | (4,330,403) | ||||||||||||||
| Proceeds from debt | 5,061,085 | 1,599,033 | 100,000 | ||||||||||||||
| Repayments of debt | (931,885) | (771,246) | — | ||||||||||||||
| Cash dividends paid | (3,700,169) | (3,241,479) | (2,827,394) | ||||||||||||||
| Other financing, net | (111,621) | (543,301) | (88,598) | ||||||||||||||
| Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities | (2,948,334) | (6,063,508) | (5,645,326) | ||||||||||||||
| Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents | (32,155) | (46,264) | (101,273) | ||||||||||||||
| NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS | 6,474,260 | (4,040,563) | 1,155,199 | ||||||||||||||
| CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, beginning of period | 5,004,469 | 9,045,032 | 7,889,833 | ||||||||||||||
| CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, end of period | $ | 11,478,729 | $ | 5,004,469 | $ | 9,045,032 | |||||||||||
| SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW INFORMATION: | |||||||||||||||||
| Interest paid | $ | 155,428 | $ | 37,182 | $ | 46,505 | |||||||||||
| Income taxes paid, net | $ | 2,471,554 | $ | 2,386,620 | $ | 2,315,920 |
The accompanying Notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.
| Table of Contents | Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (In thousands of U.S. dollars, except share and per share amounts or as otherwise disclosed) | ||||||||||
| ACCENTURE 2025 FORM 10-K | F-12 | ||||||||||
1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Description of Business
Accenture is a leading solutions and global professional services company that helps enterprises reinvent by building their digital core and unleashing the power of AI to create value at speed across the enterprise, bringing together our people, proprietary assets and platforms, and deep ecosystem relationships. Through our Reinvention Services we bring together our capabilities across strategy, consulting, technology, operations, Song and Industry X with our deep industry expertise to create and deliver solutions and services for our clients. We serve clients in three geographic markets: the Americas, EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) and Asia Pacific.
Basis of Presentation
The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Accenture plc, an Irish company, and our controlled subsidiary companies. Accenture plc is an Irish public limited company, which operates its business through its subsidiaries.
The shares of Accenture Canada Holdings Inc. held by persons other than us are treated as noncontrolling interests in the Consolidated Financial Statements. The noncontrolling interests were less than 1% as of August 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively.
All references to years, unless otherwise noted, refer to our fiscal year, which ends on August 31. For example, a reference to “fiscal 2025” means the 12-month period that ended on August 31, 2025. All references to quarters, unless otherwise noted, refer to the quarters of our fiscal year.
The preparation of the Consolidated Financial Statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect amounts reported in the Consolidated Financial Statements and accompanying disclosures. Although these estimates are based on management’s best knowledge of current events and actions that we may undertake in the future, actual results may be different from those estimates.
Revenue Recognition
We account for revenue in accordance with FASB ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606).
Performance Obligations
A performance obligation is a promise in a contract to transfer a distinct good or service to the client and is the unit of accounting in Topic 606. A contract’s transaction price is allocated to each distinct performance obligation and recognized as revenue when, or as, the performance obligation is satisfied. For contracts with multiple performance obligations, we allocate the contract’s transaction price to each performance obligation based on the relative standalone selling price. The primary method used to estimate standalone selling price is the expected cost plus a margin approach, under which we forecast our expected costs of satisfying a performance obligation and then add an appropriate margin for that distinct good or service based on margins for similar services sold on a standalone basis. While determining relative standalone selling price and identifying separate performance obligations require judgment, generally relative standalone selling prices and the separate performance obligations are readily identifiable as we sell those performance obligations unaccompanied by other performance obligations. Contract modifications are routine in the performance of our contracts. Contracts are often modified to account for changes in the contract specifications, requirements or duration. If a contract modification results in the addition of performance obligations priced at a standalone selling price or if the post-modification services are distinct from the services provided prior to the modification, the modification is accounted for separately. If the modified services are not distinct, they are accounted for as part of the existing contract.
Our revenues are derived from contracts for managed services, technology integration consulting services and non-technology integration consulting services. These contracts have different terms based on the scope, performance obligations and complexity of the engagement, which frequently require us to make judgments and estimates in recognizing revenues. We have many types of contracts, including time-and-materials contracts, fixed-price contracts, fee-per-transaction contracts and contracts with multiple fee types.
The nature of our contracts gives rise to several types of variable consideration, including incentive fees. Many contracts include incentives or penalties related to costs incurred, benefits produced or adherence to schedules that may increase the
| Table of Contents | Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (continued) (In thousands of U.S. dollars, except share and per share amounts or as otherwise disclosed) | ||||||||||
| ACCENTURE 2025 FORM 10-K | F-13 | ||||||||||
variability in revenues and margins earned on such contracts. These variable amounts generally are awarded or refunded upon achievement of or failure to achieve certain performance metrics, milestones or cost targets and can be based upon client discretion. We include these variable fees in the estimated transaction price when there is a basis to reasonably estimate the amount of the fee and it is not probable a significant reversal of revenue will occur. These estimates reflect the expected value of the variable fees and are based on an assessment of our anticipated performance, historical experience and other information available at the time.
Our performance obligations are satisfied over time as work progresses or at a point in time. The majority of our revenues are recognized over time based on the extent of progress towards satisfying our performance obligations. The selection of the method to measure progress towards completion requires judgment and is based on the contract and the nature of the services to be provided.
Managed Services Contracts
Our managed services contracts typically span several years. Revenues are generally recognized on managed services contracts over time because our clients benefit from the services as they are performed. Managed services contracts require us to provide a series of distinct services each period over the contract term. Revenues from unit-priced contracts are recognized as transactions are processed. When contractual billings represent an amount that corresponds directly with the value provided to the client (e.g., time-and-materials contracts), revenues are recognized as amounts become billable in accordance with contract terms.
Technology Integration Consulting Services
Revenues from contracts for technology integration consulting services where we design/redesign, build and implement new or enhanced systems and related processes for our clients are recognized over time as control of the system is transferred continuously to the client. Contracts for technology integration consulting services generally span six months to two years. Revenue, including estimated fees, is recognized using costs incurred to date relative to total estimated costs at completion to measure progress toward satisfying our performance obligations. Incurred cost represents work performed, which corresponds with, and thereby best depicts, the transfer of control to the client.
Non-Technology Integration Consulting Services
Our contracts for non-technology integration consulting services are typically less than one year in duration. Revenues are generally recognized over time as our clients benefit from the services as they are performed, or the contract, for which the related services lack an alternative use, includes termination provisions enabling payment for performance completed to date. When contractual billings represent an amount that corresponds directly with the value provided to the client (e.g., time-and-materials contracts), revenues are recognized as amounts become billable in accordance with contract terms. Revenues from fixed-price contracts are generally recognized using costs incurred to date relative to total estimated costs at completion to measure progress toward satisfying our performance obligations. Incurred cost represents work performed, which corresponds with, and thereby best depicts, the transfer of control to the client. For non-technology integration consulting contracts which do not qualify to recognize revenue over time, we recognize revenues at a point in time when the client obtains control of the promised good or service.
Contract Estimates
Estimates of total contract revenues and costs are continuously monitored over the lives of our contracts, and recorded revenues and cost estimates are subject to revision as the contract progresses. If at any time the estimate of contract profitability indicates an anticipated loss on a technology integration consulting contract, we recognize the loss in the quarter it first becomes probable and reasonably estimable.
Contract Balances
The timing of revenue recognition, billings and cash collections results in Receivables, Contract assets, and Deferred revenues (Contract liabilities) on our Consolidated Balance Sheet. Amounts are billed as work progresses in accordance with agreed-upon contractual terms, either at periodic intervals (e.g., monthly or quarterly) or upon achievement of contractual milestones. In limited circumstances, we agree to extend financing to certain clients. The terms vary by contract, but generally payment for services is contractually linked to the achievement of specified performance milestones. When the period between payment and transfer of goods or services is one year or less, we do not assess the existence of, and therefore, do not adjust the promised amount of consideration for the effects of a significant financing component. Our receivables are rights to consideration that are conditional only upon the passage of time as compared to our contract assets, which are rights to consideration conditional upon additional factors. When we bill or receive payments from our clients before revenue is recognized, we record Contract liabilities. Contract assets and liabilities are reported on our Consolidated Balance Sheet on a contract-by-contract basis at the end of each reporting period.
| Table of Contents | Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (continued) (In thousands of U.S. dollars, except share and per share amounts or as otherwise disclosed) | ||||||||||
| ACCENTURE 2025 FORM 10-K | F-14 | ||||||||||
For some managed services contracts, we receive payments for transition or set-up activities, which are deferred and recognized as revenue as the services are provided. These advance payments are typically not a significant financing component because they are used to meet working capital demands in the early stages of a contract and to protect us from the other party failing to complete its obligations under the contract. We elected the practical expedient to report revenues net of any revenue-based taxes assessed by governmental authorities that are imposed on and concurrent with specific revenue-producing transactions.
Employee Share-Based Compensation Arrangements
Share-based compensation expense is recognized over the requisite service period for awards of equity instruments to employees based on the grant date fair value of those awards expected to ultimately vest. Forfeitures are estimated on the date of grant and revised if actual or expected forfeiture activity differs from previous estimates.
Income Taxes
We calculate and provide for income taxes in each of the tax jurisdictions in which we operate. Deferred tax assets and liabilities, measured using enacted tax rates, are recognized for the future tax consequences of temporary differences between the tax and financial statement bases of assets and liabilities. A valuation allowance reduces the deferred tax assets to the amount that is more likely than not to be realized. We establish liabilities or reduce assets when we believe tax positions are not more likely than not of being sustained if challenged. Recognized tax positions are measured at the largest amount of benefit greater than 50 percent likely of being realized. Each fiscal quarter, we evaluate tax positions and adjust the related tax assets and liabilities in light of changing facts and circumstances. We release stranded tax effects from Accumulated other comprehensive loss using the specific identification approach for our defined benefit plans and the portfolio approach for other items.
Translation of Non-U.S. Currency Amounts
Assets and liabilities of subsidiaries whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar are translated into U.S. dollars at fiscal year-end exchange rates. Revenue and expense items are translated at average foreign currency exchange rates prevailing during the fiscal year. Translation adjustments are included in Accumulated other comprehensive loss. Gains and losses arising from intercompany foreign currency transactions that are of a long-term investment nature are reported in the same manner as translation adjustments.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents consist of all cash balances and liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, including certificates of deposit and time deposits.
Allowance for Credit Losses—Client Receivables and Contract Assets
We record client receivables and contract assets at their face amounts less an allowance for credit losses. The allowance represents our estimate of expected credit losses based on historical experience, current economic conditions and certain forward-looking information. As of August 31, 2025 and 2024, the total allowances recorded for credit losses recorded for client receivables and contract assets was $32,247 and $27,561, respectively. The change in the allowance is primarily due to changes in gross client receivables, contract assets and immaterial write-offs.
Concentrations of Credit Risk
Our financial instruments, consisting primarily of cash and cash equivalents, foreign currency exchange rate instruments and client receivables, are exposed to concentrations of credit risk. We place our cash and cash equivalents and foreign exchange instruments with highly rated financial institutions, limit the amount of credit exposure with any one financial institution and conduct ongoing evaluations of the credit worthiness of the financial institutions with which we do business. Client receivables are dispersed across many different industries and countries; therefore, concentrations of credit risk are limited.
| Table of Contents | Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (continued) (In thousands of U.S. dollars, except share and per share amounts or as otherwise disclosed) | ||||||||||
| ACCENTURE 2025 FORM 10-K | F-15 | ||||||||||
Investments
All available-for-sale securities and liquid investments with an original maturity greater than three months but less than one year are considered to be Short-term investments. Non-current investments consist of equity securities in privately-held companies and are accounted for using either the equity or fair value measurement alternative method of accounting (for investments without readily determinable fair values). Investments are periodically assessed for other-than-temporary impairment. If an investment is deemed to have experienced an other-than-temporary decline below its basis, we reduce the carrying amount of the investment to its estimated fair value.
Our non-current investments are as follows:
| August 31, 2025 | August 31, 2024 | ||||||||||
| Equity method investments | $ | 355,276 | $ | 128,634 | |||||||
| Investments without readily determinable fair values | 365,984 | 206,030 | |||||||||
| Total non-current investments | $ | 721,260 | $ | 334,664 |
For investments in which we can exercise significant influence but do not control, we use the equity method of accounting. Equity method investments are initially recorded at cost and our proportionate share of gains and losses of the investee is included as a component of Other income (expense), net.
For equity securities without a readily determinable fair value, we use the fair value measurement alternative and measure the securities at cost less impairment, if any, plus or minus observable price changes in orderly transactions for an identical or similar investment of the same issuer.
Depreciation and Amortization
See table below for summary of depreciation on fixed assets, deferred transition amortization, intangible assets amortization and operating lease cost for fiscal 2025, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
| Fiscal | ||||||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | ||||||||||||
| Depreciation | $ | 622,493 | $ | 547,935 | $ | 620,659 | ||||||||
| Amortization—Deferred transition | 337,072 | 352,045 | 339,139 | |||||||||||
| Amortization—Intangible assets | 745,892 | 530,062 | 440,957 | |||||||||||
| Operating lease cost | 729,727 | 719,434 | 868,082 | |||||||||||
| Other | 6,410 | 18,562 | 12,248 | |||||||||||
| Total depreciation, amortization and other | $ | 2,441,594 | $ | 2,168,038 | $ | 2,281,085 |
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment is stated at cost, net of accumulated depreciation. Depreciation of property and equipment is computed on a straight-line basis over the following estimated useful lives:
| Computers, related equipment and software | 3 to 7 years | ||||
| Furniture and fixtures | 5 to 10 years | ||||
| Leasehold improvements | Lesser of lease term or 15 years |
Goodwill
Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price of an acquired entity over the fair value of net assets acquired. We review the recoverability of goodwill by reporting unit, which we define as our reportable operating segments, annually, or more frequently when indicators of impairment exist. Based on the results of our annual impairment analysis, we determined that no impairment existed as of August 31, 2025 or 2024, as each reportable segment’s estimated fair value substantially exceeded its carrying value.
| Table of Contents | Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (continued) (In thousands of U.S. dollars, except share and per share amounts or as otherwise disclosed) | ||||||||||
| ACCENTURE 2025 FORM 10-K | F-16 | ||||||||||
Long-Lived Assets
Long-lived assets, including lease assets, deferred contract costs and identifiable intangible assets, are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset or group of assets may not be recoverable. Recoverability of long-lived assets or groups of assets is assessed based on a comparison of the carrying amount to the undiscounted estimated future net cash flows. If estimated future undiscounted net cash flows are less than the carrying amount, the asset is considered impaired and a loss is recorded equal to the amount required to reduce the carrying amount to fair value.
Intangible assets with finite lives are generally amortized using the straight-line method over their estimated economic useful lives, ranging from one to eighteen years.
Operating Expenses
Selected components of operating expenses are as follows:
| Fiscal | |||||||||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |||||||||||||||
| Research and development costs | $ | 817,300 | $ | 1,150,430 | $ | 1,298,657 | |||||||||||
| Advertising costs (1) | 78,519 | 104,510 | 100,652 | ||||||||||||||
| Provision for (release of) doubtful accounts (2) | 11,589 | 10,163 | 3,856 |
(1)Advertising costs are expensed as incurred.
(2)For additional information, see “Allowance for Credit Losses—Client Receivables and Contract Assets.”
Business Optimization
Actions Initiated in Fiscal 2025
During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025, we began implementing a refreshed three-pronged talent strategy to meet current and future client demand: investing in upskilling people, which has been and continues to be our primary focus; exiting people in a compressed timeline where reskilling is not a viable path for the skills we need; and identifying areas to drive even more operating efficiencies in our business, including through AI. We recorded $615 million in business optimization costs during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025. This includes employee severance of approximately $344 million associated with headcount reductions that we are making in a compressed timeline, as well as asset impairments of approximately $271 million primarily related to the divestiture of two acquisitions in the Americas that are no longer aligned with our strategic priorities. We expect to record additional costs of approximately $250 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2026, primarily for employee severance, for a total of approximately $865 million over the six-month period. The actual amount and timing of costs are dependent in part upon local country consultation processes and regulations and may differ from our current expectations and estimates.
Actions Initiated in Fiscal 2023
During the second quarter of fiscal 2023, we initiated actions to streamline our operations, transform our non-billable corporate functions and consolidate our office space to reduce costs. We recorded a total of $1.5 billion related to these actions, primarily for employee severance, which were completed as of August 31, 2024.
Total business optimization costs by reportable operating segment for fiscal 2025 and 2024 were as follows:
| Fiscal | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Americas (1) | $ | 420,469 | $ | 83,201 | |||||||||||||||||||
| EMEA | 131,980 | 248,724 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Asia Pacific (1) | 62,875 | 106,515 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Total business optimization costs | $ | 615,324 | $ | 438,440 |
(1)During the first quarter of fiscal 2025, our Latin America market unit moved from Growth Markets to North America. With this change, North America became the Americas market and Growth Markets became the Asia Pacific market. Prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform with the current period presentation.
| Table of Contents | Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (continued) (In thousands of U.S. dollars, except share and per share amounts or as otherwise disclosed) | ||||||||||
| ACCENTURE 2025 FORM 10-K | F-17 | ||||||||||
Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements
On November 27, 2023, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2023-07, Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures, which requires entities to enhance disclosures regarding their segments, including significant segment expenses. We retrospectively adopted this standard in our annual fiscal 2025 financial statements. See Note 16 (Segment Reporting) to these Consolidated Financial Statements for more information.
New Accounting Pronouncements
On December 14, 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-09, Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures, which requires disclosure of disaggregated income taxes paid, prescribes standard categories for the components of the effective tax rate reconciliation, and modifies other income tax-related disclosures. The ASU will be effective beginning with our annual fiscal 2026 financial statements and allows for adoption on a prospective basis, with a retrospective option. We are in the process of assessing the impacts and method of adoption. This ASU will impact our income tax disclosures, but not our financial position or results of operations.
On November 4, 2024, the FASB issued ASU No. 2024-03, Disaggregation of Income Statement Expenses, which requires entities to disclose specified information about certain expenses in the notes to the financial statements, including employee compensation. The ASU will be effective beginning with our annual fiscal 2028 financial statements. We are currently evaluating the impact of this standard on our disclosures.
| Table of Contents | Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (continued) (In thousands of U.S. dollars, except share and per share amounts or as otherwise disclosed) | ||||||||||
| ACCENTURE 2025 FORM 10-K | F-18 | ||||||||||
2. Revenues
Disaggregation of Revenue
See Note 16 (Segment Reporting) to these Consolidated Financial Statements for our disaggregated revenues.
Remaining Performance Obligations
We had remaining performance obligations of approximately $34 billion and $30 billion as of August 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively. Our remaining performance obligations represent the amount of transaction price for which work has not been performed and revenue has not been recognized. The majority of our contracts are terminable by the client on short notice with little or no termination penalties, and some without notice. Under Topic 606, only the non-cancelable portion of these contracts is included in our performance obligations. Additionally, our performance obligations only include variable consideration if we assess it is probable that a significant reversal of cumulative revenue recognized will not occur when the uncertainty is resolved. Based on the terms of our contracts, a significant portion of what we consider contract bookings is not included in our remaining performance obligations. We expect to recognize approximately 65% of our remaining performance obligations as of August 31, 2025 as revenue in fiscal 2026, an additional 16% in fiscal 2027, and the balance thereafter.
Contract Estimates
Adjustments in contract estimates related to performance obligations satisfied or partially satisfied in prior periods were immaterial for both fiscal 2025 and 2024.
Contract Balances
Deferred transition revenues were $642,361 and $641,091 as of August 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively, and are included in Non-current deferred revenues. Costs related to these activities are also deferred and are expensed as the services are provided. Generally, deferred amounts are protected in the event of early termination of the contract and are monitored regularly for impairment. Impairment losses are recorded when projected remaining undiscounted operating cash flows of the related contract are not sufficient to recover the carrying amount of contract assets. Deferred transition costs were $1,025,391 and $862,140 as of August 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively, and are included in Deferred contract costs. Deferred transition amortization expense for fiscal 2025, 2024 and 2023 was $337,072, $352,045 and $339,139, respectively.
The following table provides information about the balances of our Receivables and Contract assets, net of allowance, and Contract liabilities (Deferred revenues):
| August 31, 2025 | August 31, 2024 | ||||||||||
| Receivables | $ | 13,065,433 | $ | 11,873,442 | |||||||
| Contract assets (current) | 1,919,640 | 1,791,405 | |||||||||
| Receivables and contract assets, net of allowance (current) | 14,985,073 | 13,664,847 | |||||||||
| Contract assets (non-current) | 180,362 | 120,260 | |||||||||
| Deferred revenues (current) | 6,073,170 | 5,174,923 | |||||||||
| Deferred revenues (non-current) | 642,361 | 641,091 |
Changes in the contract asset and liability balances during fiscal 2025, were a result of normal business activity and not materially impacted by any other factors.
Revenues recognized during fiscal 2025 that were included in Deferred revenues as of August 31, 2024 were $4.3 billion. Revenues recognized during fiscal 2024 that were included in Deferred revenues as of August 31, 2023 were $4.2 billion.
| Table of Contents | Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (continued) (In thousands of U.S. dollars, except share and per share amounts or as otherwise disclosed) | ||||||||||
| ACCENTURE 2025 FORM 10-K | F-19 | ||||||||||
3. Earnings Per Share
Basic and diluted earnings per share are calculated as follows:
| Fiscal | |||||||||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |||||||||||||||
| Basic Earnings per share | |||||||||||||||||
| Net income attributable to Accenture plc | $ | 7,678,433 | $ | 7,264,787 | $ | 6,871,557 | |||||||||||
| Basic weighted average Class A ordinary shares | 624,891,649 | 627,852,613 | 630,608,186 | ||||||||||||||
| Basic earnings per share | $ | 12.29 | $ | 11.57 | $ | 10.90 | |||||||||||
| Diluted Earnings per share | |||||||||||||||||
| Net income attributable to Accenture plc | $ | 7,678,433 | $ | 7,264,787 | $ | 6,871,557 | |||||||||||
| Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in Accenture Canada Holdings Inc. (1) | 7,240 | 7,198 | 7,204 | ||||||||||||||
| Net income for diluted earnings per share calculation | $ | 7,685,673 | $ | 7,271,985 | $ | 6,878,761 | |||||||||||
| Basic weighted average Class A ordinary shares | 624,891,649 | 627,852,613 | 630,608,186 | ||||||||||||||
| Class A ordinary shares issuable upon redemption/exchange of noncontrolling interests (1) | 588,890 | 621,333 | 660,420 | ||||||||||||||
| Diluted effect of employee compensation related to Class A ordinary shares | 6,514,861 | 7,232,113 | 7,207,770 | ||||||||||||||
| Diluted effect of share purchase plans related to Class A ordinary shares | 439,708 | 233,985 | 115,240 | ||||||||||||||
| Diluted weighted average Class A ordinary shares (2) | 632,435,108 | 635,940,044 | 638,591,616 | ||||||||||||||
| Diluted earnings per share | $ | 12.15 | $ | 11.44 | $ | 10.77 |
(1)Diluted earnings per share assumes the exchange of all Accenture Canada Holdings Inc. exchangeable shares for Accenture plc Class A ordinary shares on a one-for-one basis. The income effect does not take into account “Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests - other,” since those shares are not redeemable or exchangeable for Accenture plc Class A ordinary shares.
(2)The weighted average diluted shares outstanding for the calculation of diluted earnings per share excludes an immaterial amount of shares issuable upon the vesting of restricted stock units because their effects were antidilutive.
| Table of Contents | Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (continued) (In thousands of U.S. dollars, except share and per share amounts or as otherwise disclosed) | ||||||||||
| ACCENTURE 2025 FORM 10-K | F-20 | ||||||||||
4. Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss
The following table summarizes the changes in the accumulated balances for each component of accumulated other comprehensive loss attributable to Accenture plc:
| Fiscal | |||||||||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |||||||||||||||
| Foreign currency translation | |||||||||||||||||
| Beginning balance | $ | (1,295,743) | $ | (1,510,632) | $ | (1,852,320) | |||||||||||
| Foreign currency translation | 242,799 | 215,655 | 349,151 | ||||||||||||||
| Income tax benefit (expense) | (750) | 1,376 | 918 | ||||||||||||||
| Portion attributable to noncontrolling interests | (6,368) | (2,142) | (8,381) | ||||||||||||||
| Foreign currency translation, net of tax | 235,681 | 214,889 | 341,688 | ||||||||||||||
| Ending balance | (1,060,062) | (1,295,743) | (1,510,632) | ||||||||||||||
| Defined benefit plans | |||||||||||||||||
| Beginning balance | (254,172) | (226,503) | (348,771) | ||||||||||||||
| Actuarial gains (losses) | 74,486 | (67,860) | 147,499 | ||||||||||||||
| Pension settlement | (437) | (5,276) | (9,481) | ||||||||||||||
| Prior service costs arising during the period | — | (307) | 11,888 | ||||||||||||||
| Reclassifications into net periodic pension and post-retirement expense | 16,981 | 26,080 | 34,634 | ||||||||||||||
| Income tax benefit (expense) | (32,743) | 19,668 | (62,147) | ||||||||||||||
| Portion attributable to noncontrolling interests | (55) | 26 | (125) | ||||||||||||||
| Defined benefit plans, net of tax | 58,232 | (27,669) | 122,268 | ||||||||||||||
| Ending balance | (195,940) | (254,172) | (226,503) | ||||||||||||||
| Cash flow hedges | |||||||||||||||||
| Beginning balance | (4,827) | (5,966) | 10,749 | ||||||||||||||
| Unrealized gain (loss) | (265,161) | 22,139 | (64,331) | ||||||||||||||
| Reclassification adjustments into Cost of services | 10,165 | (28,386) | 27,865 | ||||||||||||||
| Income tax benefit (expense) | 50,254 | 7,387 | 19,734 | ||||||||||||||
| Portion attributable to noncontrolling interests | 192 | (1) | 17 | ||||||||||||||
| Cash flow hedges, net of tax | (204,550) | 1,139 | (16,715) | ||||||||||||||
| Ending balance (1) | (209,377) | (4,827) | (5,966) | ||||||||||||||
| Accumulated other comprehensive loss | $ | (1,465,379) | $ | (1,554,742) | $ | (1,743,101) |
(1)As of August 31, 2025, $115,077 of net unrealized losses related to derivatives designated as cash flow hedges is expected to be reclassified into cost of services in the next twelve months.
| Table of Contents | Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (continued) (In thousands of U.S. dollars, except share and per share amounts or as otherwise disclosed) | ||||||||||
| ACCENTURE 2025 FORM 10-K | F-21 | ||||||||||
5. Property and Equipment
The components of Property and equipment, net are as follows:
| August 31, 2025 | August 31, 2024 | ||||||||||
| Computers, related equipment and software | $ | 2,260,910 | $ | 2,163,222 | |||||||
| Furniture and fixtures | 447,533 | 431,516 | |||||||||
| Leasehold improvements | 1,784,561 | 1,640,236 | |||||||||
| Property and equipment, gross | 4,493,004 | 4,234,974 | |||||||||
| Total accumulated depreciation | (2,926,630) | (2,713,855) | |||||||||
| Property and equipment, net | $ | 1,566,374 | $ | 1,521,119 |
Depreciation expense for fiscal 2025, 2024 and 2023 was $622,493, $547,935 and $620,659, respectively.
6. Business Combinations
We completed a number of individually immaterial acquisitions during fiscal 2025, 2024 and 2023. These acquisitions were completed primarily to expand our solutions and services offerings. The table below gives additional details related to these acquisitions:
| Fiscal | |||||||||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |||||||||||||||
| Total consideration | $ | 1,168,698 | $ | 6,456,648 | $ | 2,482,109 | |||||||||||
| Goodwill | 1,054,190 | 5,320,890 | 2,094,972 | ||||||||||||||
| Intangible assets | 199,120 | 1,265,290 | 544,661 |
The intangible assets primarily consist of customer-related intangibles, which are being amortized over four to eighteen years. The goodwill was allocated among our reportable operating segments and is partially deductible for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
| Table of Contents | Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (continued) (In thousands of U.S. dollars, except share and per share amounts or as otherwise disclosed) | ||||||||||
| ACCENTURE 2025 FORM 10-K | F-22 | ||||||||||
7. Goodwill and Intangible Assets
Goodwill
The changes in the carrying amount of goodwill by reportable operating segment are as follows:
| August 31, 2023 | Additions/ Adjustments | Foreign Currency Translation | August 31, 2024 | Additions/ Adjustments | Foreign Currency Translation | August 31, 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Geographic Markets | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Americas (1) | $ | 9,149,539 | $ | 2,836,135 | $ | (25,024) | $ | 11,960,650 | $ | 456,712 | $ | (2,664) | $ | 12,414,698 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| EMEA | 5,152,149 | 2,021,785 | 167,752 | 7,341,686 | 342,876 | 352,065 | 8,036,627 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Asia Pacific (1) | 1,271,315 | 491,680 | 54,848 | 1,817,843 | 312,346 | (45,098) | 2,085,091 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | $ | 15,573,003 | $ | 5,349,600 | $ | 197,576 | $ | 21,120,179 | $ | 1,111,934 | $ | 304,303 | $ | 22,536,416 |
(1)During the first quarter of fiscal 2025, our Latin America market unit moved from Growth Markets to North America. With this change, North America became the Americas market and Growth Markets became the Asia Pacific market. Prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform with the current period presentation.
Goodwill includes immaterial adjustments related to prior period acquisitions.
Intangible Assets
Our definite-lived intangible assets by major asset class are as follows:
| August 31, 2025 | August 31, 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Intangible Asset Class | Gross Carrying Amount | Accumulated Amortization | Net Carrying Amount | Gross Carrying Amount | Accumulated Amortization | Net Carrying Amount | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Customer-related | $ | 3,735,706 | $ | (1,572,270) | $ | 2,163,436 | $ | 3,924,339 | $ | (1,336,679) | $ | 2,587,660 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Technology | 294,292 | (173,864) | 120,428 | 335,845 | (183,182) | 152,663 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Patents | 114,739 | (72,430) | 42,309 | 120,457 | (72,518) | 47,939 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other | 125,255 | (40,673) | 84,582 | 150,098 | (34,329) | 115,769 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | $ | 4,269,992 | $ | (1,859,237) | $ | 2,410,755 | $ | 4,530,739 | $ | (1,626,708) | $ | 2,904,031 |
Total amortization related to our intangible assets was $745,892, $530,062 and $440,957 for fiscal 2025, 2024 and 2023, respectively. Estimated future amortization related to intangible assets held as of August 31, 2025 is as follows:
| Fiscal Year | Estimated Amortization | |||||||
| 2026 | $ | 554,481 | ||||||
| 2027 | 487,023 | |||||||
| 2028 | 448,951 | |||||||
| 2029 | 356,955 | |||||||
| 2030 | 260,891 | |||||||
| Thereafter | 302,454 | |||||||
| Total | $ | 2,410,755 |
| Table of Contents | Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (continued) (In thousands of U.S. dollars, except share and per share amounts or as otherwise disclosed) | ||||||||||
| ACCENTURE 2025 FORM 10-K | F-23 | ||||||||||
8. Leases
As a lessee, substantially all of our lease obligation is for office real estate. Our significant judgments used in determining our lease obligation include whether a contract is or contains a lease and the determination of the discount rate used to calculate the lease liability. We elected the practical expedient not to separate lease and associated non-lease components, accounting for them as a single combined lease component, for our office real estate and automobile leases.
Our leases may include the option to extend or terminate before the end of the contractual term and are often non-cancelable or cancelable only by the payment of penalties. Our lease assets and liabilities include these options in the lease term when it is reasonably certain that they will be exercised. In certain cases, we sublease excess office real estate to third-party tenants.
Lease assets and liabilities recognized at the lease commencement date are determined predominantly as the present value of the payments due over the lease term. Since we cannot determine the implicit rate in our leases, we use our incremental borrowing rate on that date to calculate the present value. Our incremental borrowing rate approximates the rate at which we could borrow, on a secured basis for a similar term, an amount equal to our lease payments in a similar economic environment.
When we are the lessee, all leases are recognized as lease liabilities and associated lease assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheet. Lease liabilities represent our obligation to make payments arising from the lease. Lease assets represent our right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and may also include advance payments, initial direct costs, or lease incentives. Payments that depend upon an index or rate, such as the Consumer Price Index (CPI), are included in the recognition of lease assets and liabilities at the commencement-date rate. Other variable payments, such as common area maintenance, property and other taxes, utilities and insurance that are based on the lessor’s cost, are recognized in the Consolidated Income Statement in the period incurred.
As of August 31, 2025 and 2024, we had no material finance leases. Operating lease expense is recorded on a straight-line basis over the lease term. Lease costs are as follows:
| Fiscal | |||||||||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |||||||||||||||
| Operating lease cost | $ | 729,727 | $ | 719,434 | $ | 868,082 | |||||||||||
| Variable lease cost | 229,094 | 220,953 | 213,078 | ||||||||||||||
| Sublease income | (16,122) | (18,618) | (17,061) | ||||||||||||||
| Total | $ | 942,699 | $ | 921,769 | $ | 1,064,099 |
Supplemental information related to operating lease transactions is as follows:
| Fiscal | |||||||||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |||||||||||||||
| Lease liability payments | $ | 744,694 | $ | 678,489 | $ | 768,797 | |||||||||||
| Lease assets obtained in exchange for liabilities | 419,965 | 590,892 | 434,179 |
As of August 31, 2025 and 2024, our operating leases had a weighted average remaining lease term of 6.5 and 6.7 years, respectively, and a weighted average discount rate of 4.3% and 4.2%, respectively.
| Table of Contents | Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (continued) (In thousands of U.S. dollars, except share and per share amounts or as otherwise disclosed) | ||||||||||
| ACCENTURE 2025 FORM 10-K | F-24 | ||||||||||
The following maturity analysis presents future undiscounted cash outflows (inflows) for operating leases as of August 31, 2025:
| Lease Payments | Sublease Receipts | ||||||||||
| 2026 | $ | 747,240 | $ | (2,242) | |||||||
| 2027 | 636,671 | (1,667) | |||||||||
| 2028 | 502,789 | (1,495) | |||||||||
| 2029 | 362,627 | (1,077) | |||||||||
| 2030 | 272,200 | — | |||||||||
| Thereafter | 949,789 | — | |||||||||
| Total lease payments (receipts) | $ | 3,471,316 | $ | (6,481) | |||||||
| Less interest | (437,103) | ||||||||||
| Total lease liabilities | $ | 3,034,213 |
As of August 31, 2025, we have entered into leases that have not yet commenced with future lease payments of $136,799 that are not reflected in the table above. These leases are primarily related to office real estate and will commence in fiscal 2026 with lease terms of up to 11 years.
| Table of Contents | Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (continued) (In thousands of U.S. dollars, except share and per share amounts or as otherwise disclosed) | ||||||||||
| ACCENTURE 2025 FORM 10-K | F-25 | ||||||||||
9. Financial Instruments
Derivatives
In the normal course of business, we use derivative financial instruments to manage foreign currency exchange rate risk. Derivative transactions are governed by a uniform set of policies and procedures covering areas such as authorization, counterparty exposure and hedging practices. Positions are monitored using techniques such as market value and sensitivity analyses. We do not enter into derivative transactions for trading purposes. We classify cash flows from our derivative programs as cash flows from operating activities in the Consolidated Cash Flows Statements.
Certain derivatives give rise to credit risks from the possible non-performance by counterparties. Credit risk is generally limited to the fair value of those contracts that are favorable to us, and the maximum amount of loss due to credit risk, based on the gross fair value of our derivative financial instruments that are in an asset position, was $36,847 as of August 31, 2025.
We utilize standard counterparty master agreements containing provisions for the netting of certain foreign currency transaction obligations and for set-off of certain obligations in the event of an insolvency of one of the parties to the transaction. These provisions may reduce our potential overall loss resulting from the insolvency of a counterparty and reduce a counterparty’s potential overall loss resulting from our insolvency. Additionally, these agreements contain early termination provisions triggered by adverse changes in a counterparty’s credit rating, thereby enabling us to accelerate settlement of a transaction prior to its contractual maturity and potentially decrease our realized loss on an open transaction. Similarly, a decrement in our credit rating could trigger a counterparty’s early termination rights, thereby enabling a counterparty to accelerate settlement of a transaction prior to its contractual maturity and potentially increase our realized loss on an open transaction. The aggregate fair value of our derivative instruments with credit-risk-related contingent features that were in a liability position as of August 31, 2025 was $281,389.
Our derivative financial instruments consist of deliverable and non-deliverable foreign currency forward contracts. Fair values for derivative financial instruments are based on prices computed using third-party valuation models and are classified as Level 2 in accordance with the three-level hierarchy of fair value measurements. All of the significant inputs to the third-party valuation models are observable in active markets. Inputs include current market-based parameters such as forward rates and yield curves. For additional information related to the three-level hierarchy of fair value measurements, see Note 12 (Retirement and Profit Sharing Plans) to these Consolidated Financial Statements.
Cash Flow Hedges
Certain of our subsidiaries are exposed to currency risk through their use of our global delivery resources. To mitigate this risk, we use foreign currency forward contracts to hedge the foreign exchange risk of the forecasted intercompany expenses denominated in foreign currencies for up to three years in the future. We have designated these derivatives as cash flow hedges. As of August 31, 2025 and 2024, we held no derivatives that were designated as fair value or net investment hedges.
In order for a derivative to qualify for hedge accounting, the derivative must be formally designated as a fair value, cash flow or net investment hedge by documenting the relationship between the derivative and the hedged item. The documentation includes a description of the hedging instrument, the hedged item, the risk being hedged, our risk management objective and strategy for undertaking the hedge, the method for assessing the effectiveness of the hedge and the method for measuring hedge ineffectiveness. Additionally, the hedge relationship must be expected to be highly effective at offsetting changes in either the fair value or cash flows of the hedged item at both inception of the hedge and on an ongoing basis.
For a cash flow hedge, the effective portion of the change in estimated fair value of a hedging instrument is recorded in Accumulated other comprehensive loss as a separate component of Shareholders’ Equity and is reclassified into Cost of services in the Consolidated Income Statements during the period in which the hedged transaction is recognized. The amounts related to derivatives designated as cash flow hedges that were reclassified into Cost of services were net losses of $10,165, net gains of $28,386 and net losses of $27,865 during fiscal 2025, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The ineffective portion of the change in fair value of a cash flow hedge is recognized immediately in Other income (expense), net in the Consolidated Income Statements and for fiscal 2025, 2024 and 2023, was not material. In addition, we did not discontinue any cash flow hedges during fiscal 2025, 2024 or 2023.
| Table of Contents | Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (continued) (In thousands of U.S. dollars, except share and per share amounts or as otherwise disclosed) | ||||||||||
| ACCENTURE 2025 FORM 10-K | F-26 | ||||||||||
Other Derivatives
We also use foreign currency forward contracts, which have not been designated as hedges, to hedge balance sheet exposures, such as intercompany loans. These instruments are generally short-term in nature, with typical maturities of less than one year, and are subject to fluctuations in foreign exchange rates. Realized gains or losses and changes in the estimated fair value of these derivatives were net losses of $147,220, $48,840 and $135,586 for fiscal 2025, 2024 and 2023, respectively. Gains and losses on these contracts are recorded in Other income (expense), net in the Consolidated Income Statements and are offset by gains and losses on the related hedged items.
Fair Value of Derivative Instruments
The notional and fair values of all derivative instruments are as follows:
| August 31, 2025 | August 31, 2024 | ||||||||||
| Assets | |||||||||||
| Cash Flow Hedges | |||||||||||
| Other current assets | $ | 13,208 | $ | 51,152 | |||||||
| Other non-current assets | 5,506 | 28,363 | |||||||||
| Other Derivatives | |||||||||||
| Other current assets | 18,133 | 39,733 | |||||||||
| Total assets | $ | 36,847 | $ | 119,248 | |||||||
| Liabilities | |||||||||||
| Cash Flow Hedges | |||||||||||
| Other accrued liabilities | $ | 128,285 | $ | 29,247 | |||||||
| Other non-current liabilities | 126,793 | 35,346 | |||||||||
| Other Derivatives | |||||||||||
| Other accrued liabilities | 26,311 | 25,974 | |||||||||
| Total liabilities | $ | 281,389 | $ | 90,567 | |||||||
| Total fair value | $ | (244,542) | $ | 28,681 | |||||||
| Total notional value | $ | 17,201,447 | $ | 14,824,483 |
We utilize standard counterparty master agreements containing provisions for the netting of certain foreign currency transaction obligations and for the set-off of certain obligations in the event of an insolvency of one of the parties to the transaction. In the Consolidated Balance Sheets, we record derivative assets and liabilities at gross fair value. The potential effect of netting derivative assets against liabilities under the counterparty master agreements is as follows:
| August 31, 2025 | August 31, 2024 | ||||||||||
| Net derivative assets | $ | 767 | $ | 91,127 | |||||||
| Net derivative liabilities | 245,309 | 62,446 | |||||||||
| Total fair value | $ | (244,542) | $ | 28,681 |
| Table of Contents | Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (continued) (In thousands of U.S. dollars, except share and per share amounts or as otherwise disclosed) | ||||||||||
| ACCENTURE 2025 FORM 10-K | F-27 | ||||||||||
10. Borrowings and Indebtedness
On October 4, 2024, Accenture Capital Inc. (“Accenture Capital”), a wholly owned finance subsidiary of Accenture plc, issued $5 billion aggregate principal amount of senior unsecured notes. Net proceeds from the offering are being used for general corporate purposes, including repayment of outstanding commercial paper borrowings. Interest on the senior unsecured notes is payable semi-annually in arrears. Accenture Capital may redeem the senior unsecured notes at any time in whole, or from time to time, in part at specified redemption prices. Accenture plc and Accenture Capital are not subject to any financial covenants under the senior unsecured notes.
The following is a summary of total outstanding debt as of August 31, 2025 and August 31, 2024, respectively:
| August 31, 2025 | August 31, 2024 | ||||||||||||||||
| Current portion of long-term debt and bank borrowings | |||||||||||||||||
| Commercial paper (1) | $ | 99,963 | $ | 931,507 | |||||||||||||
| Other (2) | 14,521 | 14,722 | |||||||||||||||
| Total current portion of long-term debt and bank borrowings | $ | 114,484 | $ | 946,229 | |||||||||||||
| Long-term debt | |||||||||||||||||
| Senior notes – 3.90% due 2027 | $ | 1,100,000 | $ | — | |||||||||||||
| Senior notes – 4.05% due 2029 | 1,200,000 | — | |||||||||||||||
| Senior notes – 4.25% due 2031 | 1,200,000 | — | |||||||||||||||
| Senior notes – 4.50% due 2034 | 1,500,000 | — | |||||||||||||||
| Total principal amount (3) | $ | 5,000,000 | $ | — | |||||||||||||
| Less: unamortized debt discount and issuance costs | (32,774) | — | |||||||||||||||
| Total carrying amount | $ | 4,967,226 | $ | — | |||||||||||||
| Other (2) | 66,943 | 78,628 | |||||||||||||||
| Total long-term debt | $ | 5,034,169 | $ | 78,628 |
(1)The carrying amounts of the commercial paper as of August 31, 2025 and August 31, 2024 include the remaining principal outstanding of $100,000 and $935,000, respectively, net of total unamortized discounts of $37 and $3,493, respectively. The weighted-average effective interest rate for the commercial paper was 4.5% and 5.4% as of August 31, 2025 and August 31, 2024, respectively.
(2)Amounts primarily include finance lease liabilities.
(3)The total estimated fair value of our senior notes was $5.0 billion as of August 31, 2025. The fair value was determined based on quoted prices as of the last trading day of fiscal 2025 and is classified as Level 2 within the fair value hierarchy.
As of August 31, 2025, future principal payments for total outstanding debt, excluding finance leases, are summarized as follows:
| Fiscal Year | Amount | ||||
| 2026 | $ | 100,000 | |||
| 2027 | — | ||||
| 2028 | 1,100,000 | ||||
| 2029 | — | ||||
| 2030 | 1,200,000 | ||||
| Thereafter | 2,700,000 | ||||
| Total | $ | 5,100,000 |
| Table of Contents | Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (continued) (In thousands of U.S. dollars, except share and per share amounts or as otherwise disclosed) | ||||||||||
| ACCENTURE 2025 FORM 10-K | F-28 | ||||||||||
As of August 31, 2025, we had the following borrowing facilities:
| Credit Facilities | |||||||||||
| Syndicated loan facility (1) | $ | 5,500,000 | |||||||||
| Separate, uncommitted, unsecured multicurrency revolving credit facilities (2) | 2,029,480 | ||||||||||
| Local guaranteed and non-guaranteed lines of credit (3) | 292,539 | ||||||||||
| Total | $ | 7,822,019 |
(1)This facility, which matures on May 14, 2029, provides unsecured, revolving borrowing capacity for general corporate purposes, including the issuance of letters of credit and short-term commercial paper. Borrowings under this facility will accrue interest at the applicable risk-free rate plus a spread. We continue to be in compliance with relevant covenant terms. The facility is subject to annual commitment fees.
(2)We maintain separate, uncommitted and unsecured multicurrency revolving credit facilities. These facilities provide local currency financing for the majority of our operations. Interest rate terms on the revolving facilities are at market rates prevailing in the relevant local markets. As of August 31, 2025 and 2024, we had no borrowings under these facilities.
(3)We also maintain local guaranteed and non-guaranteed lines of credit for those locations that cannot access our global facilities. As of August 31, 2025 and 2024, we had no borrowings under these various facilities.
We had an aggregate of $1,373,620 and $1,269,178 of letters of credit outstanding and $100,000 and $935,000 (excluding unamortized discounts) of commercial paper outstanding as of August 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively. The amount of letters of credit and commercial paper outstanding reduces the available borrowing capacity under the facilities described above.
| Table of Contents | Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (continued) (In thousands of U.S. dollars, except share and per share amounts or as otherwise disclosed) | ||||||||||
| ACCENTURE 2025 FORM 10-K | F-29 | ||||||||||
11. Income Taxes
| Fiscal | |||||||||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |||||||||||||||
| Current taxes | |||||||||||||||||
| U.S. federal | $ | 238,115 | $ | 408,281 | $ | 422,435 | |||||||||||
| U.S. state and local | 88,612 | 173,024 | 220,043 | ||||||||||||||
| Non-U.S. | 1,753,918 | 1,792,809 | 1,762,277 | ||||||||||||||
| Total current tax expense | 2,080,645 | 2,374,114 | 2,404,755 | ||||||||||||||
| Deferred taxes | |||||||||||||||||
| U.S. federal | 53,095 | (154,553) | (334,942) | ||||||||||||||
| U.S. state and local | 33,112 | (55,141) | (63,098) | ||||||||||||||
| Non-U.S. | 271,141 | 115,706 | 129,087 | ||||||||||||||
| Total deferred tax (benefit) expense | 357,348 | (93,988) | (268,953) | ||||||||||||||
| Total | $ | 2,437,993 | $ | 2,280,126 | $ | 2,135,802 |
The components of Income before income taxes are as follows:
| Fiscal | |||||||||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |||||||||||||||
| U.S. sources | $ | 1,071,581 | $ | 1,628,818 | $ | 1,562,011 | |||||||||||
| Non-U.S. sources | 9,198,812 | 8,070,505 | 7,577,321 | ||||||||||||||
| Total | $ | 10,270,393 | $ | 9,699,323 | $ | 9,139,332 |
On July 4, 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) was enacted in the U.S. The OBBBA contains a number of provisions, such as the permanent extension of certain expiring provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, modifications to the international tax framework and the restoration of favorable tax treatment for certain business provisions. The act has multiple effective dates that generally apply to us beginning with fiscal year 2026, and we expect the impacts on our consolidated financial statements to be immaterial.
The reconciliation of the U.S. federal statutory income tax rate to our effective income tax rate is as follows:
| Fiscal | |||||||||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 (2) | |||||||||||||||
| U.S. federal statutory income tax rate | 21.0 | % | 21.0 | % | 21.0 | % | |||||||||||
| U.S. state and local taxes, net | 0.7 | 0.9 | 1.1 | ||||||||||||||
| Non-U.S. operations taxed at other rates | — | 1.0 | 1.4 | ||||||||||||||
| Final determinations (1) | (1.5) | (1.2) | (1.0) | ||||||||||||||
| Other net activity in unrecognized tax benefits | 3.0 | 2.7 | 3.2 | ||||||||||||||
| Excess tax benefits from share based payments | (0.6) | (1.0) | (1.3) | ||||||||||||||
| Foreign-derived intangible income deduction | (1.4) | (1.5) | (2.1) | ||||||||||||||
| Other, net | 2.5 | 1.6 | 1.1 | ||||||||||||||
| Effective income tax rate | 23.7 | % | 23.5 | % | 23.4 | % |
(1)Final determinations include final agreements with tax authorities and expirations of statutes of limitations.
(2)Prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform with the current period presentation.
As of August 31, 2025, we had not recognized a deferred tax liability on approximately $6,600,000 of undistributed earnings for certain foreign subsidiaries, because these earnings are intended to be indefinitely reinvested. If such earnings were distributed, some countries may impose additional taxes. The unrecognized deferred tax liability (the amount payable if distributed) is approximately $340,000.
Portions of our operations are subject to reduced tax rates or are free of tax under various tax holidays which expire through fiscal 2034. The income tax benefits attributable to the tax status of these subsidiaries were estimated to be approximately $50,000, $44,000 and $40,000 in fiscal 2025, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
| Table of Contents | Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (continued) (In thousands of U.S. dollars, except share and per share amounts or as otherwise disclosed) | ||||||||||
| ACCENTURE 2025 FORM 10-K | F-30 | ||||||||||
The revaluation of deferred tax assets and liabilities due to enacted changes in tax laws and tax rates did not have a material impact on our effective tax rate in fiscal 2025, 2024, or 2023.
The components of our deferred tax assets and liabilities included the following:
| August 31, 2025 | August 31, 2024 (1) | ||||||||||
| Deferred tax assets | |||||||||||
| Pensions | $ | 494,346 | $ | 542,749 | |||||||
| Compensation and benefits | 902,451 | 756,863 | |||||||||
| Share-based compensation | 603,195 | 558,772 | |||||||||
| Tax credit carryforwards | 1,544,834 | 1,481,510 | |||||||||
| Net operating loss carryforwards | 266,770 | 287,818 | |||||||||
| Deferred amortization deductions | 649,143 | 788,681 | |||||||||
| Indirect effects of unrecognized tax benefits | 369,406 | 399,504 | |||||||||
| Licenses and other intangibles | 651,160 | 866,606 | |||||||||
| Leases | 725,001 | 771,755 | |||||||||
| Capitalized research costs | 287,480 | 667,999 | |||||||||
| Other | 1,185,022 | 858,875 | |||||||||
| Total deferred tax assets | 7,678,808 | 7,981,132 | |||||||||
| Valuation allowance | (1,689,015) | (1,618,414) | |||||||||
| Deferred tax assets, net of valuation allowance | 5,989,793 | 6,362,718 | |||||||||
| Deferred tax liabilities | |||||||||||
| Pensions | (156,872) | (162,221) | |||||||||
| Investments in subsidiaries | (226,901) | (243,796) | |||||||||
| Intangibles | (813,876) | (826,078) | |||||||||
| Leases | (635,331) | (677,569) | |||||||||
| Revenue recognition | (255,333) | (99,317) | |||||||||
| Other | (582,196) | (635,086) | |||||||||
| Total deferred tax liabilities | (2,670,509) | (2,644,067) | |||||||||
| Net deferred tax assets | $ | 3,319,284 | $ | 3,718,651 |
(1)Prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform with the current period presentation.
We recorded valuation allowances of $1,689,015 and $1,618,414 as of August 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively, against deferred tax assets principally associated with certain tax credit and tax net operating loss carryforwards, as we believe it is more likely than not that these assets will not be realized. For all other deferred tax assets, we believe it is more likely than not that the results of future operations will generate sufficient taxable income to realize these deferred tax assets. During fiscal 2025 and 2024, we recorded net increases of $70,601 and $137,737 in the valuation allowance, respectively, primarily related to valuation allowances on certain tax credit carryforwards, as we believe it is more likely than not that these assets will not be realized.
We had tax credit carryforwards as of August 31, 2025 of $1,544,834, of which $22,555 will expire between 2026 and 2035 and $1,522,279 has an indefinite carryforward period. We had net operating loss carryforwards as of August 31, 2025 of $1,089,806. Of this amount, $134,443 expires between 2026 and 2035, $87,549 expires between 2036 and 2045, and $867,814 has an indefinite carryforward period.
As of August 31, 2025, we had $2,409,655 of unrecognized tax benefits, of which $1,614,917, if recognized, would favorably affect our effective tax rate. As of August 31, 2024, we had $1,904,867 of unrecognized tax benefits, of which $1,408,347, if recognized, would favorably affect our effective tax rate. The remaining unrecognized tax benefits as of August 31, 2025 and 2024 of $794,738 and $496,520, respectively, represent items recorded as offsetting tax benefits associated with the correlative effects of potential transfer pricing adjustments, state income taxes and timing adjustments.
| Table of Contents | Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (continued) (In thousands of U.S. dollars, except share and per share amounts or as otherwise disclosed) | ||||||||||
| ACCENTURE 2025 FORM 10-K | F-31 | ||||||||||
A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amounts of unrecognized tax benefits is as follows:
| Fiscal | |||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | ||||||||||
| Balance, beginning of year | $ | 1,904,867 | $ | 1,744,481 | |||||||
| Additions for tax positions related to the current year | 430,312 | 348,146 | |||||||||
| Additions for tax positions related to prior years | 501,497 | 95,354 | |||||||||
| Reductions for tax positions related to prior years | (314,740) | (189,689) | |||||||||
| Statute of limitations expirations | (99,001) | (85,362) | |||||||||
| Settlements with tax authorities | (12,396) | (11,488) | |||||||||
| Cumulative translation adjustment | (884) | 3,425 | |||||||||
| Balance, end of year | $ | 2,409,655 | $ | 1,904,867 |
We recognize interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in our Income tax expense. During fiscal 2025, 2024 and 2023, we recognized a benefit of $20,036 and expense of $37,396 and $21,137 in interest and penalties, respectively. Accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits of $186,901 ($173,628, net of tax benefits) and $210,642 ($198,328, net of tax benefits) were reflected on our Consolidated Balance Sheets as of August 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively.
As a global company, we file tax returns in numerous tax jurisdictions including the U.S. and Ireland, where in both jurisdictions the tax years from fiscal 2021 forward remain open for examination. We participate in the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) Compliance Assurance Process (“CAP”). In CAP, the IRS examines tax years on a contemporaneous basis, and most issues are resolved prior to filing the tax return. We also participate in the Irish Cooperative Compliance Framework (“CCF”) which promotes a collaborative approach to tax return review between taxpayers and Irish Revenue. In addition, we are negotiating a bilateral Advance Pricing Agreement (“APA”) with the U.S. and Ireland that covers fiscal 2021 through fiscal 2025. We expect through this APA to gain certainty and avoid prolonged disputes on the pricing of intercompany transactions between the U.S. and Ireland. We expect to conclude the APA in fiscal 2026 or fiscal 2027.
We are currently under audit in U.S. state and other non-U.S. tax jurisdictions. However, with limited exceptions, we are no longer subject to examination by those taxing authorities for years before 2017. Although the outcome of tax audits is always uncertain and could result in significant cash tax payments, we do not believe the outcome of these audits will have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position or results of operations. We believe that it is reasonably possible that our unrecognized tax benefits could decrease by approximately $187,000 or increase by approximately $1,400,000 in the next 12 months as a result of settlements, lapses of statutes of limitations, tax audit activity and other agreements with taxing authorities. The majority of these amounts relate to transfer pricing matters in both U.S. and non-U.S. tax jurisdictions.
| Table of Contents | Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (continued) (In thousands of U.S. dollars, except share and per share amounts or as otherwise disclosed) | ||||||||||
| ACCENTURE 2025 FORM 10-K | F-32 | ||||||||||
12. Retirement and Profit Sharing Plans
Defined Benefit Pension and Postretirement Plans
In the United States and certain other countries, we maintain and administer defined benefit retirement plans and postretirement medical plans for certain current, retired and resigned employees. In addition, our U.S. defined benefit pension plans include a frozen plan for former pre-incorporation partners, which is unfunded. Benefits under the employee retirement plans are primarily based on years of service and compensation during the years immediately preceding retirement or termination of participation in the plan. The defined benefit pension disclosures include our U.S. and material non-U.S. defined benefit pension plans.
Assumptions
The weighted-average assumptions used to determine the defined benefit pension obligations as of August 31 and the net periodic pension expense are as follows:
| Pension Plans | Postretirement Plans | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| August 31, 2025 | August 31, 2024 | August 31, 2023 | August 31, 2025 | August 31, 2024 | August 31, 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| U.S. Plans | Non-U.S. Plans | U.S. Plans | Non-U.S. Plans | U.S. Plans | Non-U.S. Plans | U.S. and Non-U.S. Plans | U.S. and Non-U.S. Plans | U.S. and Non-U.S. Plans | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Discount rate for determining projected benefit obligation | 5.50 | % | 4.50 | % | 5.25 | % | 4.46 | % | 5.00 | % | 4.68 | % | 5.48 | % | 5.24 | % | 5.00 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Discount rate for determining net periodic pension expense | 5.25 | % | 4.46 | % | 5.00 | % | 4.68 | % | 4.25 | % | 3.99 | % | 5.24 | % | 5.00 | % | 4.28 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Long term rate of return on plan assets | 4.25 | % | 3.91 | % | 3.75 | % | 3.82 | % | 3.50 | % | 3.19 | % | 2.80 | % | 2.47 | % | 2.88 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rate of increase in future compensation for determining projected benefit obligation | 2.00 | % | 4.99 | % | 2.05 | % | 5.07 | % | 2.07 | % | 5.13 | % | N/A | N/A | N/A | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rate of increase in future compensation for determining net periodic pension expense | 2.05 | % | 5.07 | % | 2.07 | % | 5.13 | % | 2.07 | % | 5.30 | % | N/A | N/A | N/A | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest crediting rate for determining projected benefit obligation | N/A | 1.08 | % | N/A | 1.10 | % | N/A | 1.59 | % | N/A | N/A | N/A | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest crediting rate for determining net periodic pension expense | N/A | 1.10 | % | N/A | 1.59 | % | N/A | 1.37 | % | N/A | N/A | N/A |
We utilize a full yield curve approach to estimate the service and interest cost components by applying specific spot rates along the yield curve used in the determination of the benefit obligation to the relevant projected cash flows. This approach provides a correlation between projected benefit cash flows and the corresponding yield curve spot rates and provides a precise measurement of service and interest costs. The discount rate assumptions are based on the expected duration of the benefit payments for each of our defined benefit pension and postretirement plans as of the annual measurement date and are subject to change each year.
The expected long-term rate of return on plan assets should, over time, approximate the actual long-term returns on defined benefit pension and postretirement plan assets and is based on historical returns and the future expectations for returns for each asset class, as well as the target asset allocation of the asset portfolio.
Assumed U.S. Health Care Cost Trend
Our U.S. postretirement plan assumed annual rate of increase in the per capita cost of health care benefits is 9.0% for the plan year ending August 31, 2026. The rate is assumed to decrease on a straight-line basis to 4.0% for the plan year ending August 31, 2050 and remain at that level thereafter.
| Table of Contents | Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (continued) (In thousands of U.S. dollars, except share and per share amounts or as otherwise disclosed) | ||||||||||
| ACCENTURE 2025 FORM 10-K | F-33 | ||||||||||
Pension and Postretirement Expense
Pension expense for fiscal 2025, 2024 and 2023 was $219,933, $222,891 and $206,346, respectively. Postretirement expense for fiscal 2025, 2024 and 2023 was not material to our Consolidated Financial Statements. The service cost component of pension and postretirement expense is included in operating expenses while the other components of net benefit cost are included in Other income (expense), net.
Benefit Obligation, Plan Assets and Funded Status
The changes in the benefit obligations, plan assets and funded status of our pension and postretirement benefit plans for fiscal 2025 and 2024 are as follows:
| Pension Plans | Postretirement Plans | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| August 31, 2025 | August 31, 2024 | August 31, 2025 | August 31, 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| U.S. Plans | Non-U.S. Plans | U.S. Plans | Non-U.S. Plans | U.S. and Non-U.S. Plans | U.S. and Non-U.S. Plans | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reconciliation of benefit obligation | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Benefit obligation, beginning of year | $ | 304,342 | $ | 2,176,883 | $ | 311,871 | $ | 2,032,733 | $ | 595,971 | $ | 500,978 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Service cost | 861 | 151,485 | 1,379 | 143,673 | 25,319 | 21,628 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest cost | 14,564 | 93,986 | 15,209 | 89,795 | 30,171 | 24,992 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Participant contributions | — | 19,894 | — | 20,524 | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Acquisitions/divestitures/transfers | — | 6,336 | — | 6,999 | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Amendments | — | — | — | 307 | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Actuarial (gain) loss | (6,457) | (10,852) | (5,848) | 31,528 | (65,651) | 70,382 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Benefits paid | (18,992) | (111,277) | (18,269) | (102,054) | (19,063) | (21,183) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Exchange rate impact | — | 54,145 | — | (46,622) | 37 | (826) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Benefit obligation, end of year | $ | 294,318 | $ | 2,380,600 | $ | 304,342 | $ | 2,176,883 | $ | 566,784 | $ | 595,971 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reconciliation of fair value of plan assets | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fair value of plan assets, beginning of year | $ | 220,926 | $ | 1,202,348 | $ | 216,596 | $ | 1,126,387 | $ | 29,140 | $ | 28,391 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Actual return on plan assets | 5,864 | 44,832 | 11,396 | 64,530 | 332 | 1,696 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Acquisitions/divestitures/transfers | — | (2,915) | — | 5,142 | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Employer contributions | 10,674 | 126,948 | 11,203 | 116,343 | 17,386 | 20,236 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Participant contributions | — | 19,894 | — | 20,524 | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Benefits paid | (18,992) | (111,277) | (18,269) | (102,054) | (19,063) | (21,183) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Exchange rate impact | — | 60,535 | — | (28,524) | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fair value of plan assets, end of year | $ | 218,472 | $ | 1,340,365 | $ | 220,926 | $ | 1,202,348 | $ | 27,795 | $ | 29,140 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Funded status, end of year | $ | (75,846) | $ | (1,040,235) | $ | (83,416) | $ | (974,535) | $ | (538,989) | $ | (566,831) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Amounts recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheets | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Non-current assets | $ | 10,455 | $ | 161,404 | $ | 12,098 | $ | 148,357 | $ | — | $ | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current liabilities | (10,855) | (63,117) | (11,389) | (52,743) | (1,058) | (1,195) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Non-current liabilities | (75,446) | (1,138,522) | (84,125) | (1,070,149) | (537,931) | (565,636) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Funded status, end of year | $ | (75,846) | $ | (1,040,235) | $ | (83,416) | $ | (974,535) | $ | (538,989) | $ | (566,831) |
| Table of Contents | Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (continued) (In thousands of U.S. dollars, except share and per share amounts or as otherwise disclosed) | ||||||||||
| ACCENTURE 2025 FORM 10-K | F-34 | ||||||||||
Accumulated Other Comprehensive (Gain) Loss
The pre-tax accumulated net (gain) loss and prior service (credit) cost recognized in Accumulated other comprehensive (gain) loss as of August 31, 2025 and 2024 is as follows:
| Pension Plans | Postretirement Plans | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| August 31, 2025 | August 31, 2024 | August 31, 2025 | August 31, 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| U.S. Plans | Non-U.S. Plans | U.S. Plans | Non-U.S. Plans | U.S. and Non-U.S. Plans | U.S. and Non-U.S. Plans | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net (gain) loss | $ | 64,419 | $ | 292,577 | $ | 72,948 | $ | 310,100 | $ | (87,367) | $ | (22,993) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prior service (credit) cost | — | (18,190) | — | (17,326) | 3,163 | 4,143 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Accumulated other comprehensive (gain) loss, pre-tax | $ | 64,419 | $ | 274,387 | $ | 72,948 | $ | 292,774 | $ | (84,204) | $ | (18,850) |
Funded Status for Defined Benefit Plans
The accumulated benefit obligation for defined benefit pension plans as of August 31, 2025 and 2024 is as follows:
| August 31, 2025 | August 31, 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| U.S. Plans | Non-U.S. Plans | U.S. Plans | Non-U.S. Plans | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Accumulated benefit obligation | $ | 293,823 | $ | 2,089,774 | $ | 303,302 | $ | 1,894,477 |
The following information is provided for defined benefit pension plans and postretirement plans with projected benefit obligations in excess of plan assets and for defined benefit pension plans with accumulated benefit obligations in excess of plan assets as of August 31, 2025 and 2024:
| Pension Plans | Postretirement Plans | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| August 31, 2025 | August 31, 2024 | August 31, 2025 | August 31, 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| U.S. Plans | Non-U.S. Plans | U.S. Plans | Non-U.S. Plans | U.S. and Non-U.S. Plans | U.S. and Non-U.S. Plans | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Projected benefit obligation in excess of plan assets | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Projected benefit obligation | $ | 86,302 | $ | 1,531,376 | $ | 95,514 | $ | 1,426,931 | $ | 566,784 | $ | 595,971 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fair value of plan assets | — | 329,737 | — | 304,039 | 27,795 | 29,140 |
| August 31, 2025 | August 31, 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| U.S. Plans | Non-U.S. Plans | U.S. Plans | Non-U.S. Plans | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Accumulated benefit obligation in excess of plan assets | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Accumulated benefit obligation | $ | 86,302 | $ | 1,260,569 | $ | 95,514 | $ | 1,110,660 | |||||||||||||||
| Fair value of plan assets | — | 320,087 | — | 241,608 |
Investment Strategies
U.S. Pension Plans
The overall investment objective of the defined benefit pension plans is to match the duration of the plans’ assets to the plans’ liabilities while managing risk in order to meet current defined benefit pension obligations. The plans’ future prospects, their current financial conditions, our current funding levels and other relevant factors suggest that the plans can tolerate some interim fluctuations in market value and rates of return in order to achieve long-term objectives without undue risk to the plans’ ability to meet their current benefit obligations. We recognize that asset allocation of the defined benefit pension plans’ assets is an important factor in determining long-term performance. Actual asset allocations at any point in time may
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vary from the target asset allocations and will be dictated by current and anticipated market conditions, required cash flows and investment decisions of the investment committee and the pension plans’ investment funds and managers. Ranges are established to provide flexibility for the asset allocation to vary around the targets without the need for immediate rebalancing.
Non-U.S. Pension Plans
Plan assets in non-U.S. defined benefit pension plans conform to the investment policies and procedures of each plan and to relevant legislation. The pension committee or trustee of each plan regularly, but at least annually, reviews the investment policy and the performance of the investment managers. In certain countries, the trustee is also required to consult with us. Asset allocation decisions are made to provide risk adjusted returns that align with the overall investment strategy for each plan. Generally, the investment return objective of each plan is to achieve a total annualized rate of return that exceeds inflation over the long term by an amount based on the target asset allocation mix of that plan. In certain countries, plan assets are invested in funds that are required to hold a majority of assets in bonds, with a smaller proportion in equities. Also, certain plan assets are entirely invested in contracts held with the plan insurer, which determines the strategy. Defined benefit pension plans in certain countries are unfunded.
Risk Management
Plan investments are exposed to risks including market, interest rate and operating risk. In order to mitigate significant concentrations of these risks, the assets are invested in a diversified portfolio primarily consisting of fixed income instruments and equities. To minimize asset volatility relative to the liabilities, plan assets allocated to debt securities appropriately match the duration of individual plan liabilities. Equities are diversified between U.S. and non-U.S. index funds and are intended to achieve long term capital appreciation. Plan asset allocation and investment managers’ guidelines are reviewed on a regular basis.
Plan Assets
Our target allocation for fiscal 2026 and weighted-average plan assets allocations as of August 31, 2025 and 2024 by asset category for defined benefit pension plans are as follows:
| 2026 Target Allocation | 2025 | 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| U.S. Plans | Non-U.S. Plans | U.S. Plans | Non-U.S. Plans | U.S. Plans | Non-U.S. Plans | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Asset Category | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Equity securities | — | % | 30 | % | — | % | 23 | % | — | % | 23 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Debt securities | 100 | 37 | 96 | 44 | 94 | 42 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cash and short-term investments | — | 5 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Insurance contracts | — | 20 | — | 19 | — | 21 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other | — | 8 | — | 10 | — | 9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 100 | % | 100 | % | 100 | % | 100 | % | 100 | % | 100 | % |
Fair Value Measurements
Fair value is the price that would be received upon sale of an asset or paid upon transfer of a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date and in the principal or most advantageous market for that asset or liability. The fair value should be calculated based on assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability, not on assumptions specific to the entity.
The three-level hierarchy of fair value measurements is based on whether the inputs to those measurements are observable or unobservable. Observable inputs reflect market data obtained from independent sources, while unobservable inputs reflect our market assumptions. The fair-value hierarchy requires the use of observable market data when available and consists of the following levels:
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Level 1—Quoted prices for identical instruments in active markets;
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Level 2—Quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active; and model-derived valuations in which all significant inputs are observable in active markets; and
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Level 3—Valuations derived from valuation techniques in which one or more significant inputs are unobservable.
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The fair values of defined benefit pension and postretirement plan assets as of August 31, 2025 are as follows:
| Non-U.S. Plans | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Total | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Equity | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mutual fund equity securities | $ | 29,567 | $ | 278,951 | $ | — | $ | 308,518 | |||||||||||||||
| Fixed Income | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| U.S. government, state and local debt securities | — | 5,823 | — | 5,823 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Non-U.S. government debt securities | 237,760 | 35,549 | — | 273,309 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Non-U.S. corporate debt securities | 15,250 | — | — | 15,250 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Mutual fund debt securities | — | 291,250 | — | 291,250 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Cash and short-term investments | 54,186 | — | — | 54,186 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Insurance contracts | — | 69,219 | 193,119 | 262,338 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Other | — | 99,194 | 30,497 | 129,691 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Total | $ | 336,763 | $ | 779,986 | $ | 223,616 | $ | 1,340,365 |
The level 3 assets are primarily invested in an insurance buy-in contract in a Non-U.S. plan. The fair value of the assets is set to an actuarially calculated present value of the underlying liabilities.
The U.S. Plans have $246,267 in Level 2 assets, primarily made up of U.S. corporate debt securities of $167,631 and U.S. government, state and local debt securities of $38,030.
The following table provides a reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances of Level 3 assets for fiscal 2025:
| Level 3 Assets | Fiscal 2025 | ||||
| Beginning balance | $ | 211,703 | |||
| Changes in fair value | 11,913 | ||||
| Ending Balance | $ | 223,616 |
The fair values of defined benefit pension and postretirement plan assets as of August 31, 2024 are as follows:
| Non-U.S. Plans | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Total | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Equity | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mutual fund equity securities | $ | 20,205 | $ | 253,494 | $ | — | $ | 273,699 | |||||||||||||||
| Fixed Income | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| U.S. government, state and local debt securities | — | 9,765 | — | 9,765 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Non-U.S. government debt securities | 208,550 | 18,821 | — | 227,371 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Non-U.S. corporate debt securities | 13,471 | — | — | 13,471 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Mutual fund debt securities | — | 253,025 | — | 253,025 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Cash and short-term investments | 63,383 | — | — | 63,383 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Insurance contracts | — | 65,083 | 184,884 | 249,967 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Other | — | 84,848 | 26,819 | 111,667 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Total | $ | 305,609 | $ | 685,036 | $ | 211,703 | $ | 1,202,348 |
The level 3 assets are primarily invested in an insurance buy-in contract in a Non-U.S. plan. The fair value of the assets is set to an actuarially calculated present value of the underlying liabilities.
The U.S. Plans have $250,066 in Level 2 assets, primarily made up of U.S. corporate debt securities of $169,800 and U.S. government, state and local debt securities of $35,086.
The following table provides a reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances of Level 3 assets for fiscal 2024:
| Level 3 Assets | Fiscal 2024 | ||||
| Beginning balance | $ | 207,910 | |||
| Changes in fair value | 3,793 | ||||
| Ending Balance | $ | 211,703 |
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Expected Contributions
Generally, annual contributions are made at such times and in amounts as required by law and may, from time to time, exceed minimum funding requirements. We estimate we will pay approximately $170,941 in fiscal 2026 related to contributions to our U.S. and non-U.S. defined benefit pension plans and benefit payments related to the unfunded frozen plan for former pre-incorporation partners. We have not determined whether we will make additional voluntary contributions for our defined benefit pension plans. Our postretirement plan contributions in fiscal 2026 are not expected to be material to our Consolidated Financial Statements.
Estimated Future Benefit Payments
Benefit payments for defined benefit pension plans and postretirement plans, which reflect expected future service, as appropriate, are expected to be paid as follows:
| Pension Plans | Postretirement Plans | ||||||||||||||||
| U.S. Plans | Non-U.S. Plans | U.S. and Non-U.S. Plans | |||||||||||||||
| 2026 | $ | 20,491 | $ | 152,741 | $ | 14,917 | |||||||||||
| 2027 | 21,175 | 154,859 | 16,736 | ||||||||||||||
| 2028 | 22,024 | 170,569 | 18,794 | ||||||||||||||
| 2029 | 22,734 | 184,843 | 20,978 | ||||||||||||||
| 2030 | 23,197 | 198,392 | 23,244 | ||||||||||||||
| 2031-2035 | 115,611 | 1,066,986 | 154,411 |
Defined Contribution Plans
In the United States and certain other countries, we maintain and administer defined contribution plans for certain current, retired and resigned employees. Total expenses recorded for defined contribution plans were $949,214, $914,092 and $976,230 in fiscal 2025, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
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13. Share-Based Compensation
Share Incentive Plans
The Amended and Restated Accenture plc 2010 Share Incentive Plan (the “Amended 2010 SIP”), is administered by the Compensation, Culture & People Committee of the Board of Directors of Accenture and provides for the grant of nonqualified share options, incentive stock options, restricted share units and other share-based awards. A maximum of 141,000,000 Accenture plc Class A ordinary shares are currently authorized for awards under the Amended 2010 SIP. As of August 31, 2025, there were 20,971,852 shares available for future grants. Accenture plc Class A ordinary shares covered by awards that terminate, lapse or are cancelled may again be used to satisfy awards under the Amended 2010 SIP. We issue new Accenture plc Class A ordinary shares and shares from treasury for shares delivered under the Amended 2010 SIP.
A summary of information with respect to share-based compensation is as follows:
| Fiscal | |||||||||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |||||||||||||||
| Total share-based compensation expense included in Net income | $ | 2,093,878 | $ | 1,941,590 | $ | 1,913,051 | |||||||||||
| Income tax benefit related to share-based compensation included in Net income | 581,521 | 572,904 | 585,767 |
Restricted Share Units
Under the Amended 2010 SIP, participants may be, and previously under the predecessor 2001 Share Incentive Plan were, granted restricted share units, each of which represent an unfunded, unsecured right to receive an Accenture plc Class A ordinary share on the date specified in the participant’s award agreement. The fair value of the awards is based on our stock price on the date of grant. The restricted share units granted under these plans are subject to cliff or graded vesting, generally ranging from two to five years. For awards with graded vesting, compensation expense is recognized over the vesting term of each separately vesting portion. Compensation expense is recognized on a straight-line basis for awards with cliff vesting. Restricted share unit activity during fiscal 2025 is as follows:
| Number of Restricted Share Units | Weighted Average Grant-Date Fair Value | ||||||||||
| Nonvested balance as of August 31, 2024 | 15,823,227 | $ | 311.06 | ||||||||
| Granted (1) | 7,642,010 | 346.49 | |||||||||
| Vested (2) | (6,119,669) | 310.36 | |||||||||
| Forfeited | (1,360,494) | 345.82 | |||||||||
| Nonvested balance as of August 31, 2025 | 15,985,074 | $ | 325.33 |
(1)The weighted average grant-date fair value for restricted share units granted for fiscal 2025, 2024 and 2023 was $346.49, $341.78 and $267.37, respectively.
(2)The total grant-date fair value of restricted share units vested for fiscal 2025, 2024 and 2023 was $1,899,308, $1,726,373 and $1,716,464, respectively.
As of August 31, 2025, there was $1,671,700 of total unrecognized restricted share unit compensation expense related to nonvested awards, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 1.1 years. As of August 31, 2025, there were 405,396 restricted share units vested but not yet delivered as Accenture plc Class A ordinary shares.
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Employee Share Purchase Plan
2010 ESPP
The Amended and Restated Accenture plc 2010 Employee Share Purchase Plan (the “2010 ESPP”) is a nonqualified plan that provides eligible employees of Accenture plc and its designated affiliates with an opportunity to purchase Accenture plc Class A ordinary shares through payroll deductions. Under the 2010 ESPP, eligible employees may purchase Accenture plc Class A ordinary shares through the Employee Share Purchase Plan (the “ESPP”) or the Voluntary Equity Investment Program (the “VEIP”). Under the ESPP, eligible employees may elect to contribute 1% to 10% of their eligible compensation during each semi-annual offering period (up to $7.5 per offering period) to purchase Accenture plc Class A ordinary shares at a discount. Under the VEIP, eligible members of Accenture Leadership may elect to contribute up to 30% of their eligible compensation towards the monthly purchase of Accenture plc Class A ordinary shares at fair market value. At the end of the VEIP program year, Accenture Leadership participants who did not withdraw from the program will be granted restricted share units under the Amended 2010 SIP equal to 50% of the number of shares purchased during that year and held by the participant as of the grant date.
A maximum of 135,000,000 Accenture plc Class A ordinary shares may be issued under the 2010 ESPP. As of August 31, 2025, we had issued 88,943,611 Accenture plc Class A ordinary shares under the 2010 ESPP. We issued 4,519,579, 4,904,718 and 5,710,542 shares to employees in fiscal 2025, 2024 and 2023, respectively, under the 2010 ESPP.
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14. Shareholders’ Equity
Accenture plc
Ordinary Shares
We have 40,000 authorized ordinary shares, par value €1 per share. Each ordinary share of Accenture plc entitles its holder to receive payments upon a liquidation of Accenture plc; however, a holder of an ordinary share is not entitled to vote on matters submitted to a vote of shareholders of Accenture plc or to receive dividends.
Class A Ordinary Shares
An Accenture plc Class A ordinary share entitles its holder to one vote per share, and holders of those shares do not have cumulative voting rights. Each Class A ordinary share entitles its holder to a pro rata part of any dividend at the times and in the amounts, if any, which Accenture plc’s Board of Directors from time to time determines to declare, subject to any preferred dividend rights attaching to any preferred shares. Each Class A ordinary share is entitled on a winding-up of Accenture plc to be paid a pro rata part of the value of the assets of Accenture plc remaining after payment of its liabilities, subject to any preferred rights on liquidation attaching to any preferred shares.
Class X Ordinary Shares
Most of our pre-incorporation partners who received Accenture Canada Holdings Inc. exchangeable shares in connection with our transition to a corporate structure received a corresponding number of Accenture plc Class X ordinary shares. An Accenture plc Class X ordinary share entitles its holder to one vote per share, and holders of those shares do not have cumulative voting rights. A Class X ordinary share does not entitle its holder to receive dividends, and holders of those shares are not entitled to be paid any amount upon a winding-up of Accenture plc. Accenture plc may redeem, at its option, any Class X ordinary share for a redemption price equal to the par value of the Class X ordinary share. Accenture plc has separately agreed with the original holders of Accenture Canada Holdings Inc. exchangeable shares not to redeem any Class X ordinary share of such holder if the redemption would reduce the number of Class X ordinary shares held by that holder to a number that is less than the number of Accenture Canada Holdings Inc. exchangeable shares owned by that holder, as the case may be. Accenture plc will redeem Class X ordinary shares upon the redemption or exchange of Accenture Canada Holdings Inc. exchangeable shares so that the aggregate number of Class X ordinary shares outstanding at any time does not exceed the aggregate number of Accenture Canada Holdings Inc. exchangeable shares outstanding. Class X ordinary shares are not transferable without the consent of Accenture plc.
Equity of Subsidiaries Redeemable or Exchangeable for Accenture plc Class A Ordinary Shares
Accenture Canada Holdings Inc. Exchangeable Shares
Pre-incorporation partners resident in Canada and New Zealand received Accenture Canada Holdings Inc. exchangeable shares in connection with our transition to a corporate structure. Holders of Accenture Canada Holdings Inc. exchangeable shares may exchange their shares for Accenture plc Class A ordinary shares at any time on a one-for-one basis. We may, at our option, satisfy this exchange with cash at a price per share generally equal to the market price of an Accenture plc Class A ordinary share at the time of the exchange. Each exchangeable share of Accenture Canada Holdings Inc. entitles its holder to receive distributions equal to any distributions to which an Accenture plc Class A ordinary share entitles its holder.
Share Purchases and Redemptions
The Board of Directors of Accenture plc has authorized funding for our publicly announced open-market share purchase program for acquiring Accenture plc Class A ordinary shares and for purchases and redemptions of Accenture plc Class A ordinary shares and Accenture Canada Holdings Inc. exchangeable shares held by current and former members of Accenture Leadership and their permitted transferees. As of August 31, 2025, our aggregate available authorization was $2,850,777 for our publicly announced open-market share purchase and these other share purchase programs.
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Our share purchase activity during fiscal 2025 is as follows:
| Accenture plc Class A Ordinary Shares | Accenture Canada Holdings Inc. Exchangeable Shares | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shares | Amount | Shares | Amount | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Open-market share purchases (1) | 11,878,584 | $ | 3,838,976 | — | $ | — | |||||||||||||||||
| Other share purchase programs | — | — | 12,271 | 4,528 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Other purchases (2) | 2,203,778 | 775,993 | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 14,082,362 | $ | 4,614,969 | 12,271 | $ | 4,528 |
(1)We conduct a publicly announced open-market share purchase program for Accenture plc Class A ordinary shares. These shares are held as treasury shares by Accenture plc and may be utilized to provide for select employee benefits, such as equity awards to our employees.
(2)During fiscal 2025, as authorized under our various employee equity share plans, we acquired Accenture plc Class A ordinary shares primarily via share withholding for payroll tax obligations due from employees and former employees in connection with the delivery of Accenture plc Class A ordinary shares under those plans. These purchases of shares in connection with employee share plans do not affect our aggregate available authorization for our publicly announced open-market share purchase and the other share purchase programs.
Cancellation of Treasury Shares
During fiscal 2025, we cancelled 22,738,965 Accenture plc Class A ordinary shares that were held as treasury shares and had an aggregate cost of $6,666,403. The effect of the cancellation of these treasury shares was recognized in Class A ordinary shares and Additional paid-in capital with the residual recorded in Retained earnings. There was no effect on total shareholders’ equity as a result of this cancellation.
Dividends
Our dividend activity during fiscal 2025 is as follows:
| Dividend Per Share | Accenture plc Class A Ordinary Shares | Accenture Canada Holdings Inc. Exchangeable Shares | Total Cash Outlay | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dividend Payment Date | Record Date | Cash Outlay | Record Date | Cash Outlay | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| November 15, 2024 | $ | 1.48 | October 10, 2024 | $ | 924,675 | October 9, 2024 | $ | 883 | $ | 925,558 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| February 14, 2025 | 1.48 | January 16, 2025 | 928,114 | January 15, 2025 | 878 | 928,992 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| May 15, 2025 | 1.48 | April 10, 2025 | 923,028 | April 9, 2025 | 866 | 923,894 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| August 15, 2025 | 1.48 | July 10, 2025 | 920,860 | July 9, 2025 | 865 | 921,725 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total Dividends | $ | 3,696,677 | $ | 3,492 | $ | 3,700,169 |
The payment of cash dividends includes the net effect of $134,689 of additional restricted stock units being issued as a part of our share plans, which resulted in 415,705 restricted share units being issued.
Subsequent Events
On September 22, 2025, the Board of Directors of Accenture plc declared a quarterly cash dividend of $1.63 per share on our Class A ordinary shares for shareholders of record at the close of business on October 10, 2025, payable on November 14, 2025.
On September 22, 2025, the Board of Directors of Accenture plc approved $5,000,000 in additional share repurchase authority, bringing Accenture’s total outstanding authority to $7,850,777.
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15. Commitments and Contingencies
Indemnifications and Guarantees
In the normal course of business and in conjunction with certain client engagements, we have entered into contractual arrangements through which we may be obligated to indemnify clients with respect to certain matters. These arrangements with clients can include provisions whereby we have joint and several liability in relation to the performance of certain contractual obligations along with third parties also providing services and products for a specific project. In addition, our consulting arrangements may include warranty provisions that our solutions will substantially operate in accordance with the applicable system requirements. Indemnification provisions are also included in arrangements under which we agree to hold the indemnified party harmless with respect to third-party claims related to such matters as title to assets sold or licensed or certain intellectual property rights.
Typically, we have contractual recourse against third parties for certain payments we made in connection with arrangements where third-party nonperformance has given rise to the client’s claim. Payments we made under any of the arrangements described above are generally conditioned on the client making a claim, which may be disputed by us typically under dispute resolution procedures specified in the particular arrangement. The limitations of liability under these arrangements may be expressly limited or may not be expressly specified in terms of time and/or amount.
As of August 31, 2025 and 2024, our aggregate potential liability to our clients for expressly limited guarantees involving the performance of third parties was approximately $2,225,000 and $2,370,000, respectively, of which all but approximately $55,000 and $61,000, respectively, may be recovered from the other third parties if we are obligated to make payments to the indemnified parties as a consequence of a performance default by the other third parties. For arrangements with unspecified limitations, we cannot reasonably estimate the aggregate maximum potential liability, as it is inherently difficult to predict the maximum potential amount of such payments, due to the conditional nature and unique facts of each particular arrangement.
As of August 31, 2025 and 2024, we have issued or provided guarantees in the form of letters of credit and surety bonds of $1,997,596 ($1,788,832 net of recourse provisions) and $1,758,783 ($1,609,046 net of recourse provisions) respectively, the majority of which support certain contracts that require us to provide them as a guarantee of our performance. These guarantees are typically renewed annually and remain in place until the contractual obligations are satisfied. In general, we would only be liable for these guarantees in the event we defaulted in performing our obligations under each contract, the probability of which we believe is remote.
To date, we have not been required to make any significant payment under any of the arrangements described above. We have assessed the current status of performance/payment risk related to arrangements with limited guarantees, warranty obligations, unspecified limitations, indemnification provisions, letters of credit and surety bonds, and believe that any potential payments would be immaterial to the Consolidated Financial Statements, as a whole.
Legal Contingencies
As of August 31, 2025, we or our present personnel had been named as a defendant in various litigation matters. We and/or our personnel also from time to time are involved in investigations by various regulatory or legal authorities concerning matters arising in the course of our business around the world. Based on the present status of these matters, except as otherwise noted below, management believes the range of reasonably possible losses in addition to amounts accrued, net of insurance recoveries, will not have a material effect on our results of operations or financial condition.
On July 24, 2019, Accenture was named in a putative class action lawsuit filed by consumers of Marriott International, Inc. (“Marriott”) in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. The complaint alleges negligence by us, and seeks monetary damages, costs and attorneys’ fees and other related relief, relating to a data security incident involving unauthorized access to the reservations database of Starwood Worldwide Resorts, Inc. (“Starwood”), which was acquired by Marriott on September 23, 2016. Since 2009, we have provided certain IT infrastructure outsourcing services to Starwood. On May 3, 2022, the court issued an order granting in part the plaintiffs’ motion for class certification, which we appealed. On August 17, 2023, the appeals court vacated the class certification and remanded the case to the district court for consideration of, among other things, the class action waiver signed by Starwood customer plaintiffs. On November 29, 2023, the district court reinstated the classes previously certified by the court in May 2022. We appealed the district court’s decision, and on June 3, 2025, the appeals court again reversed the class certification and declined to order another remand to the district court on those certification issues. We continue to believe the lawsuit is without merit and we will continue to vigorously defend it. At
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present, we do not believe any losses from this matter will have a material effect on our results of operations or financial condition.
After Accenture Federal Services (“AFS”) made a voluntary disclosure to the U.S. government, the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) initiated a civil and criminal investigation concerning whether one or more employees provided inaccurate submissions to an assessor who was evaluating on behalf of the U.S. government an AFS service offering and whether the service offering fully implemented required federal security controls. AFS is responding to an administrative subpoena and cooperating with DOJ’s investigation. This matter could subject us to adverse consequences, including civil and criminal penalties, including under the civil U.S. False Claims Act and/or other statutes, and administrative sanctions, such as termination of contracts, forfeiture of profits, suspension of payments, fines and suspensions or debarment from doing business with agencies of the U.S. government. We cannot at this time determine when or how this matter will be resolved or estimate the cost or range of costs in excess of the amounts already accrued that are reasonably likely to be incurred in connection with this matter.
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16. Segment Reporting
Operating segments are components of an enterprise for which separate financial information is evaluated regularly by the chief operating decision maker(s). Our three reportable segments are our geographic markets: Americas, EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) and Asia Pacific. Each market represents a strategic business unit providing consulting and managed services to clients across different industries.
Our chief operating decision makers are our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer who evaluate our reportable segments based on segment revenue and operating income. Company resources are aligned to reportable segments based on market demand.
Information regarding our geographic markets is as follows. Amounts are attributed to geographic markets based on where clients are located. Our expenses primarily consist of employee compensation costs, subcontractor costs and facilities and technology costs.
| Fiscal 2025 (1) | Americas | EMEA | Asia Pacific | Total | |||||||||||||||||||
| Revenues | $ | 35,056,715 | $ | 24,643,957 | $ | 9,972,305 | $ | 69,672,977 | |||||||||||||||
| Less: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Payroll costs | 22,603,084 | 16,859,804 | 6,216,464 | 45,679,352 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Non-payroll costs including subcontractor costs (2) | 5,917,032 | 4,000,523 | 1,709,620 | 11,627,175 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization (3) | 791,791 | 560,657 | 173,014 | 1,525,462 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Business optimization costs (4) | 420,469 | 131,980 | 62,875 | 615,324 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Operating income | 5,324,339 | 3,090,993 | 1,810,332 | 10,225,664 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Net assets as of August 31, 2025 (5) | 5,679,520 | 3,556,536 | 239,237 | 9,475,293 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Property & equipment, net as of August 31, 2025 | 575,647 | 517,547 | 473,180 | 1,566,374 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Fiscal 2024 (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Revenues | $ | 32,552,489 | $ | 22,817,879 | $ | 9,526,096 | $ | 64,896,464 | |||||||||||||||
| Less: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Payroll costs | 21,139,496 | 15,537,443 | 5,905,191 | 42,582,130 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Non-payroll costs including subcontractor costs (2) | 5,494,547 | 3,706,158 | 1,640,468 | 10,841,173 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization (3) | 755,594 | 521,944 | 161,336 | 1,438,874 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Business optimization costs (4) | 83,201 | 248,724 | 106,515 | 438,440 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Operating income | 5,079,651 | 2,803,610 | 1,712,586 | 9,595,847 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Net assets as of August 31, 2024 (5) | 5,009,988 | 3,440,180 | 381,065 | 8,831,233 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Property & equipment, net as of August 31, 2024 | 599,417 | 458,651 | 463,051 | 1,521,119 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Fiscal 2023 (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Revenues | $ | 32,193,134 | $ | 22,292,584 | $ | 9,626,027 | $ | 64,111,745 | |||||||||||||||
| Less: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Payroll costs | 21,300,112 | 15,340,110 | 6,065,227 | 42,705,449 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Non-payroll costs including subcontractor costs (2) | 5,066,185 | 3,537,451 | 1,592,001 | 10,195,637 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization (3) | 685,414 | 493,447 | 158,763 | 1,337,624 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Business optimization costs (4) | 496,992 | 438,093 | 128,061 | 1,063,146 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Operating income | 4,644,431 | 2,483,483 | 1,681,975 | 8,809,889 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Net assets as of August 31, 2023 (5) | 4,459,978 | 2,811,231 | 353,837 | 7,625,046 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Property & equipment, net as of August 31, 2023 | 617,941 | 458,736 | 453,330 | 1,530,007 |
(1)During the first quarter of fiscal 2025, our Latin America market unit moved from Growth Markets to North America. With this change, North America became the Americas market and Growth Markets became the Asia Pacific market. Additionally, during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025, we retrospectively adopted Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2023-07, Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures. Prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform with the current period presentation.
(2)Non-payroll costs primarily include subcontractor costs and other non-payroll such as facilities, technology and travel costs.
(3)Amounts include depreciation on property and equipment and amortization of intangible assets and deferred transition costs.
(4)Costs recorded in connection with business optimization actions initiated in fiscal 2025 include $344 million for employee severance associated with headcount reductions we are making in a compressed timeline and $271 million for asset impairments primarily related to the divestiture of two acquisitions in the Americas that are no longer aligned with our strategic priorities. Costs recorded in connection with business optimization actions initiated in fiscal 2023 and completed in fiscal 2024 primarily include employee severance.
(5)We do not allocate total assets by reportable segment. Reportable segment assets directly attributable to a reportable segment and provided to the chief operating decision makers include receivables and current and non-current contract assets, deferred contract costs and current and non-current deferred revenues.
The accounting policies of the reportable segments are the same as those described in Note 1 (Summary of Significant Accounting Policies) to these Consolidated Financial Statements.
| Table of Contents | Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (continued) (In thousands of U.S. dollars, except share and per share amounts or as otherwise disclosed) | ||||||||||
| ACCENTURE 2025 FORM 10-K | F-45 | ||||||||||
Our business in the United States represented 45% of our consolidated revenues during fiscal 2025, 2024 and 2023. No other country individually comprised 10% or more of our consolidated revenues during these periods. Business in Ireland, our country of domicile, represented approximately 1% of our consolidated revenues during fiscal 2025, 2024 and 2023.
We conduct business in Ireland and in the following countries that hold 10% or more of our total consolidated Property and equipment, net:
| August 31, 2025 | August 31, 2024 | August 31, 2023 | |||||||||||||||
| United States | 29 | % | 31 | % | 33 | % | |||||||||||
| India | 14 | 16 | 15 | ||||||||||||||
| Ireland | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Revenues by industry group and type of work are as follows:
| Fiscal | |||||||||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |||||||||||||||
| Industry Groups | |||||||||||||||||
| Communications, Media & Technology | $ | 11,453,982 | $ | 10,837,174 | $ | 11,452,914 | |||||||||||
| Financial Services | 12,773,856 | 11,610,225 | 12,131,531 | ||||||||||||||
| Health & Public Service | 14,762,837 | 13,840,634 | 12,560,458 | ||||||||||||||
| Products | 21,197,397 | 19,554,154 | 19,103,892 | ||||||||||||||
| Resources | 9,484,905 | 9,054,277 | 8,862,950 | ||||||||||||||
| Total | $ | 69,672,977 | $ | 64,896,464 | $ | 64,111,745 | |||||||||||
| Type of Work | |||||||||||||||||
| Consulting | $ | 35,106,786 | $ | 33,195,104 | $ | 33,613,008 | |||||||||||
| Managed Services | 34,566,191 | 31,701,360 | 30,498,737 | ||||||||||||||
| Total | $ | 69,672,977 | $ | 64,896,464 | $ | 64,111,745 |
| Table of Contents | Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (continued) (In thousands of U.S. dollars, except share and per share amounts or as otherwise disclosed) | ||||||||||
| ACCENTURE 2025 FORM 10-K | F-46 | ||||||||||
17. Quarterly Data (unaudited)
| Fiscal 2025 | First Quarter | Second Quarter | Third Quarter | Fourth Quarter | Annual | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Revenues | $ | 17,689,545 | $ | 16,659,301 | $ | 17,727,871 | $ | 17,596,260 | $ | 69,672,977 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Cost of services | 11,866,716 | 11,684,313 | 11,901,221 | 11,985,326 | 47,437,576 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating income | 2,948,477 | 2,244,714 | 2,982,782 | 2,049,691 | 10,225,664 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income | 2,316,190 | 1,822,441 | 2,243,963 | 1,449,806 | 7,832,400 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income attributable to Accenture plc | 2,278,894 | 1,788,075 | 2,197,501 | 1,413,963 | 7,678,433 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weighted average Class A ordinary shares: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| —Basic | 625,676,922 | 626,824,946 | 624,343,707 | 622,635,814 | 624,891,649 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| —Diluted | 634,656,410 | 634,211,978 | 630,457,461 | 629,418,129 | 632,435,108 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Earnings per Class A ordinary share: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| —Basic | $ | 3.64 | $ | 2.85 | $ | 3.52 | $ | 2.27 | $ | 12.29 | |||||||||||||||||||
| —Diluted | $ | 3.59 | $ | 2.82 | $ | 3.49 | $ | 2.25 | $ | 12.15 |
| Fiscal 2024 | First Quarter | Second Quarter | Third Quarter | Fourth Quarter | Annual | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Revenues | $ | 16,224,303 | $ | 15,799,514 | $ | 16,466,828 | $ | 16,405,819 | $ | 64,896,464 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Cost of services | 10,776,362 | 10,921,045 | 10,968,377 | 11,068,363 | 43,734,147 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating income | 2,564,887 | 2,046,427 | 2,630,865 | 2,353,668 | 9,595,847 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income | 2,009,981 | 1,709,202 | 1,981,348 | 1,718,666 | 7,419,197 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income attributable to Accenture plc | 1,973,444 | 1,674,859 | 1,932,183 | 1,684,301 | 7,264,787 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weighted average Class A ordinary shares: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| —Basic | 627,996,111 | 629,016,555 | 628,353,267 | 626,122,298 | 627,852,613 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| —Diluted | 637,398,361 | 636,797,814 | 635,607,597 | 633,883,494 | 635,940,044 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Earnings per Class A ordinary share: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| —Basic | $ | 3.14 | $ | 2.66 | $ | 3.07 | $ | 2.69 | $ | 11.57 | |||||||||||||||||||
| —Diluted | $ | 3.10 | $ | 2.63 | $ | 3.04 | $ | 2.66 | $ | 11.44 |
Previous: Item 15. Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules