We recently published a list of 12 AI News and Ratings Investors Are Watching Right Now. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN) stands against other AI news and ratings investors are watching right now.
Redefining Innovation with Next-Generation AI
At CNBC’s ‘Money Movers’, Jack Hidary, CEO of Sandbox AQ, emphasized the shift towards B2B-focused AI, positioning it as the next major evolution in artificial intelligence. While language models like those from OpenAI have excelled in consumer applications, Hidary highlighted the untapped potential of quantitative AI (QAI) in driving innovation across industries like pharmaceuticals, automotive, and energy. QAI uses fundamental equations to generate new data, which enables advancements in drug development, materials for energy storage, and aerospace.
Hidary pointed out that large quantitative models are set to transform product development by creating significant economic value, unlike large language models, which primarily reduce operational costs. He predicts that 2025 and beyond will see a growing focus on AI’s role in addressing critical challenges in B2B sectors, from building better batteries to accelerating medical breakthroughs. This evolution underscores a future where AI goes beyond text-based applications, becoming a cornerstone for innovation across various industries.
READ ALSO: 10 AI News Dominating Wall Street Today and 11 Important AI News and Ratings for Investors.
The Role of Generative AI in Transforming Sales Strategies
As per a Mckinsey report, An unconstrained future: How generative AI could reshape B2B sales, GenAI is transforming B2B sales by improving efficiency, fostering growth, and reshaping sales operations. While the core role of sellers including building trust, creating value, and minimizing friction remains unchanged, generative AI enables productivity gains through automation, personalized insights, and strategic guidance.
Companies adopting these tools report improved customer experiences, faster sales processes, and new growth opportunities. Looking ahead, AI integration is expected to redefine sales models, emphasizing customer outcomes, long-term success, and collaboration between human and AI-driven agents. To adapt, businesses must embrace agile strategies, invest in AI-driven capabilities, and align their sales approaches with evolving customer expectations.
For this article, we selected AI stocks by going through news articles, stock analysis, and press releases. We listed the stocks in ascending order of their hedge fund sentiment taken from Insider Monkey’s database of 900 hedge funds.
Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).
A team of data experts gathered around a computer monitor analyzing customer data.
Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 60
Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN) provides AI-driven services such as data and AI, automation, and intelligent platforms, catering to various sectors like communications, banking, healthcare, and energy. The company also partners with Kyoto University to advance research and innovation in human-centered AI.
On December 20, Mizuho Securities analyst Dan Dolev maintained a Buy rating on Accenture driven by several positive indicators. The company reported an 8% growth in constant currency revenue for Q1 of fiscal year 2025, surpassing its 2-6% guidance. This growth was broad-based, including a notable turnaround in the Financial Services sector, which moved from a 2% decline in Q4 of fiscal year 2024 to a 4% gain in Q1 of fiscal year 2025.
Accenture also saw a rise in generative AI bookings, reaching $1.2 billion, up from $1 billion in the prior quarter. The products segment grew 10% in constant currency, while the consulting segment posted a 6% increase. A slight slowdown in bookings growth is attributed to a tough comparison with the previous quarter. Dolev has set a price target of $428 on Accenture.
Overall, ACN ranks 8th on our list of AI news and ratings investors are watching right now. While we acknowledge the potential of ACN as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than ACN but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.