Accenture plc (ACN) Cash Flow Statement
Where ACN’s cash came from and went, FY2026
August 31, 2026 · U.S. dollars- Cash from operations
- $12.36B +7.7% vs FY2025
- Capital expenditures
- $742.7M 1.0% of revenue
- Free cash flow
- $11.62B 15.7% margin
- Returned to shareholders
- $11.51B 99% of free cash flow
- Change in cash
- $1.35B cash at year-end $12.83B
Drawn to scale: where the cash came from and how it was used. Hover for values.
ACN operating cash flow, capex and free cash flow
ACN cash flow trends, FY2017–FY2026
| Metric | Trend | Then | Latest | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating cash flow | $4.97BFY2017 | $12.36BFY2026 | +10.6%/yr | |
| Capital expenditures | $515.9MFY2017 | $742.7MFY2026 | +4.1%/yr | |
| Free cash flow | $4.46BFY2017 | $11.62BFY2026 | +11.2%/yr | |
| Free cash flow margin | 12.3%FY2017 | 15.7%FY2026 | +3.3 pts | |
| Operating cash flow / net income | 1.37FY2017 | 1.45FY2026 | +0.08 | |
| Stock-based compensation | $795.2MFY2017 | $2.10BFY2026 | +11.4%/yr | |
| Dividends paid | $1.57BFY2017 | $3.99BFY2026 | +10.9%/yr | |
| Share buybacks (net) | $2.65BFY2017 | $7.52BFY2026 | +12.3%/yr | |
| Capex / revenue | 1.4%FY2017 | 1.0%FY2026 | −0.4 pts |
Change is the average annual growth (CAGR) or the difference between the first and latest year.
ACN cash flow by activity
ACN net income vs operating cash flow
Operating cash flow above net income usually means earnings are backed by cash (depreciation and stock-based pay are non-cash expenses).
ACN cash flow statement
| FY2026 | FY2025 | FY2024 | FY2023 | FY2022 | FY2021 | FY2020 | FY2019 | FY2018 | FY2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating activities | ||||||||||
| Net income | $8.52B | $7.68B | $7.42B | $7.00B | $6.99B | $5.99B | $5.19B | $4.85B | $4.21B | $3.63B |
| Depreciation & amortization | $2.36B | $1.71B | $1.08B | $2.28B | $2.09B | $1.89B | $1.77B | $892.8M | $926.8M | $801.8M |
| Stock-based compensation | $2.10B | $2.09B | $1.94B | $1.91B | $1.68B | $1.34B | $1.20B | $1.09B | $976.9M | $795.2M |
| Change in working capital | −$615.3M | −$1.05B | −$2.16B | −$1.67B | −$1.22B | −$249.6M | $58.9M | −$205.3M | −$91.6M | −$720.1M |
| Other non-cash items | $0 | $1.05B | $851.1M | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $461.2M |
| Cash from operating activities | $12.36B | $11.47B | $9.13B | $9.52B | $9.54B | $8.98B | $8.22B | $6.63B | $6.03B | $4.97B |
| Investing activities | ||||||||||
| Capital expenditures | −$742.7M | −$600.0M | −$516.5M | −$528.2M | −$718.0M | −$580.1M | −$599.1M | −$599.0M | −$619.2M | −$515.9M |
| Investments (net) | — | −$2.02B | −$7.06B | −$2.62B | −$4.26B | −$4.31B | $230.4M | $28.0M | $20.2M | −$24.0M |
| Acquisitions & other investing | −$4.89B | $600.0M | $516.5M | $528.2M | $718.0M | $580.1M | −$1.53B | −$1.18B | −$650.6M | −$1.69B |
| Cash from investing activities | −$5.64B | −$2.02B | −$7.06B | −$2.62B | −$4.26B | −$4.31B | −$1.89B | −$1.76B | −$1.25B | −$2.23B |
| Financing activities | ||||||||||
| Dividends paid | −$3.99B | −$3.70B | −$3.24B | −$2.83B | −$2.46B | −$2.24B | −$2.04B | −$1.86B | −$1.71B | −$1.57B |
| Share repurchases & issuance (net) | −$7.52B | −$4.62B | −$4.52B | −$4.33B | −$4.12B | −$3.70B | −$2.92B | −$2.69B | −$2.64B | −$2.65B |
| Net borrowing (repayment) | — | $4.13B | $827.8M | $93.3M | −$16.5M | −$7.8M | −$6.7M | −$4.8M | −$4.2M | −$2.1M |
| Shares issued | $0 | $1.35B | $1.42B | $1.50B | $1.35B | $1.07B | $955.3M | $848.4M | $753.1M | $0 |
| Other financing | $6.19B | −$111.6M | −$543.3M | −$81.9M | −$70.0M | −$45.1M | −$44.1M | −$58.0M | −$110.2M | $658.5M |
| Cash from financing activities | −$5.31B | −$2.95B | −$6.06B | −$5.65B | −$5.31B | −$4.93B | −$4.05B | −$3.77B | −$3.71B | −$3.56B |
| Summary | ||||||||||
| Net change in cash | $1.35B | $6.47B | −$4.04B | $1.16B | −$278.3M | −$247.2M | $2.29B | $1.07B | $934.5M | −$778.7M |
| Cash at end of period | $12.83B | $11.48B | $5.00B | $9.05B | $7.89B | $8.17B | $8.42B | $6.13B | $5.06B | $4.13B |
| Free cash flow | $11.62B | $10.87B | $8.61B | $9.00B | $8.82B | $8.40B | $7.62B | $6.03B | $5.41B | $4.46B |
| Free cash flow margin | 15.7% | 15.6% | 13.3% | 14.0% | 14.3% | 16.6% | 17.2% | 13.9% | 13.2% | 12.3% |
| Capex / revenue | 1.0% | 0.9% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 1.2% | 1.1% | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1.5% | 1.4% |
| Operating cash flow / net income | 1.45 | 1.49 | 1.23 | 1.36 | 1.37 | 1.50 | 1.58 | 1.37 | 1.43 | 1.37 |
| Aug '26 | May '26 | Feb '26 | Nov '25 | Aug '25 | May '25 | Feb '25 | Nov '24 | Aug '24 | May '24 | Feb '24 | Nov '23 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating activities | ||||||||||||
| Net income | $2.03B | $2.39B | $1.83B | $2.24B | $1.41B | $2.24B | $1.82B | $2.32B | $1.72B | $1.98B | $1.71B | $1.97B |
| Depreciation & amortization | $603.4M | $307.9M | $393.5M | $296.0M | $577.1M | $292.0M | $360.9M | $218.4M | $307.3M | $271.2M | $347.5M | $521.4M |
| Stock-based compensation | $455.9M | $462.1M | $713.4M | $469.0M | $439.5M | $497.8M | $686.1M | $470.4M | $402.8M | $473.9M | $641.9M | $423.0M |
| Change in working capital | $177.3M | $277.9M | $537.9M | −$1.61B | $1.27B | $331.3M | −$281.5M | −$2.37B | $764.0M | $110.6M | −$595.3M | −$2.44B |
| Other non-cash items | −$174.9M | $350.3M | $347.6M | $265.5M | $210.8M | $319.4M | $265.5M | $390.2M | $196.7M | $304.9M | −$2.2M | $19.0M |
| Cash from operating activities | $3.10B | $3.79B | $3.82B | $1.66B | $3.91B | $3.68B | $2.85B | $1.02B | $3.39B | $3.14B | $2.10B | $498.6M |
| Investing activities | ||||||||||||
| Capital expenditures | −$250.3M | −$186.2M | −$149.7M | −$156.6M | −$107.9M | −$169.1M | −$170.8M | −$152.2M | −$213.6M | −$124.1M | −$109.8M | −$68.9M |
| Investments (net) | — | — | — | — | −$771.3M | −$455.6M | −$407.3M | −$385.5M | −$1.55B | −$2.45B | −$2.21B | −$855.4M |
| Acquisitions & other investing | −$1.93B | −$1.02B | −$1.59B | −$348.3M | $107.9M | $169.1M | $170.8M | $152.2M | $213.6M | $124.1M | $109.8M | $68.9M |
| Cash from investing activities | −$2.18B | −$1.21B | −$1.74B | −$504.9M | −$771.3M | −$455.6M | −$407.3M | −$385.5M | −$1.55B | −$2.45B | −$2.21B | −$855.4M |
| Financing activities | ||||||||||||
| Dividends paid | −$974.5M | −$995.3M | −$1.01B | −$1.01B | −$924.4M | −$923.9M | −$929.0M | −$925.6M | −$807.9M | −$811.0M | −$812.6M | −$810.1M |
| Share repurchases & issuance (net) | −$2.33B | −$1.18B | −$1.68B | −$2.33B | −$473.9M | −$1.80B | −$1.45B | −$898.3M | −$628.4M | −$1.38B | −$1.32B | −$1.19B |
| Net borrowing (repayment) | — | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $4.13B | −$671.2M | — | — | −$8.5M |
| Shares issued | $0 | $452.1M | $289.5M | $466.2M | $156.1M | $510.0M | $210.3M | $477.4M | $150.8M | $504.5M | $285.4M | $477.4M |
| Other financing | $5.08B | −$39.3M | −$17.0M | −$37.8M | −$32.9M | −$6.5M | −$38.5M | −$31.0M | −$472.2M | $1.47B | −$16.7M | −$19.7M |
| Cash from financing activities | $1.78B | −$1.77B | −$2.41B | −$2.91B | −$1.28B | −$2.22B | −$2.21B | $2.75B | −$2.43B | −$216.9M | −$1.87B | −$1.55B |
| Summary | ||||||||||||
| Net change in cash | $2.67B | $766.1M | −$250.2M | −$1.83B | $1.85B | $1.14B | $184.4M | $3.30B | −$532.7M | $416.1M | −$2.02B | −$1.90B |
| Cash at end of period | $12.83B | $10.17B | $9.40B | $9.65B | $11.48B | $9.63B | $8.49B | $8.31B | $5.00B | $5.54B | $5.12B | $7.14B |
| Free cash flow | $2.85B | $3.60B | $3.67B | $1.51B | $3.81B | $3.52B | $2.68B | $870.3M | $3.18B | $3.02B | $1.99B | $429.6M |
| Free cash flow margin | 15.2% | 19.2% | 20.3% | 8.0% | 21.6% | 19.8% | 16.1% | 4.9% | 19.4% | 18.3% | 12.6% | 2.6% |
| Capex / revenue | 1.3% | 1.0% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.6% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 0.9% | 1.3% | 0.8% | 0.7% | 0.4% |
| Operating cash flow / net income | 1.52 | 1.59 | 2.09 | 0.74 | 2.77 | 1.64 | 1.57 | 0.44 | 1.97 | 1.59 | 1.23 | 0.25 |
Negative numbers are cash paid out. Quarterly columns are labeled by the month the quarter ended. Figures in U.S. dollars as reported; data from EODHD.
ACN cash generation
In fiscal 2026 (ended August 31, 2026), Accenture generated $12.4 billion of cash from operations (up 7.7%) and spent $742.7 million on capital expenditures, leaving free cash flow of $11.6 billion, 15.7% of revenue. It returned $11.5 billion to shareholders through dividends ($4.0 billion) and net share buybacks ($7.5 billion). Cash and equivalents rose by $1.4 billion over the year.
Related: ACN income statement, ACN balance sheet, ACN dividend history. See the ACN stock overview for the latest quote and news.
ACN cash flow FAQ
What is Accenture's free cash flow?
Accenture's free cash flow was $11.6 billion in fiscal 2026: $12.4 billion of operating cash flow minus $742.7 million of capital expenditures It was $10.9 billion a year earlier..
How much cash does Accenture generate from operations?
Accenture generated $12.4 billion of cash from operating activities in fiscal 2026, 1.45 times its net income of $8.5 billion.
How much does Accenture spend on capital expenditures?
Accenture spent $742.7 million on capital expenditures in fiscal 2026, 1.0% of revenue, compared with $600.0 million the year before.
How much stock does Accenture buy back?
Accenture spent $7.5 billion on net share repurchases in fiscal 2026.
How much does Accenture pay in dividends?
Accenture paid $4.0 billion in dividends in fiscal 2026, 34.3% of free cash flow.