Stocks analysis

ACN vs AFL Stock Comparison

Scores Breakdown

Metric ACN AFL
📈 Growth 22/30 6/30
💰 Profitability 18/20 10/20
🏦 Financial Health 18/20 18/20
💵 Valuation 16/20 14/20
⚠️ Risk (lower is better) 4/10 6/10
Overall Score 80/100 52/100

Side-by-Side Summaries

ACN Analysis AFL Analysis

📈 Growth & Financial Trajectory

Over 8 quarters, revenues moved from $16.41B (2024 Q4) to $18.72B (2026 Q3), a cumulative rise of about 14%. Net income increased from roughly $1.68B to $2.34B, up about 39%, signaling improving operating leverage as scale widens. The trend shows quarterly fluctuations but an overall positive trajectory with gradually rising profitability.

💰 Margins & Cash Flow

  • Gross margin remains in the 32-34% range, supporting durable profitability.
  • Operating margin hovers around 16-17%, indicating meaningful operating leverage with revenue growth.
  • Net cash flow from operating activities stays robust, averaging near $3.7B per quarter; the latest quarter shows a positive, albeit modest, overall cash position as investing and financing outflows offset operating cash flow.

🛡️ Balance Sheet & Liquidity

  • Current assets around $28-29B vs. current liabilities near $19-22B, implying a healthy liquidity cushion (latest current ratio ~1.3–1.4).
  • Noncurrent liabilities about $13-14B against equity of roughly $31-33B, with total assets near $63-69B, indicating solid balance-sheet resilience and solvency dynamics.

⚠️ Key Drivers & Risks

  • Drivers: AI & Data/Cloud transformation demand; scalable global services with cross-sell opportunities.
  • Risks: cyclicality in IT spend, valuation sensitivity to growth expectations, competitive intensity.

📈 Growth & Financial Trajectory

The eight quarterly results show a mixed growth path. Start: revenues of $5.138B in 2024 Q2 and end: $4.346B in 2026 Q1, a decline of about 15%. Net income moved from $1.755B in 2024 Q2 to $1.019B in 2026 Q1, down roughly 42%. Notable quarter-to-quarter swings include a robust Q4 2024 and steady early-2025 quarters, but the overall trend is inconsistent, with revenue occasionally bouncing on seasonal/one-offs while earnings remain volatile. Operating income remained strong in several periods (around $3.0–$3.4B on mid-single to low-double-digit revenue), suggesting earnings power when volume picks up, but not a clear, sustained growth trajectory.

💰 Margins & Cash Flow

Margins vary meaningfully by quarter; reported operating income margins range widely, reflecting unusual items and mix. Net cash from operating activities was solid in several quarters (e.g., $589M in 2025 Q1 and $968M in 2026 Q1) but softer in others (e.g., $315M in 2025 Q4). Investing and financing activities can create negative free cash flow in some periods, yielding an uneven cash flow signal despite positive operating cash in many quarters.

🛡️ Balance Sheet & Liquidity

Assets typically sit around $116–$122B, with Liabilities in the $86–$93B range and Equity near $26–$30B, indicating reasonable leverage and strong liquidity. The structure supports resilience across varying earnings seasons, though reported items occasionally show anomalies in current liabilities.

⚠️ Key Drivers & Risks

  • Drivers: Interest-rate environment; demand for life/health insurance and annuities.
  • Risks: Earnings volatility from taxes and one-offs; potential margin compression and inconsistent free cash flow.