The consulting firm reported better-than-expected diluted earnings of US$3.54 per share in the quarter that ended in November, above the US$3.42 expected by analysts, according to data compiled by S&P Global Market Intelligence. But diluted earnings per share were down one per cent from the same period a year ago. Accenture’s stock fell about one per cent on Thursday afternoon. (The Logic)

Talking point: The company saw bookings from advanced AI projects nearly double from the same period last year, as it struck deals with AI companies like Anthropic, OpenAI and Cohere. But CEO Julie Sweet said on an earnings call that clients are prioritizing large-scale transformations, “which convert to revenue more slowly.” The Ireland-based firm also plans to stop reporting its cumulative revenue from advanced AI in future quarters because AI is now integrated into most of the projects across its business. Accenture has cut jobs so it could focus on hiring AI experts, and expects revenue to grow between two and five per cent this fiscal year.