Buoyed by strong performances in its consulting and outsourcing units, consulting giant Accenture posted a 52 percent rise in its fourth quarter profits to $183 million, versus the year-ago period for the period ended Aug. 31.
System-wide revenue jumped 10 percent to $3.5 billion. For the year, the former Andersen Consulting said that profits were $693 million compared with $498 million over fiscal 2003. System-wide revenues jumped roughly 7 percent to $15.1 billion vs. the prior-year figures.
New bookings for the fourth quarter and year-end rose 7 percent and 25 percent, to $4 billion and $20.1 billion, respectively.
"Our growth was widespread, with net revenue increases in each of our five operating groups and across all three geographic regions," said Accenture chief executive William Green. "We are encouraged by the continued gains we achieved in our consulting business, and by growth in our outsourcing business, which now accounts for 37 percent of our net revenues."
