Today we are watching…
1. Accenture (#accent)
Accenture is next on the earnings chopping block today, and analysts are on the fence about its prospects. The company has slightly under-performed its peers, rising 8.2% on an annual basis compared with the industry average of 10.4%. Accenture’s earnings are forecast to decline slightly thanks to higher non-operating expenses, but be partially offset by higher operating results and a lower effective tax rate – leaving a rather uncertain picture for today’s announcement.
2. Ralph Lauren (#ralph)
Despite this month’s choppiness, Ralph Lauren has received an analyst upgrade from Wells Fargo,to take the stock from market perform to outperform status. This represents an excellent upgrade for the clothing retailer, and should filter through into positive sentiment in its share price. The stock has been on a 29% hot streak since its January low and looks likely to hold trend in the medium term. Definitely one to watch.