Acquisition will strengthen Accenture’s ability
to help clients reinvent the enterprise with data and artificial
intelligence (AI) and contribute to Japanese companies’ growth and
competitiveness
Accenture (NSE: ACN) is to acquire Japanese data science company
ALBERT Inc. (President and CEO: Tokyo Stock Exchange Growth Market,
Securities Code: 3906), after completing a tender offer. The
acquisition will add a large team of data scientists to Accenture
to further strengthen its data and AI capabilities for clients.
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Japanese data science company ALBERT Inc.
will become part of Accenture. (Photo: Business Wire)
The tender offer was launched on September 29 and closed on
November 14. The number of ALBERT's common shares and stock
acquisition rights tendered to Accenture significantly exceeds the
threshold required for ALBERT to become part of Accenture, equal to
two thirds of the ALBERT stock. Upon completion of the transaction,
ALBERT will be part of Accenture. Accenture expects to purchase all
remaining shares and stock acquisition rights in the coming months,
after which ALBERT will be delisted from the Tokyo Stock
Exchange.
ALBERT offers AI and big data analytics services, AI-based
algorithm development, AI implementation consulting, and data
science training support, primarily to major corporations in Japan.
The company was founded in 2005 and was listed on the Tokyo Stock
Exchange in 2015. Its data science team of 250 permanent employees
and contractors will join Accenture’s Applied Intelligence
practice, which provides AI and data-led transformation solutions
and services.
ALBERT will strengthen Accenture’s ability globally to help its
clients manage the total reinvention of their enterprises, which
most successful companies will undergo in the next decade.
Technology, data and AI will transform every part of their
business, enabling new ways of working and engaging with customers,
business models and growth opportunities.
The acquisition will be Accenture’s latest step to further
strengthen its services in Japan that use data to digitally
replicate the entire enterprise and to help Japanese companies grow
and become more competitive with deep data analytics and AI
expertise. Accenture has launched several solutions for data-driven
management in Japan recently, for example, to forecast various
business scenarios and propose actions to improve the forecasts,
and to support clients’ ESG (environment, society, and corporate
governance) practices.
Atsushi Egawa, who leads Accenture’s business in Japan, said,
“Companies today need a 360-degree view on their business to make
better and faster decisions. They must look beyond the financials
and include, for example, sustainability initiatives, customer
experiences, and people development and retraining. Gaining this
holistic perspective and being able to simulate every aspect of the
business requires deep data science expertise and AI capabilities.
Accenture and ALBERT’s team will bring these to clients to help
them succeed in their total enterprise reinvention.”
Takeshi Matsumoto, President, and CEO of ALBERT, said, “ALBERT’s
philosophy is to connect the world with data science and co-create
new value for a better future. As leading companies across
industries are investing heavily in AI, we’re seeing growing demand
for the technologies and skills that are the core of our business.
By joining Accenture, which excels at addressing its clients' most
complex opportunities and issues, our team can drive even more
value for clients and accelerate the implementation of AI in
society.”
ALBERT will follow other acquisitions Accenture has made to
strengthen its data and AI capabilities for clients globally. These
include Analytics8 in Australia; Sentelis in France; Bridgei2i and
Byte Prophecy in India; Pragsis Bidoop in Spain; Mudano in the UK;
and Clarity Insights, End-to-End Analytics and Core Compete in the
US.
About Accenture Accenture is a global professional
services company with leading capabilities in digital, cloud and
security. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills
across more than 40 industries, we offer Strategy and Consulting,
Technology and Operations services and Accenture Song — all powered
by the world’s largest network of Advanced Technology and
Intelligent Operations centers. Our 721,000 people deliver on the
promise of technology and human ingenuity every day, serving
clients in more than 120 countries. We embrace the power of change
to create value and shared success for our clients, people,
shareholders, partners and communities. Visit us at accenture.com
.
Forward-Looking Statements Except for the historical
information and discussions contained herein, statements in this
news release may constitute forward-looking statements within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “likely,” “anticipates,”
“expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “projects,” “believes,” “estimates,”
“positioned,” “outlook” and similar expressions are used to
identify these forward-looking statements. These statements involve
a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause
actual results to differ materially from those expressed or
implied. These risks include, without limitation, risks that:
Accenture and ALBERT will not be able to close the transaction in
the time period anticipated, or at all, which is dependent on the
parties’ ability to satisfy certain closing conditions; the
transaction might not achieve the anticipated benefits for
Accenture; Accenture’s results of operations have been, and may in
the future be, adversely affected by volatile, negative or
uncertain economic and political conditions and the effects of
these conditions on the company’s clients’ businesses and levels of
business activity; Accenture’s business depends on generating and
maintaining client demand for the company’s services and solutions
including through the adaptation and expansion of its services and
solutions in response to ongoing changes in technology and
offerings, and a significant reduction in such demand or an
inability to respond to the evolving technological environment
could materially affect the company’s results of operations; if
Accenture is unable to match people and their skills with client
demand around the world and attract and retain professionals with
strong leadership skills, the company’s business, the utilization
rate of the company’s professionals and the company’s results of
operations may be materially adversely affected; Accenture faces
legal, reputational and financial risks from any failure to protect
client and/or company data from security incidents or cyberattacks;
the markets in which Accenture operates are highly competitive, and
Accenture might not be able to compete effectively; Accenture’s
ability to attract and retain business and employees may depend on
its reputation in the marketplace; Accenture’s environmental,
social and governance (ESG) commitments and disclosures may expose
it to reputational risks and legal liability; if Accenture does not
successfully manage and develop its relationships with key
ecosystem partners or fails to anticipate and establish new
alliances in new technologies, the company’s results of operations
could be adversely affected; Accenture’s profitability could
materially suffer if the company is unable to obtain favorable
pricing for its services and solutions, if the company is unable to
remain competitive, if its cost-management strategies are
unsuccessful or if it experiences delivery inefficiencies or fail
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changes in Accenture’s level of taxes, as well as audits,
investigations and tax proceedings, or changes in tax laws or in
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effect on the company’s effective tax rate, results of operations,
cash flows and financial condition; Accenture’s results of
operations could be materially adversely affected by fluctuations
in foreign currency exchange rates; changes to accounting standards
or in the estimates and assumptions Accenture makes in connection
with the preparation of its consolidated financial statements could
adversely affect its financial results; as a result of Accenture’s
geographically diverse operations and strategy to continue to grow
in key markets around the world, the company is more susceptible to
certain risks; if Accenture is unable to manage the organizational
challenges associated with its size, the company might be unable to
achieve its business objectives; Accenture might not be successful
at acquiring, investing in or integrating businesses, entering into
joint ventures or divesting businesses; Accenture’s business could
be materially adversely affected if the company incurs legal
liability; Accenture’s global operations expose the company to
numerous and sometimes conflicting legal and regulatory
requirements; Accenture’s work with government clients exposes the
company to additional risks inherent in the government contracting
environment; if Accenture is unable to protect or enforce its
intellectual property rights or if Accenture’s services or
solutions infringe upon the intellectual property rights of others
or the company loses its ability to utilize the intellectual
property of others, its business could be adversely affected;
Accenture may be subject to criticism and negative publicity
related to its incorporation in Ireland; as well as the risks,
uncertainties and other factors discussed under the “Risk Factors”
heading in Accenture plc’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K
and other documents filed with or furnished to the Securities and
Exchange Commission. Statements in this news release speak only as
of the date they were made, and Accenture undertakes no duty to
update any forward-looking statements made in this news release or
to conform such statements to actual results or changes in
Accenture’s expectations.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221114005781/en/
Jens Derksen Accenture Applied Intelligence +49 175 57 61393
jens.derksen@accenture.com
Kentaro Kanda Accenture Japan +81 45 330 7157
kentaro.kanda@accenture.com
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