01—Abstract
Summary
Summary of the 8-K filed September 24, 2014. Cited figures are marked; the original filing is the authoritative source.
Accenture plc (ACN) filed an 8-K on September 24, 2014, to announce its financial results for the fourth quarter and full fiscal year ended August 31, 2014.
The filing primarily serves to attach the press release detailing these results, which is furnished but not filed as part of the report. Investors should note that the press release includes several non-GAAP financial measures, such as free cash flow, net revenue changes excluding currency fluctuations, and adjusted earnings per share and operating income/margin by excluding specific one-time reorganization and tax benefits from fiscal 2013. Accenture's management believes these non-GAAP metrics offer a clearer view of the company's operational performance and liquidity by removing certain historical or currency-related impacts.
While the 8-K itself is brief and points to the attached press release for detailed figures, it is crucial for investors to review the press release to understand the company's performance trends, revenue drivers, and profitability in both the reported quarter and the full fiscal year. The emphasis on non-GAAP measures indicates management's focus on underlying business trends, and the inclusion of reconciliations within the press release is important for a comprehensive understanding and comparison to GAAP figures.
02—Key points
Key Highlights
- Accenture announced its Q4 and full fiscal year 2014 financial results via an 8-K filing on September 24, 2014.
- The 8-K filing is primarily an attachment of the press release containing the financial results, which is furnished, not filed.
- The company utilized several non-GAAP financial measures in its earnings announcement.
- Key non-GAAP metrics disclosed include free cash flow and net revenue growth on a local currency basis.
- Adjusted earnings per share, operating income, and operating margin were presented, excluding significant reorganization benefits from fiscal year 2013.
- Earnings per share and effective tax rate were also adjusted to exclude a U.S. federal tax liability benefit from fiscal year 2013.
- Reconciliations between non-GAAP measures and their most comparable GAAP measures are provided within the attached news release.
03—Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main purpose of this 8-K filing?
The main purpose of this 8-K filing is to officially announce Accenture's financial results for its fourth quarter and full fiscal year ended August 31, 2014, by attaching the corresponding press release.
What are the key non-GAAP financial measures mentioned in the filing?
The key non-GAAP measures include free cash flow, net revenue percentage changes in local currency (excluding currency fluctuations), and adjusted earnings per share, operating income, operating margin, and effective tax rate, which exclude certain material reorganization and tax benefits from fiscal year 2013.
Why does Accenture present non-GAAP financial information?
Accenture's management believes that these non-GAAP measures provide meaningful additional insights into the company's liquidity and operational performance. They are presented to facilitate a clearer understanding of the underlying business trends by excluding the impact of foreign currency fluctuations and specific one-time benefits or charges from prior periods.
Where can I find the detailed financial results and reconciliations?
The detailed financial results and the reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable GAAP measures are available in the news release attached as Exhibit 99 to this 8-K filing.
04—Continue