Accenture vs Cisco: Revenue, Profit and Business Model
Accenture reported $69.7B of revenue in FY2025 and $7.7B of net income. Cisco reported $63.3B of revenue in FY2026 and $13.3B of net income.
Latest financial snapshot
Financial summary
Accenture
Accenture's fiscal year ends August 31. Revenue rose from $34.80B in FY2016 to $69.67B in FY2025, and net income attributable to Accenture plc rose from $4.11B to $7.68B over the same period. FY2025 brought $80.62B in new bookings, $10.87B of free cash flow, GAAP diluted EPS of $12.15 and $8.3B returned to shareholders through dividends and buybacks. Spending on acquisitions was $6.58B in FY2024 and $1.47B in FY2025. In Q3 FY2026 (to May 31, 2026) revenue was $18.72B, up 6% in U.S. dollars and 3% in local currency, and full-year FY2026 results are due on October 1, 2026.
Cisco
Cisco's revenue fell 5.6% to $53.8 billion in FY2024 as customers worked through excess inventory, then recovered to $56.7 billion in FY2025 and a record $63.3 billion in FY2026 (up 12%). FY2026 GAAP net income was about $13.3 billion, GAAP EPS was $3.33 (up 31%), and non-GAAP EPS was $4.33. Growth accelerated through the year: Q4 FY2026 revenue was $17.3 billion, up 18%, with product revenue up 24% and total product orders up 35%. Cisco said it recognized about $4 billion of AI infrastructure revenue from hyperscalers in FY2026 and expects about $7.5 billion in FY2027, within total FY2027 revenue guidance of $72.2-73.4 billion. The company also pays a quarterly dividend and buys back stock.
Revenue and profit by year
Accenture
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | $69.7B | $7.7B | 11.0% | +7.4% | Source |
| FY2024 | $64.9B | $7.3B | 11.2% | +1.2% | Source |
| FY2023 | $64.1B | $6.9B | 10.7% | +4.1% | Source |
| FY2022 | $61.6B | $6.9B | 11.2% | +21.9% | Source |
| FY2021 | $50.5B | $5.9B | 11.7% | +14.0% | Source |
| FY2020 | $44.3B | $5.1B | 11.5% | +2.6% | Source |
| FY2019 | $43.2B | $4.8B | 11.1% | +5.4% | Source |
| FY2018 | $41B | $4.1B | 9.9% | +13.3% | Source |
| FY2017 | $36.2B | $3.4B | 9.5% | +4.0% | Source |
| FY2016 | $34.8B | $4.1B | 11.8% | — | Source |
Cisco
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | $63.3B | $13.3B | 21.0% | +11.8% | Source |
| FY2025 | $56.7B | $10.2B | 18.0% | +5.3% | Source |
| FY2024 | $53.8B | $10.3B | 19.2% | -5.6% | Source |
| FY2023 | $57B | $12.6B | 22.1% | +10.6% | Source |
| FY2022 | $51.6B | $11.8B | 22.9% | +3.5% | Source |
| FY2021 | $49.8B | $10.6B | 21.3% | +1.0% | Source |
| FY2020 | $49.3B | $11.2B | 22.7% | -5.0% | Source |
| FY2019 | $51.9B | $11.6B | 22.4% | +5.2% | Source |
| FY2018 | $49.3B | $110M | 0.2% | +2.8% | Source |
| FY2017 | $48B | $9.6B | 20.0% | — | Source |
Where the revenue comes from
Accenture
- Consulting
$35.11B in FY2025 revenue
Consulting includes strategy, technology consulting, systems integration, cloud migration, data and AI programs, and large transformation projects.
- Managed Services
$34.57B in FY2025 revenue
Managed Services includes application management, infrastructure operations, business process services, finance operations, customer operations, and other long-term outsourced work.
- AI, Data, and Digital Core
Reported across consulting and managed services
Accenture embeds AI, data, cybersecurity, cloud, enterprise platforms, and digital core modernization into client transformation programs.
- Song, Supply Chain, Engineering, and Talent
Reported across service lines
These capabilities cover customer experience, commerce, design, marketing technology, product engineering, supply chain, workforce transformation, and change management.
Cisco
- Secure, Agile Networks (Networking)~49%
Enterprise switching, routing, and wireless products including Catalyst, Nexus, and Meraki platforms. Cisco's largest and most established segment.
- Security~11%
Cybersecurity products including firewalls, zero-trust solutions, XDR, and the Splunk observability platform acquired in 2024 for $28 billion.
- Collaboration~9%
Webex video conferencing, unified communications, contact center solutions, and collaboration devices for hybrid work environments.
- Observability~8%
Full-stack observability including AppDynamics, ThousandEyes, and Splunk's SIEM/observability capabilities for monitoring application and network performance.
- Services~23%
Technical support, advisory services, and implementation services tied to Cisco's hardware and software portfolio. High-margin recurring revenue stream.
Business model and strategy
Accenture
How it makes money
Accenture sells professional services to large companies and governments. Consulting revenue ($35.11B in FY2025) comes from strategy, technology implementation, cloud migration and data and AI projects. Managed services revenue ($34.57B) comes from multi-year contracts to run applications, infrastructure and business processes such as finance or customer operations.
Growth strategy
Accenture grows through a mix of organic services and frequent acquisitions. It spent $6.58B on businesses and investments in FY2024 and $1.47B in FY2025, and in 2026 announced its largest recent deals: Faculty in the UK and the $1.2B Ookla agreement.
Competitive advantage
Accenture can take a client from strategy work through systems implementation and then run the resulting systems or processes under multi-year managed services contracts; in FY2025 managed services was $34.57B of its $69.67B revenue.
Cisco
How it makes money
Cisco makes money in two ways: product sales and services. Products (switches, routers, wireless, Silicon One-based data center and AI networking gear, firewalls, Splunk and other security and observability software, and Webex) made up about $13.5 billion of the $17.3 billion Q4 FY2026 revenue, while services (technical support, advisory, and maintenance contracts) contributed about $3.8 billion.
Growth strategy
Cisco's growth plan rests on three areas. First, AI infrastructure: Silicon One chips, Nexus and Cisco 8000 systems, and optics sold to hyperscalers and, increasingly, to neoclouds, sovereign AI projects, and enterprises building their own AI clusters. Second, campus and branch refresh, as enterprises upgrade switching and Wi-Fi for AI workloads.
Competitive advantage
Cisco's advantage is how deeply its equipment is built into corporate networks. The saying in IT is that 'nobody ever got fired for buying Cisco': large banks and other enterprises choose it for reliability. Replacing an integrated Cisco network with cheaper hardware is a multi-year project with real risk, so most CIOs stay, which gives Cisco a durable installed base.
Questions about Accenture vs Cisco
Which company has higher revenue — Accenture PLC or Cisco Systems, Inc.?
Accenture PLC reported $69.7B (FY2025), while Cisco Systems, Inc. reported $63.3B (FY2026). By last reported revenue, Accenture PLC is the larger business, with Cisco Systems, Inc. reporting a smaller revenue base. Note: these are from different fiscal years and are not a direct like-for-like comparison.
What is the market cap of Accenture PLC vs Cisco Systems, Inc.?
Accenture PLC's market capitalisation stands at $110.7B, while Cisco Systems, Inc.'s is $420.7B. Cisco Systems, Inc. carries the higher market valuation, reflecting investors' expectations of its future earnings power relative to Accenture PLC.
Which is more financially efficient — Accenture PLC or Cisco Systems, Inc.?
Accenture PLC generates $87k / employee in revenue per employee, while Cisco Systems, Inc. generates $769k / employee. Cisco Systems, Inc. shows higher revenue efficiency per headcount, though this reflects business model differences — capital-light software companies routinely outperform labour-intensive manufacturers on this metric.
How do Accenture PLC and Cisco Systems, Inc. make money?
Accenture PLC and Cisco Systems, Inc. generate revenue in fundamentally different ways. Accenture PLC: Accenture sells professional services to large companies and governments. Cisco Systems, Inc.: Cisco makes money in two ways: product sales and services.
Which company is valued higher relative to revenue — Accenture PLC or Cisco Systems, Inc.?
On a price-to-sales (P/S) basis, Accenture PLC trades at 1.6x P/S and Cisco Systems, Inc. at 6.6x P/S. Cisco Systems, Inc. commands a higher revenue multiple, typically indicating that investors expect faster growth or higher future margins compared to Accenture PLC. A higher multiple is not inherently better — it may also signal that the stock is priced for perfection.
Is Accenture PLC bigger than Cisco Systems, Inc.?
By last reported revenue, Accenture PLC ($69.7B (FY2025)) is the larger company compared to Cisco Systems, Inc. ($63.3B (FY2026)). Revenue scale is one dimension of size — market capitalisation, employee count, and geographic reach are also relevant depending on the context.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Accenture vs Cisco overview