NEW YORK, February 4, 2026, 21:18 (EST) — Market closed.
- Accenture shares ended Wednesday 0.2% higher, following a volatile session.
- A filing revealed that CEO Julie Sweet sold shares through a pre-arranged trading plan.
- Traders are eyeing if the AI-driven software selloff spreads deeper into IT services stocks.
Accenture plc shares closed Wednesday roughly 0.2% higher at $241.65, bouncing between $231.85 and $244.95 during the session. Investors digested new insider-sale reports amid a gloomy tone in software and services sectors.
The timing couldn’t be worse. A broad selloff in software and services stocks has investors questioning once more if new AI tools will lift the sector or erode the margins that made it a reliable safe haven. Reuters linked the latest drop to a fresh legal AI product from Anthropic, quoting Ocean Park Asset Management CIO James St. Aubin who described it as “a manifestation of an awakening to the disruptive power of AI.” (Reuters)
For Accenture, the argument hits right at their business model. Consulting and outsourcing firms trade in people-hours, so they need to persuade clients that AI will boost transformation projects rather than cut down on billable staff.
Accenture’s shares took a hit on Tuesday, slipping 9.59% to $241.21 and lagging behind several rivals during a broad selloff. IBM dropped 6.49%, ADP lost 5.04%, and Cognizant plunged 10.14%, according to MarketWatch data. The stock closed roughly 39% below its 52-week peak of $398.35. (MarketWatch)
A regulatory filing revealed new details. Accenture Chair and CEO Julie Spellman Sweet sold 5,500 Class A ordinary shares on Feb. 3, with prices ranging from $238.48 to $249.85. Following the sales, she still held 21,150 shares. Meanwhile, Chief Strategy and Services Officer Manish Sharma sold 98 shares at $250.36, leaving him with 5,031 shares after the transactions, the filings showed. (SEC)
Both filings showed the sales stemmed from Rule 10b5-1 plans — pre-set trading programs letting executives sell shares according to a schedule, no matter the short-term price fluctuations.
Worries aren’t limited to the U.S. In India, IT exporters tumbled on Wednesday following Anthropic’s launch, which stoked fears automation might slash the need for big teams, Reuters reported. “As Indian firms adopt Claude for key coding tasks, reliance on large vendor teams could drop, tightening billable hours and margins,” said Systematix Group analyst Ambrish Shah. (Reuters)
That said, the takeaway remains unclear. Pre-set insider sales don’t always point to changing expectations, and the AI disruption trade could quickly lose steam if investors conclude the selloff went too far or if clients continue investing heavily in major transformation efforts.
Traders face a busy schedule this week with key macro data rolling out. The Bureau of Labor Statistics confirmed the January U.S. employment report will drop Wednesday, Feb. 11, pushed back by a shutdown. The January CPI inflation figures are now set for release on Friday, while Thursday brings the December JOLTS job openings report. (Reuters)
Accenture is set to hold its fiscal second-quarter earnings call on March 19 at 8:00 a.m. EST, per the company’s events calendar. (Accenture)
