BAH vs ACN

For growth investors, Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation (BAH) is the stronger pick with 12.

4% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 7. 4% for Accenture plc (ACN). Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation (BAH) offers the better valuation at 10. 6x trailing P/E (12. 7x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Accenture plc (ACN) a "Buy" — based on 53 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation (BAH) is the cheapest at 10.

6x versus Accenture plc at 14. 8x. On forward P/E, Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation is actually cheaper at 12. 7x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation wins at 0. 78x versus Accenture plc's 1. 44x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation (BAH) delivered a total return of +2.

7%, compared to -29. 5% for Accenture plc (ACN). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: BAH returned +227. 8% versus ACN's +89. 9%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation (BAH) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

35β versus Accenture plc's 0. 85β — meaning ACN is approximately 144% more volatile than BAH relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Accenture plc (ACN) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 25% versus 4% for Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation (BAH) is pulling ahead at 12.

4% versus 7. 4% for Accenture plc (ACN). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation grew EPS 58. 0% year-over-year, compared to 6. 2% for Accenture plc. Over a 3-year CAGR, BAH leads at 12. 7% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Accenture plc (ACN) is the more profitable company, earning 11.

0% net margin versus 7. 8% for Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation — meaning it keeps 11. 0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ACN leads at 14. 7% versus 11. 4% for BAH. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — BAH leads at 54. 8%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation (BAH) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 78x versus Accenture plc's 1. 44x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation (BAH) trades at 12. 7x forward P/E versus 13. 0x for Accenture plc — 0. 3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ACN: 66. 4% to $299. 92.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Accenture plc (ACN) offers the highest yield at 3. 2%, versus 2. 7% for Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation (BAH).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation (BAH) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

35), 2. 7% yield, +227. 8% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (BAH: +227. 8%, ACN: +89. 9%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

These companies operate in different sectors (BAH (Industrials) and ACN (Technology)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.