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Accenture plc (ACN) vs Johnson & Johnson (JNJ): Which Is the Better Buy in 2026?

As of 2026-06-19, ACN is undervalued at $128, with a DCF intrinsic value of $287 and a margin of safety of 55%. JNJ is fairly valued at $228, with an intrinsic value of $281 and a margin of safety of 19%. Of the two, ACN has the wider margin of safety.

ACN
Accenture plc
$127.98
VS
JNJ
Johnson & Johnson
$228.39

Rewards

ACN
  • ★Accenture plc has maintained ROIC above 15% for 4 consecutive years, indicating a durable competitive advantage.
  • ★Accenture plc scores 90/100 on the Economic Moat Score (Wide Moat), with revenue predictability as the strongest competitive dimension.
  • ★Return on equity has consistently exceeded 20% over 4 years, indicating efficient use of shareholder capital.
JNJ
  • ★Johnson & Johnson has maintained ROIC above 15% for 4 consecutive years, indicating a durable competitive advantage.
  • ★Gross margin of 68.0% indicates strong pricing power — typical of businesses with significant intellectual property or brand strength.
  • ★Johnson & Johnson scores 90/100 on the Economic Moat Score (Wide Moat), with revenue predictability as the strongest competitive dimension.

Risks

ACN
  • ⚠17 insider sales with no purchases over the past 12 months — a persistent pattern of insider selling.
JNJ
  • ⚠Trailing P/E of 26.5x is 33% above the historical average of 20.0x — the stock trades at a premium to its own history.
  • ⚠PEG ratio of 3.06 indicates the stock is expensive relative to its expected growth — the market may be pricing in more growth than analysts project.
  • ⚠Insiders have sold $2.4M worth of stock in the past 3 months — significant insider liquidation.

Key Valuation Metrics

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ACN
JNJ
Valuation
$12.16B
Free Cash Flow
$19.31B
15.44%
FCF Yield
3.51%
10.49
Trailing P/E
26.46
8.62
Forward P/E
17.96
Quality & Moat
19.14%
ROIC
15.32%
24.76%
ROE
26.42%
32.03%
Gross Margin
68.04%
1.10
PEG Ratio
3.06
Balance Sheet Safety
Net cash
Net Debt / Equity
0.41
N/A
Interest Coverage
N/A
-0.08
Net Debt / EBITDA
0.96
3.94%
Dividend Yield
2.22%
ACN: 8Ties: 1JNJ: 3
ACNJNJ

Historical Fundamentals

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ACN

Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation. The dashed forward point is the forward P/E — today's price ÷ analyst consensus EPS.

JNJ

Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation. The dashed forward point is the forward P/E — today's price ÷ analyst consensus EPS.

Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation. The dashed forward point is the forward P/E — today's price ÷ analyst consensus EPS.

$1 Retained Earnings Test

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ACN
$-0.13
created per $1 retained over 3 years
Market Cap Declined
Σ Retained
$12.05B
Δ Market Cap
$-1.58B
Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer
JNJ
$0.91
created per $1 retained over 3 years
Mediocre Allocator
Σ Retained
$40.05B
Δ Market Cap
+$36.63B
Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer

Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer

Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) Analysis

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ACN
55.4% Margin of Safety
Price is 55.4% below estimated fair value
Current Price: $127.98
Fair Value: $287.19
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued
JNJ
18.6% Margin of Safety
Price is 18.6% below estimated fair value
Current Price: $228.39
Fair Value: $280.51
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued

Reverse DCF — Market-Implied Growth

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ACN

What growth rate is the market pricing in at $128?

-3.0%
Market-Implied Owner Earnings Growth
Standard FCF implies -8.4%

The market implies -3.0% Owner Earnings growth, below historical trends — potential opportunity.

Standard FCF implies a more demanding -8.4%, reflecting heavy growth investment expected to generate future returns.

JNJ

What growth rate is the market pricing in at $228?

+7.7%
Market-Implied Owner Earnings Growth
Standard FCF implies +13.3%

The market implies +7.7% Owner Earnings growth, above historical trends.

Standard FCF implies a demanding +13.3%, reflecting heavy growth investment.

Economic Moat Score

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ACN
90/100
Wide Moat
70+ Wide · 40-69 Narrow · <40 None

Wide moat with strength across all dimensions. Revenue Predictability is the standout factor.

Composite score measuring competitive advantage durability across four dimensions: returns above cost of capital, pricing power stability, revenue predictability, and capital efficiency. Based on 4 years of fundamental data.
JNJ
90/100
Wide Moat
70+ Wide · 40-69 Narrow · <40 None

Wide moat with strength across all dimensions. Revenue Predictability is the standout factor.

Composite score measuring competitive advantage durability across four dimensions: returns above cost of capital, pricing power stability, revenue predictability, and capital efficiency. Based on 5 years of fundamental data.

Forensic Accounting

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ACN
-2.93
Unlikely Manipulator
Above -1.78 = likely manipulator · -2.22 to -1.78 = grey zone

M-Score Trend

Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.
JNJ
-2.31
Unlikely Manipulator
Above -1.78 = likely manipulator · -2.22 to -1.78 = grey zone

M-Score Trend

Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.

Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.

Ownership Breakdown

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ACN
Insiders 0.0%Institutions 85.2%Retail & Other 14.8%
No. of Institutional Holders3,033
High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders — a key signal in Buffett-style analysis. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.
JNJ
Insiders 0.1%Institutions 76.9%Retail & Other 23.1%
No. of Institutional Holders5,728
High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders — a key signal in Buffett-style analysis. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.

High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.

Insider Buying Activity

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ACN
0
Buys (3M)
0
Buys (12M)
No open market insider purchases found.
Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises
JNJ
0
Buys (3M)
1
Buys (12M)
Total value (12M): $257,688
MORIKIS JOHN G
Director
$257,688
@ $206.15 · 2025-11-26
WEINBERGER MARK A
Director
$147,220
@ $147.22 · 2024-12-12
Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises

Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises.

Insider Selling Activity

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ACN
1
Sells (3M)
17
Sells (12M)
Total value (12M): $8.61M
EGAWA ATSUSHI
Officer
$863,044
@ $177.14 · 2026-04-30
SWEET JULIE SPELLMAN
Chief Executive Officer
$1.46M
@ $241.23 · 2026-02-10
WALSH JOHN F
Officer
$3,389
@ $242.07 · 2026-02-04
SHARMA MANISH
Officer
$24,535
@ $250.36 · 2026-02-03
BURGUM MELISSA A
Officer
$3,756
@ $250.40 · 2026-02-03
SWEET JULIE SPELLMAN
Chief Executive Officer
$1.33M
@ $242.39 · 2026-02-03
WALSH JOHN F
Officer
$1.10M
@ $276.38 · 2026-01-27
CLIFFORD KATHERINE LEE
Officer
$220,985
@ $280.79 · 2026-01-26
HOGAN CATHERINE KIERNAN
Chief Operating Officer
$185,412
@ $280.93 · 2026-01-26
BURGUM MELISSA A
Officer
$1.01M
@ $281.01 · 2026-01-26
UNRUCH JOEL SCOTT
General Counsel
$289,024
@ $281.70 · 2026-01-23
CLIFFORD KATHERINE LEE
Officer
$191,108
@ $280.63 · 2026-01-20
SHARMA MANISH
Officer
$786,871
@ $288.13 · 2026-01-14
MACCHI MAURO
Officer
$140,000
@ $280.00 · 2026-01-14
SWEET JULIE SPELLMAN
Chief Executive Officer
$488,380
@ $288.30 · 2026-01-14
MACCHI MAURO
Officer
$140,000
@ $280.00 · 2026-01-07
UNRUCH JOEL SCOTT
General Counsel
$366,300
@ $275.00 · 2026-01-06
Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives
JNJ
1
Sells (3M)
13
Sells (12M)
Total value (12M): $103.65M
WENGEL KATHRYN E
Chief Technology Officer
$2.41M
@ $241.15 · 2026-06-11
DECKER ROBERT J
Officer
$1.01M
@ $247.87 · 2026-02-27
SCHMID TIMOTHY
Officer
$324,763
@ $245.66 · 2026-02-20
SCHMID TIMOTHY
Officer
$5.53M
@ $244.33 · 2026-02-18
SWANSON JAMES D
Chief Technology Officer
$15.11M
@ $243.39 · 2026-02-17
BROADHURST VANESSA
Officer
$1.51M
@ $243.39 · 2026-02-17
WOLK JOSEPH J
Chief Financial Officer
$21.77M
@ $242.80 · 2026-02-17
REED JOHN C
Officer
$13.11M
@ $243.00 · 2026-02-17
REED JOHN C
Officer
$4.19M
@ $192.71 · 2025-10-17
TAUBERT JENNIFER L
Officer
$10.04M
@ $177.81 · 2025-09-04
DUATO JOAQUIN BOIX
Chief Executive Officer
$22.55M
@ $179.21 · 2025-08-22
WOLK JOSEPH J
Chief Financial Officer
$2.98M
@ $176.91 · 2025-08-15
REED JOHN C
Officer
$3.13M
@ $163.55 · 2025-07-17
DECKER ROBERT J
Officer
$1.16M
@ $165.88 · 2025-02-25
SCHMID TIMOTHY
Officer
$62,928
@ $156.15 · 2025-02-18
WOLK JOSEPH J
Chief Financial Officer
$2.00M
@ $153.89 · 2025-02-07
DECKER ROBERT J
Officer
$930,113
@ $165.06 · 2024-08-30
Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives

Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives.

🎭 Mr. Market's Mood

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ACN
FearGreed
🥶Extreme Fear(18/100)

"Mr. Market is panicking — potential buying opportunity if fundamentals are strong"

Composite sentiment score based on 6 market signals. Inspired by Buffett's "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.
JNJ
FearGreed
😏Greed(62/100)

"Market is optimistic — be cautious and ensure you have a margin of safety"

Composite sentiment score based on 6 market signals. Inspired by Buffett's "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.

Composite sentiment score based on market signals. Inspired by Buffett’s "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.

⚖️ Buffett Signal

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ACN
⚪Awaiting DCF Data

The Buffett Signal cross-references market sentiment with DCF valuation. Configure the DCF Analysis above to generate a signal.

DCF Margin of Safety: N/AMr. Market's Mood: Extreme Fear (18)
JNJ
⚪Awaiting DCF Data

The Buffett Signal cross-references market sentiment with DCF valuation. Configure the DCF Analysis above to generate a signal.

DCF Margin of Safety: N/AMr. Market's Mood: Greed (62)
View ACN Full AnalysisView JNJ Full Analysis

Frequently Asked Questions: ACN vs JNJ

Is Accenture plc or Johnson & Johnson more undervalued in 2026?▼

Based on our discounted cash flow model, ACN trades at a 55.4% margin of safety (intrinsic value $287 vs. price $128), compared to JNJ's 18.6% margin of safety (intrinsic $281 vs. $228).

Which stock has a wider economic moat, Accenture plc or Johnson & Johnson?▼

JNJ scores 90/100 (Wide moat), while ACN scores 90/100 (Wide moat). The moat score measures competitive advantage durability across ROIC consistency, margin stability, revenue predictability, and reinvestment efficiency.

Which company has better free cash flow, Accenture plc or Johnson & Johnson?▼

Accenture plc (ACN) generates a 15.4% free cash flow yield, compared to Johnson & Johnson's 3.5%. A higher FCF yield means the business converts more of its market value into cash that can be returned to shareholders or reinvested.

Which stock has higher return on invested capital, Accenture plc or Johnson & Johnson?▼

ACN earns 19.1% ROIC versus JNJ's 15.3%. A higher ROIC means the company generates more profit per dollar of capital employed, a hallmark of durable competitive advantage in Buffett-style analysis.

Which dividend is safer, Accenture plc's or Johnson & Johnson's?▼

ACN's dividend earns a safety score of 94/100 (Very Safe), compared to JNJ's 79/100 (Safe). ACN has raised its dividend for 3 consecutive years.