Accenture PLC's stock plummeted 19.40% during Thursday's intraday session, marking one of the consulting giant's worst single-day declines on record.

The sharp drop came after the company reported mixed fiscal third-quarter results, with revenue of $18.7 billion missing Wall Street expectations. More significantly, Accenture lowered its full-year revenue growth guidance to 3-4% in local currency, down from its previous forecast, citing macroeconomic uncertainty and softer client demand for discretionary spending.

Investors also reacted negatively to Accenture's announcement of a $4.18 billion deal to acquire three cybersecurity companies—taking a majority stake in Dragos and buying runZero and NetRise outright. The company acknowledged that the Middle East conflict had impacted its business, with CEO Julie Sweet noting approximately $100 million in revenue impact compared to expectations. These factors combined with ongoing market concerns about AI disruption to consulting services drove the substantial selloff.