Accenture CEO Julie Sweet said H-1B visas are a small part of the company's business, with only 5% of its U.S.-based staff receiving such visas. She stressed that the company only grants visas for specialized skills needed by clients. Sweet added that this percentage is too low to have a meaningful effect on business.
H-1B visa use in Accenture has gradually declined, according to Kotak Institutional Equities. In the first nine months of 2025, approvals were only 190, compared to 3,442 a decade ago. This steep decline reflects a change in hiring trends and limited exposure to U.S. immigration policies.
Accenture announced a sequential headcount reduction of 11,419 employees during the September quarter, decreasing the global headcount to 770,000—our India-based employees number in excess of 350,000. In addition to workforce changes, the company launched a six-month business optimisation programme to cut costs and realign strategy.
CFO Angie Park said the programme is based on accelerated talent rotation and the divestiture of two acquisitions that are no longer aligned with strategic objectives. Severance expenses and divestitures resulted in a charge of $615 million in Q4, and she expects another $250 million in Q1. The $865 million is set to generate savings, which will be put back into people and business operations.
Accenture's revenues increased 7% in FY25, and it is growing in all verticals and geographies. The growth was 4% organic and 3% acquisitions. The company's operating margin improved to 15.6% compared to a year ago, which is a gain of 10 basis points.
In quarter 4, revenue increased by 4.5% with growth observed across most industries. Media and technology posted an increase of 6%, BFSI 10% and health and public service 7%. Products went up 8% and healthcare went down 3%. In terms of region, the revenue increased by 5% in the Americas, 3% in EMEA, and 6% in Asia-Pacific.
Accenture continues to show resiliency through workforce resets and strategic shifts. The company continues to invest in human capital and business competencies as it continues to grow momentum in different markets.