Accenture Acquires Joshua Tree Group to Enhance Distribution Center Performance for Retail and Consumer Goods Clients

Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has acquired Joshua Tree Group (“JTG”), a supply chain consulting firm specializing in distribution center performance. The acquisition will help Accenture make distribution centers more productive and efficient for its clients in retail, consumer goods and other product-based industries. It also expands Accenture’s capabilities to design and build more autonomous supply chains, where AI-powered tools improve labor productivity, inventory management and customer fulfillment.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241011534028/en/

Accenture has acquired Joshua Tree Group (“JTG”), a supply chain consulting firm specializing in distribution center performance. (Photo: Business Wire)

A core service of JTG is coaching and training staff on the warehouse floor. It helps supervisors empower front-line workers to perform better in their jobs, allowing companies to increase retention and better manage seasonal volatility. JTG combines on-site worker management and leadership engagement services with advanced analytics tools to monitor performance and establish smart work routines.

Accenture will combine its digital technology capabilities with JTG’s distribution center expertise to offer generative AI and digital twin warehouse solutions to retail and consumer goods clients. For example, a generative AI tool checking a warehouse’s shipment schedule and current stock levels, could instantly recommend swapping a delayed inbound trailer to a different loading dock.

Patty Riedl, who leads Accenture’s Supply Chain & Operations practice in North America, said: “Often, companies automate too much or too little of their distribution center operations because they don’t have a detailed enough understanding of each task and the technological possibilities. Accenture and JTG are combining deep technology skills, process know-how and on-the-ground experience to determine the right levels and types of automation for our clients’ distribution centers and supply chains overall.”

JTG adds a team of supply chain consultants with a deep understanding of the retail and consumer goods industries and operational management to Accenture. The company is headquartered in Franklin, Tennessee.

Seth Davis, CEO of JTG, said: “JTG is dedicated to helping our clients and our consultants achieve their greatest potential. By combining our supply chain expertise with Accenture’s advanced technology capability, reputation, scale and talent we will enable more compelling supply chain solutions for retail and consumer goods companies and expand opportunities for our people. The pace of change is faster than ever, and the challenges and opportunities for our clients have never been more consequential.”

The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Forward-Looking Statements

Except for the historical information and discussions contained herein, statements in this news release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “likely,” “anticipates,” “aspires,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “projects,” “believes,” “estimates,” “positioned,” “outlook,” “goal,” “target” and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance nor promises that goals or targets will be met, and involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that are difficult to predict and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. These risks include, without limitation, risks that: the transaction might not achieve the anticipated benefits for Accenture; Accenture’s results of operations have been, and may in the future be, adversely affected by volatile, negative or uncertain economic and geopolitical conditions and the effects of these conditions on the company’s clients’ businesses and levels of business activity; Accenture’s business depends on generating and maintaining client demand for the company’s services and solutions including through the adaptation and expansion of its services and solutions in response to ongoing changes in technology and offerings, and a significant reduction in such demand or an inability to respond to the evolving technological environment could materially affect the company’s results of operations; risks and uncertainties related to the development and use of AI could harm the company’s business, damage its reputation or give rise to legal or regulatory action; if Accenture is unable to match people and their skills with client demand around the world and attract and retain professionals with strong leadership skills, the company’s business, the utilization rate of the company’s professionals and the company’s results of operations may be materially adversely affected; Accenture faces legal, reputational and financial risks from any failure to protect client and/or company data from security incidents or cyberattacks; the markets in which Accenture operates are highly competitive, and Accenture might not be able to compete effectively; Accenture’s ability to attract and retain business and employees may depend on its reputation in the marketplace; if Accenture does not successfully manage and develop its relationships with key ecosystem partners or fails to anticipate and establish new alliances in new technologies, the company’s results of operations could be adversely affected; Accenture’s profitability could materially suffer due to pricing pressure, if the company is unable to remain competitive, if its cost-management strategies are unsuccessful or if it experiences delivery inefficiencies or fail to satisfy certain agreed-upon targets or specific service levels; changes in Accenture’s level of taxes, as well as audits, investigations and tax proceedings, or changes in tax laws or in their interpretation or enforcement, could have a material adverse effect on the company’s effective tax rate, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition; Accenture’s results of operations could be materially adversely affected by fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; Accenture’s debt obligations could adversely affect its business and financial condition; changes to accounting standards or in the estimates and assumptions Accenture makes in connection with the preparation of its consolidated financial statements could adversely affect its financial results; as a result of Accenture’s geographically diverse operations and strategy to continue to grow in key markets around the world, the company is more susceptible to certain risks; if Accenture is unable to manage the organizational challenges associated with its size, the company might be unable to achieve its business objectives; Accenture might not be successful at acquiring, investing in or integrating businesses, entering into joint ventures or divesting businesses; Accenture’s business could be materially adversely affected if the company incurs legal liability; Accenture’s global operations expose the company to numerous and sometimes conflicting legal and regulatory requirements; Accenture’s work with government clients exposes the company to additional risks inherent in the government contracting environment; if Accenture is unable to protect or enforce its intellectual property rights or if Accenture’s services or solutions infringe upon the intellectual property rights of others or the company loses its ability to utilize the intellectual property of others, its business could be adversely affected; Accenture may be subject to criticism and negative publicity related to its incorporation in Ireland; as well as the risks, uncertainties and other factors discussed under the “Risk Factors” heading in Accenture plc’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and other documents filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Statements in this news release speak only as of the date they were made, and Accenture undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statements made in this news release or to conform such statements to actual results or changes in Accenture’s expectations.

About Accenture

Accenture is a leading global professional services company that helps the world’s leading organizations build their digital core, optimize their operations, accelerate revenue growth and enhance services—creating tangible value at speed and scale. We are a talent- and innovation-led company with 774,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Technology is at the core of change today, and we are one of the world’s leaders in helping drive that change, with strong ecosystem relationships. We combine our strength in technology and leadership in cloud, data and AI with unmatched industry experience, functional expertise and global delivery capability. Our broad range of services, solutions and assets across Strategy & Consulting, Technology, Operations, Industry X and Song, together with our culture of shared success and commitment to creating 360° value, enable us to help our clients reinvent and build trusted, lasting relationships. We measure our success by the 360° value we create for our clients, each other, our shareholders, partners and communities. Visit us at accenture.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241011534028/en/

Sumedha Mahorey Accenture +91 9820 192 152 sumedha.mahorey@accenture.com Tara Burns Accenture +44 7850 435 158 tara.burns@accenture.com

Accenture (NYSE:ACN)
Historical Stock Chart
From Oct 2024 to Nov 2024