May 18, 2015
Accenture to Acquire Javelin Group to Expand Accenture Strategy Capabilities in the Retail Industry
LONDON; May 18, 2015 — Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has entered into an agreement to acquire Javelin Group, a UK-based retail strategy consulting and digital transformation services provider. The acquisition will expand the capabilities of Accenture Strategy to help the world’s leading retailers and consumer brands accelerate their digital transformation. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed, and completion of the acquisition is subject to regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions.
Javelin Group is a specialist integrated retail strategy and digital transformation consulting firm, employing more than 160 people and generating approximately half its revenues outside the UK. It offers a range of strategy services including digital market assessment and potential evaluation, digital performance improvement, omni-channel retail planning, retail analytics, supply chain fulfilment and operations, as well as location and international expansion strategy. It also provides digital technology consulting and systems implementation and support services.
Accenture to acquire Javelin Group to expand its capabilities in helping the world’s leading retailers and consumer brands accelerate their digital transformation. Credit Accenture
Following completion of the acquisition, Accenture Strategy will be able to offer a broader range of digital capabilities to shape innovative retail strategies and support the execution of large scale change. The combination of Javelin Group’s skills and Accenture’s global reach and industry expertise will enhance Accenture Strategy’s ability to serve a fast growing international retail market.
“The acquisition of the Javelin Group will help Accenture Strategy reinforce our ability to deliver large scale transformation in the retail industry,” said Mark Knickrehm, group chief executive, Accenture Strategy. "It will also strengthen the portfolio of industry knowledge and digital capabilities that makes Accenture Strategy increasingly relevant in a market demanding sector specific strategies and solutions.”
“Accenture anticipates continued strong demand for strategy services in the retail market as new technologies raise consumer expectations and transform the fulfilment of products and services across multiple channels,” said Chris Donnelly, Retail Industry Strategy lead, Accenture Strategy. “Javelin Group’s unique set of integrated strategy, consulting and implementation capabilities will help us support clients through their entire digital transformation journey.”
“Javelin Group has established itself as a leading specialist provider of consulting and technology services to retailers in Europe and beyond,” said Tony Stockil, CEO of Javelin Group. “As digital technologies intensify the scale of the challenges and opportunities facing consumer brands and retailers, the combination of Accenture’s global reach and digital transformation capabilities and Javelin Group’s specialist retail expertise will bring new value to those businesses.”
Javelin Group was founded in 1997 and is based in London, UK.
About Accenture
Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, with more than 323,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world’s most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. The company generated net revenues of US$30.0 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2014. Its home page is www.accenture.com.
Accenture Strategy operates at the intersection of business and technology. We bring together our capabilities in business, technology , operations and function strategy to help our clients envision and execute industry-specific strategies that support enterprise wide transformation. Our focus on issues related to digital disruption, competitiveness, global operating models, talent and leadership help drive both efficiencies and growth. For more information, follow @AccentureStrat or visit www.accenture.com/strategy.
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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,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “projects,” “believes,” “estimates,” “positioned,” “outlook” and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. These include, without limitation, risks that: the company and Javelin Group will not be able to close the transaction in the time period anticipated, or at all, which is dependent on the parties’ ability to satisfy certain closing conditions; the transaction might not achieve the anticipated benefits for the company; the company’s results of operations could be adversely affected by volatile, negative or uncertain economic conditions and the effects of these conditions on the company’s clients’ businesses and levels of business activity; the company’s business depends on generating and maintaining ongoing, profitable client demand for the company’s services and solutions, and a significant reduction in such demand could materially affect the company’s results of operations; if the company is unable to keep its supply of skills and resources in balance 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; the markets in which the company competes are highly competitive, and the company might not be able to compete effectively; the company could have liability or the company’s reputation could be damaged if the company fails to protect client and/or company data or information systems as obligated by law or contract or if the company’s information systems are breached; the company’s results of operations and ability to grow could be materially negatively affected if the company cannot adapt and expand its services and solutions in response to ongoing changes in technology and offerings by new entrants; the company’s results of operations could materially suffer if the company is not able to obtain sufficient pricing to enable it to meet its profitability expectations; if the company does not accurately anticipate the cost, risk and complexity of performing its work or if the third parties upon whom it relies do not meet their commitments, then the company’s contracts could have delivery inefficiencies and be less profitable than expected or unprofitable; the company’s results of operations could be materially adversely affected by fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; the company’s profitability could suffer if its cost-management strategies are unsuccessful, and the company may not be able to improve its profitability through improvements to cost-management to the degree it has done in the past; the company’s business could be materially adversely affected if the company incurs legal liability; the company’s work with government clients exposes the company to additional risks inherent in the government contracting environment; the company might not be successful at identifying, acquiring or integrating businesses or entering into joint ventures; the company’s Global Delivery Network is increasingly concentrated in India and the Philippines, which may expose it to operational risks; changes in the company’s level of taxes, as well as audits, investigations and tax proceedings, or changes in the company’s treatment as an Irish company, could have a material adverse effect on the company’s results of operations and financial condition; as a result of the company’s geographically diverse operations and its growth strategy to continue geographic expansion, the company is more susceptible to certain risks; adverse changes to the company’s relationships with key alliance partners or in the business of its key alliance partners could adversely affect the company’s results of operations; the company’s services or solutions could infringe upon the intellectual property rights of others or the company might lose its ability to utilize the intellectual property of others; if the company is unable to protect its intellectual property rights from unauthorized use or infringement by third parties, its business could be adversely affected; the company’s ability to attract and retain business and employees may depend on its reputation in the marketplace; many of the company’s contracts include payments that link some of its fees to the attainment of performance or business targets and/or require the company to meet specific service levels, which could increase the variability of the company’s revenues and impact its margins; if the company is unable to collect its receivables or unbilled services, the company’s results of operations, financial condition and cash flows could be adversely affected; if the company is unable to manage the organizational challenges associated with its size, the company might be unable to achieve its business objectives; the company’s share price and results of operations could fluctuate and be difficult to predict; the company’s results of operations and share price could be adversely affected if it is unable to maintain effective internal controls; any changes to the estimates and assumptions that the company makes in connection with the preparation of its consolidated financial statements could adversely affect its financial results; the company 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.
Contact:
Matthew McGuinness
Accenture
+ 1 917 282 7187
matthew.mcguinness@accenture.com