Accenture posts higher profit despite weak economy

NEW YORK, Sept 25 (Reuters) - Accenture Ltd (ACN.N) reported a rise in quarterly profit on Thursday on firm demand for its global consulting and outsourcing services, despite a downturn in the U.S. economy and financial industry.

Net income for its fiscal fourth quarter ended Aug. 31 rose to $434.8 million, or 67 cents per share, from $316.8 million, or 50 cents a share, a year earlier.

Quarterly net revenue, which excludes reimbursements from clients for expenses such as consultants' travel, rose to $6.00 billion from $5.11 billion.

It forecast net revenue growth in the next fiscal year of 9 percent to 12 percent from $23.39 billion in fiscal 2008. (Reporting by Ritsuko Ando, editing by Richard Chang)