Accenture plc (ACN) will raise its semi-annual dividend by 10 percent to $1.21 per share in 2016. This marks the 12th consecutive year of annual dividend increases by the IT-services provider.

In today's press release Accenture states that it continues to return cash to shareholders through cash dividends and share repurchases. In fiscal 2016, the company returned $4.04 billion to shareholders, including $1.44 billion in cash dividends and $2.60 billion in share repurchases. 

Accenture plc has declared a semi-annual cash dividend of $1.21 per share on Accenture plc Class A ordinary shares for shareholders of record at the close of business on Oct. 21, 2016, and Accenture Holdings plc will declare a semi-annual cash dividend of $1.21 per share on Accenture Holdings ordinary shares for shareholders of record at the close of business on Oct. 18, 2016. Both dividends are payable on Nov. 15, 2016. This represents an increase of $0.11 per share, or 10 percent, over the company’s previous semi-annual dividend, declared in March.  

Last year Accenture hiked its dividend by 7.8%. The new estimated dividend yield is 2%.

Accenture plc provides management and technology consulting services. The company serves clients in a broad range of industries and in three geographic regions: North America, Europe and Growth Markets (Asia Pacific, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East). Accenture's five operating groups are organized by industry: Communications, Media & Technology, Financial Services, Health & Public Service, Products and (as fifth operating group) Resources. Accenture's Products operating group serves a set of increasingly interconnected consumer-relevant industries. Resources serves the chemicals, energy, forest products, metals and mining, utilities and related industries.