Accenture Raises Quarterly Dividend 4.9% to $1.71

Accenture plc increased its quarterly dividend 4.9% to $1.71 per share from $1.63. The shares traded ex-dividend on October 13, 2026, and the payment is scheduled for November 13, 2026. The new rate equals $6.84 per share annually.

Why the dividend changed

Accenture did not attribute the increase to a merger, split, spin-off or other special situation. The company presented it as part of its regular capital-return program after a fiscal year of revenue growth, higher earnings and strong cash generation. Fiscal 2026 revenue was $74.2 billion, while free cash flow reached $11.6 billion, according to the company’s fourth-quarter results.

The operating results provided room for both investment and shareholder distributions. Accenture returned $11.5 billion to shareholders during fiscal 2026, including $7.5 billion through repurchases. It also spent $4.9 billion across 17 acquisitions, $1.0 billion on research and development and about $1.0 billion on learning and professional development, according to its annual report.

Management’s commentary points to cash generation and profitable growth as the foundation for capital returns. Chief Financial Officer Angie Park said fiscal 2026 free cash flow rose 7% and described returning cash to shareholders as an ongoing objective. Accenture simultaneously continued investing in artificial intelligence, data and acquisitions, according to the fourth-quarter conference call.

Dividend track record

The latest increase continues a sequence of higher quarterly rates. Accenture paid $1.29 on the July 11, 2024 ex-dividend date, followed by $1.48 on the next four listed dates and $1.63 on the April 9 and July 9, 2026 dates. The October 13, 2026 payment cycle introduced the new $1.71 rate. Accenture’s dividend history also shows that the company uses a quarterly payment schedule.

Annual payments rose from $3.28 in 2020 to $3.61 in 2021, $4.03 in 2022, $4.65 in 2023 and $5.35 in 2024. Those annual increases were 10.1%, 11.6%, 15.4% and 15.0%, respectively. The listed 2025 total of $4.44 fell 17.0%, but it comprises three payments and is therefore not directly comparable with the four-payment 2024 total.

Accenture has increased its dividend for 5 consecutive years following its last annual cut in 2020. Its five-year record is 13.1% annual growth. The latest 4.9% increase is slower than that longer-term pace, indicating continued growth at a more moderate rate.

Is the dividend covered?

The dividend consumes 51% of earnings. That leaves slightly less than half of reported profit available for reinvestment, acquisitions, repurchases, debt requirements and other corporate uses. The earnings payout is not unusually high for a mature technology-services company, but it provides less room than a substantially lower ratio would if profits weaken.

SmarterDividends assigns Accenture a dividend safety score of 62 and rates the dividend C. That score falls in the borderline range of 50-65. In plain terms, current earnings cover the distribution, but the rating does not indicate a wide safety cushion. The company’s strong fiscal 2026 free-cash-flow generation is supportive context, although the safety assessment remains more guarded than a high-grade rating.

Yield and valuation

At a share price of $229.68, Accenture’s forward dividend yield is 2.98%. That is above the Technology sector median forward yield of 1.38%. The elevated yield also follows an 8.1% loss in the share price over the past year, which increased the income available per dollar invested.

SmarterDividends estimates fair value at $268.96 and classifies the shares as undervalued, corresponding to 17% upside to fair value. That estimate is a valuation reference rather than a forecast or recommendation. The company’s market value is $140.6 billion.

What to watch

The immediate milestone is the November 13, 2026 payment of $1.71 per share. At the new annual rate, 100 shares generate $684.00 in annual dividend income before taxes and any reinvestment effects.

Operating performance will determine whether coverage strengthens or narrows. Accenture expects fiscal 2027 revenue growth of 3% to 6% in local currency and at least $9.5 billion in cash returns to shareholders. Its first-quarter revenue outlook is $18.95 billion to $19.60 billion. Investors can also monitor the conversion of $84.5 billion in fiscal 2026 bookings into revenue and the balance between acquisitions, repurchases and dividends as management allocates cash.