FAIRFIELD, Conn. — The board of directors of General Electric Co. on Friday today raised the company’s quarterly dividend by 12 percent, or 2 cents per outstanding share of common stock, to 19 cents per share. The dividend is payable Jan. 25 to shareowners of record at the close of business on Dec. 242. The ex-dividend date is Dec. 20.

In addition, the board increased the existing share-repurchase authorization by $10 billion and extended the repurchase plan through 2015, which otherwise would have expired on Dec. 31. As of the end of the third quarter of 2012, the plan had approximately $4.9 billion in remaining authorization.

“We are pleased to increase GE’s quarterly dividend for the fifth time in three years,” GE Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt said in a statement. “In addition to investing in long-term growth, returning cash to our shareholders remains a top priority. Coupled with our strong operational outlook, today’s announcement underscores our balanced and disciplined approach to capital allocation.”

GE Aviation, based in Evendale, is a unit of GE and has several operations in the Dayton area.