Earnings season is officially over for S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares and, as always, it brought with it heaps of dividend-related news.
Plenty of dividend hikes and special cash offerings were declared in August, but new analysis shows the market saw an above average amount of dividend cuts.
So, how did the market's biggest dividend shares stack up against the competition? Let's take a look.
How did ASX 200 dividend shares stack up in August?
The 2022 August reporting season occurred against a backdrop of volatility in global equity markets, mostly driven by soaring inflation and rising rates across much of the world.
And that may have influenced ASX 200 dividend payers. CommSec analysis found dividends were down across the index last month as cash levels slipped and many companies balanced payouts against growth.
The index's aggregate dividends fell 6.1% to a total of $42.3 billion in August after rising 5.9% in February. Just 61% of ASX 200 companies boosted payouts last month while 27.4% dropped them.
Here's how some of the market's biggest dividend payers stacked up in the earnings season just been.
BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP)
BHP dropped its final dividend to US$1.75 in financial year 2022, marking a 12.5% year-on-year decrease.
However, its total dividends for financial year 2022 ended up 8% higher than those of financial year 2021 at US$3.25 per share.
Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS)
ASX 200 energy giant was a major dividend winner in August, more than tripling its half-year payout to US$1.09 per share.
Last month's earnings marked the first from the company since it merged with BHP's petroleum assets earlier this year.
Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO)
Rio Tinto technically didn't participate in the August earnings season, instead dropping its half-year results in late July.
However, its notable dividend dump made it worthy of this list. The company dropped its interim dividend by 52% to $3.837 per share.
Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW)
Sadly, Woolworths also cut its dividend. The company's full-year payout was slashed to 92 cents per share after it declared a 35-cent final dividend.
Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES)
Finally, ASX 200 retail-focused giant Wesfarmers posted a final dividend of $1 per share – marking an 11% year-on-year increase after a period of strong profits.
