It's been a big year so far for S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) dividends, and there are still plenty of extra special offerings to come.
According to analysis by CommSec, ASX 200 shares declared more than $78 billion worth of dividends over the course of this year's February and August earnings season.
But one particular type of offering has been the talk of the ASX town this week. And that is special dividends.
Special dividends are one-off cash payouts offered to shareholders. They are normally larger than a company's routine dividends and allow it to return excess cash to shareholders.
Thus, they often follow an event that brings in extra cash, like an asset sale or a particularly profitable period.
So, which ASX 200 shares are declaring special dividends in 2022? Keep reading to find out.
3 ASX 200 shares paying out special dividends
Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS)
ASX 200 telco giant Telstra offered investors a 1-cent special dividend for each share held on top of its 7.5 cent final dividend for financial year 2022.
The offering marks the end of the nbn one-off related special dividend, given the nbn rollout is complete. The telco met its commitment to pay out around 75% of all one-off nbn receipts to shareholders.
Telstra paid out its latest dividend today.
New Hope Corporation Limited (ASX: NHC)
ASX 200 coal miner New Hope declared a 25-cent special dividend earlier this week. That brings the company's upcoming payout to 56 cents – a 700% increase on last year's final dividend.
The special dividend was announced alongside news the company's net profit after tax (NPAT) jumped more than 1,110% to $983 million over the 12 months ended 31 July 2022.
Washington H Soul Pattinson and Co Ltd (ASX: SOL)
Soul Patts is also paying out a special dividend this year.
The ASX 200 investment house – which holds a near-40% stake in New Hope – revealed a 15-cent per share special dividend, on top of a 72-cent per share final dividend, this morning.
The company's chair Robert Millner commented on the offering, saying:
Over the last 20 years, the [Soul Patts] dividend has increased every year and grown at a compound average growth rate of 8.5%.
The board is also pleased to be able to pay a special dividend as a result of the very strong cash generation by New Hope in the current environment.
