The BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) share price has had a ripper 10 years amid the company's dominance of the Aussie iron ore industry. And that dominance has only grown.
Indeed, the 'Big Australian' added more than $100 billion to its market capitalisation earlier this year when its global listings united on the ASX.
Right now, shares in BHP are trading at $45.76. That's 8% higher than they were at the start of 2022. Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has fallen 4% year to date.
Casting our eyes back further, the BHP share price was around $32.46 10 years ago. That means a $1,000 investment in December 2012 likely would have seen a buyer walk away with 30 BHP shares and $26 change.
The value of that parcel has since grown by around 41%, coming in at $1,372.80 today.
However, when factoring in the ASX 200 giant's dividends, the returns an investor might have realised over the last decade increase exponentially. Let's take a look.
How much have BHP shares paid in dividends in 10 years?
BHP shares have been offering dividends to ASX investors since 1984. Below are all the dividends the company has handed out over the last decade:
| BHP dividends' pay date | Type | Dividend amount |
| September 2022 | Final | $2.55 |
| March 2022 | Interim | $2.08 |
| September 2021 | Final | $2.71 |
| March 2021 | Interim | $1.31 |
| September 2020 | Final | 75.4 cents |
| March 2020 | Interim | 99.4 cents |
| September 2019 | Final | $1.13 |
| March 2019 | Interim | 78.1 cents |
| January 2019 | Special | $1.41 |
| September 2018 | Final | 88.5 cents |
| March 2018 | Interim | 70.6 cents |
| September 2017 | Final | 52.9 cents |
| March 2017 | Interim | 53.2 cents |
| September 2016 | Final | 18.5 cents |
| March 2016 | Interim | 21.4 cents |
| September 2015 | Final | 87.8 cents |
| March 2015 | Interim | 80.8 cents |
| September 2014 | Final | 66.2 cents |
| March 2014 | Interim | 64.7 cents |
| September 2013 | Final | 64.4 cents |
| March 2013 | Interim | 55.6 cents |
| Total: | $20.965 |
It's been a good 10 years for those who might have bought BHP shares for $32.46 apiece in 2012. Their investment has offered them approximately $20.965 per share in dividends over that time.
That means a $1,000 investment this time 10 years ago likely would have brought in about $628.95 of dividends.
Adding that to the 41% return offered by the BHP share price, a $1,000 investment would boast a $1,027.95 return right now – meaning our figurative investor could have doubled their money.
Additionally, all dividends offered by BHP in that time have been fully franked, meaning they could have brought more benefits at tax time.
On top of that, our imagined investor could have reinvested those dividends using a dividend reinvestment plan (DRP), thereby taking advantage of compounding and potentially further increasing their returns.
The BHP share price offers a 10.1% dividend yield right now.
