Shares in Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) have been an ASX dividend staple since 1991. The $180 billion bank share is also Australia's second-largest listed company.
Right now, CBA shares are trading at $106.44, having smashed through the milestone $100 mark in May 2021. That sees the stock 3.8% higher than it was at the start of this year.
For comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has fallen 3.9% year to date.
But if we were to rewind further back, 10 years to be exact, CBA shares were worth around $61.40 apiece. If an investor bought $1,000 worth of CBA stock back then, they likely would have walked away with 16 securities and $17 change.
The CBA share price has gained 73% since then, leaving our figurative parcel of shares valued at $1,703.04. And that's before considering the dividends offered by the banking giant.
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How much have CBA shares paid in dividends in 10 years?
Here are all the dividends handed out to those invested in CBA shares over the last decade:
| CBA dividends' pay date | Type | Dividend amount |
| September 2022 | Final | $2.10 |
| March 2022 | Interim | $1.75 |
| September 2021 | Final | $2 |
| March 2021 | Interim | $1.50 |
| September 2020 | Final | 98 cents |
| March 2020 | Interim | $2 |
| September 2019 | Final | $2.31 |
| March 2019 | Interim | $2 |
| September 2018 | Final | $2.31 |
| March 2018 | Interim | $2 |
| September 2017 | Final | $2.30 |
| April 2017 | Interim | $1.99 |
| September 2016 | Final | $2.22 |
| March 2016 | Interim | $1.98 |
| October 2015 | Final | $2.22 |
| April 2015 | Interim | $1.98 |
| October 2014 | Final | $2.18 |
| April 2014 | Interim | $1.83 |
| October 2013 | Final | $2 |
| April 2013 | Interim | $1.64 |
| Total: | $39.29 |
Anyone who invested in CBA stock in December 2012 and held tight over the years since may be happy to learn they've likely received $39.29 for every share they hold.
That means an assumed $1,000 initial investment 10 years ago has provided $628.64 in dividends. That's nearly the same amount offered by BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares in that time!
Considering both capital appreciation and dividends, $1,000 worth of CBA shares a decade ago could have doubled an investor's money in the years since. Those 16 stocks could have returned $1,331.68 on top of the figurative initial investment.
And that's all without using a dividend reinvestment plan (DRP) to compound CBA's dividends.
Finally, all offerings from the bank in that time were fully franked. Thus, they might have provided additional value come tax time.
CBA shares currently offer a 3.6% dividend yield.
