Do New Hope shares really pay a 17.6% dividend yield?

New Hope shares leapt 9% on Tuesday after the ASX 200 coal miner declared a record interim dividend.

New Hope Corp Ltd (ASX: NHC) shares are down 1.35% in early afternoon trading on Friday.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) coal stock closed yesterday trading for $5.54. Shares are currently changing hands for $5.47 apiece.

Keep that price in mind, as it will enable us to address the question, do New Hope shares really pay a 17% dividend yield?

Group of smiling coal miners in a coal mine

Image source: Getty Images

Does the ASX 200 coal miner really pay a 17.6% dividend yield?

The answer is yes.

And no.

Let me explain.

The ASX 200 coal miner reported some stellar half-year results on Tuesday, which saw New Hope shares close up 8.6% on the day.

On the back of record-high coal prices during the six-month period, the company saw its after-tax profits increase a remarkable 101% from the prior corresponding half-year period.

This encouraged the New Hope board to declare a 30 cents per share ordinary dividend and a 10 cents per share special dividend, both fully franked.

Now the stock doesn't trade ex-dividend until 17 April.

Until that time, the official dividends over the last 12 months come from the final dividend of 56 cents per share (ex-dividend on 24 October). And the 30 cents per share interim dividend (ex-dividend on 14 April 2022).

With those numbers, New Hope shares pay a trailing yield of 15.8%.

Not bad. But a bit short of 17.6%.

However, if you hold the shares at market close on 17 April, you'll then be holding a stock that's paid out 96 cents per share over the prior 12 months rather than 86 cents per share. 

Buying in at today's $5.45 per share, that works out to a yield of 17.6%.

The interim dividend will be paid on 3 May.

How have New Hope shares been performing?

As you can see on the chart below, New Hope shares have been strong outperformers over the past 12 months, up 60%.

For some context, the ASX 200 is down 6% over that same period.

Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia's parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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