It's been a top start for ASX shares and the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: JXO) so far this Tuesday. At present, the ASX 200 has gained a healthy 1.22%, which lifts the Index back over 7,000 points once more. But let's talk about the Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) share price.
Wesfarmers shares are on fire today. This ASX 200 retail and industrial conglomerate is currently basking in a 1.2% rise at this point of today's session, lifting this ASX 200 blue chip share to $49.96 each.
But that's not the only reason for Wesfarmers shareholders to be in a good mood today. That's because today is also dividend payday for Wesfarmers investors.
Last month, Wesfarmers revealed its financials for the six months to 31 December 2022. These contained many pleasing metrics, such as a 27% rise in revenues to $22.56 billion. and a 14.1% hike in net profit after tax (NPAT) to $1.38 billion.
But income investors would have been pleased with the announcement of a whopper 88 cents per share Wesfarmers interim dividend.
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Latest Wesfarmers dividend incoming
This fully franked dividend is a 10% increase from last year's equivalent payment, but at the same level as 2021's interim dividend. And investors will be receiving it today after the company traded ex-dividend for the payment on 20 February.
Together with Wesfarmers' final dividend of $1 per share that was doled out last August, this latest dividend brings Wesfarmers' trailing annual payouts to $1.80 per share, fully franked.
That gives Wesfarmers shares a dividend yield of 3.76% at today's share price.
Wesfarmers snapshot
2023 has been especially kind to the Wesfarmers share price. This ASX 200 blue chip share is currently enjoying a year-to-date gain of 9.9%, handily outpacing the ASX 200's 1.4% gain.
However, Wesfarmers shares are also up a far more tame 0.46% over the past 12 months. The company also remains down by almost 25% from its all-time high of over $66 a share that we saw back in August 2021.
