No doubt, anyone who invested in Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX: FMG) shares in March 2018 and held onto their stake would be pleased with their purchase.
The iron ore giant's share price has rocketed nearly 400% since then.
Indeed, a $9,000 investment made exactly five years ago likely would have seen a buyer walk away with 2,078 Fortescue shares, paying $4.33 apiece.
Today, that parcel would be worth a whopping $44,905.58. The Fortescue share price last traded at $21.61.
For comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has risen around 24% in that time.
And all that's before we consider the dividends Fortescue has paid. Let's take a look at how much passive income the materials goliath has provided since March 2018.
Image source: Getty Images
All dividends paid to those holding Fortescue shares since 2018
Here are the dividends Fortescue has delivered to investors over the last five years:
| Fortescue dividend pay date | Type | Dividend amount |
| March 2023 | Interim | 75 cents |
| September 2022 | Final | $1.21 |
| March 2022 | Interim | 86 cents |
| September 2021 | Final | $2.11 |
| March 2021 | Interim | $1.47 |
| October 2020 | Final | $1 |
| April 2020 | Interim | 76 cents |
| October 2019 | Final | 24 cents |
| June 2019 | Special | 60 cents |
| March 2019 | Interim and special | 19 cents and 11 cents |
| October 2018 | Final | 12 cents |
| April 2018 | Interim | 11 cents |
| Total: | $9.53 |
Each Fortescue share has yielded a notable $9.53 of passive income over the last five years.
That means our figurative investment has provided a whopping $19,803.34 of dividend income over its life – marking a return on investment (ROI), including dividends and capital appreciation, of 619%.
And investors who reinvested those offerings likely experienced an even better return, thanks to the power of compounding.
Not to mention, all the dividends paid by the ASX 200 company in that time have been fully franked, meaning they might have provided tax benefits.
Right now, Fortescue shares offer a 9.07% dividend yield.
