The Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) share price has put on a wobbly performance over the last five years, hitting a high of $39.57 and a low of $14.93 in that time. Fortunately, it's ultimately moved higher.
If one were to have bought $12,000 of Woodside shares five years ago, they likely would have walked away with 398 stocks, paying $30.11 apiece.
Today, that parcel would be worth $13,488.22. The Woodside share price has gained 13% since April 2018.
That's a decent gain, but not as good as the returns provided by the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO). The index has lifted around 24% over the same period.
But have Woodside's dividends helped send its returns above those provided by the index? Let's take a look.
Image source: Getty Images
All dividends paid to those holding Woodside shares since 2018
Here are all the dividends paid to those invested in Woodside shares since April 2018, rounded to the nearest cent:
| Woodside dividends' pay date | Type | Dividend amount |
| April 2023 | Final | $2.15 |
| October 2022 | Interim | $1.60 |
| March 2022 | Final | $1.46 |
| September 2021 | Interim | 41 cents |
| March 2021 | Final | 15 cents |
| September 2020 | Interim | 36 cents |
| March 2020 | Final | 83 cents |
| September 2019 | Interim | 53 cents |
| March 2019 | Final | $1.27 |
| September 2018 | Interim | 73 cents |
| Total: | $9.49 |
As the chart above shows, each Woodside share has yielded $9.49 of dividends over the last five years.
That means our figurative $12,000 investment has likely returned $3,777.02 of passive income over its life. It also brings its total return on investment (ROI) to 44%.
Of course, if one were to have reinvested their dividends, they might have realised an even better return thanks to compounding.
Additionally, all the dividends offered by the ASX 200 energy giant over the last five years have been at least partially franked. Thus, they might have brought tax benefits for some shareholders.
Right now, Woodside shares offer a whopping 11% dividend yield.
