Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP) and New Hope Corp Ltd (ASX: NHC) shares don't have much in common.
After all, one is an S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) buy now, pay later (BNPL) stock while the other is an ASX 200 coal stock.
One thing they do have in common is their strong outperformance today.
In morning trade on Tuesday, the ASX 200 is down 0.5%.
New Hope shares, on the other hand, are up 2.9%, changing hands for $6.46 each. And Zip shares are soaring 4.3%, trading for $2.19 apiece.
Zip shares look to be getting a boost today after the company announced that, in line with its 20 August announcement, Zip commenced the on-market share buyback of up to $50 million worth of its shares on Monday.
As for New Hope, the coal miner released its FY 2026 results this morning.
New Hope reported a full year net profit after tax (NPAT) of $161 million. And management declared a fully franked final dividend of 30 cents per share, up from last year's final passive income payout of 15 cents per share.
That's this week's price action.
Now, if you'd invested $10,000 in both ASX 200 stocks three years ago, here's what you'd have today.
(As for our benchmark, the ASX 200 has gained 19.5% since 15 September 2023.)
Image source: Getty Images
New Hope share gains driven by dividends
Three years ago, New Hope shares were trading for $6.22 apiece.
So, for $10,000 you could have bought 1,607 shares in the ASX 200 coal miner.
At today's $6.46, you could sell those same shares for $10,381.
While that's not much of a capital gain over three years, we haven't factored in the New Hope dividends yet.
We can't count the 30 cent per share final dividend declared today, as you'd need to own the stock at market close this Friday to be eligible for that passive income payout.
But if you'd owned the coal miner for the past three years you would have received the past six fully franked dividend totalling $1.13 a share.
If we add that back in to today's share price, then the accumulated value of the New Hope shares you bought for $10,000 three years ago is now worth $7.59 each.
And those 1,607 shares are worth an accumulated $12,197.
Zip shares strong rebound from post pandemic beating
Unlike New Hope shares, Zip shares were beaten down badly by 15 September 2023, trading for just 32 cents each.
For $10,000, then, you could have picked up 31,250 shares in the ASX 200 BNPL stock.
Now, Zip doesn't pay any dividends.
But at today's $2.19 share price, those 31,250 shares are worth a cool $68,438.
How about in 2026?
It's a vastly different story in 2026.
Year to date Zip shares remain down 34% while New Hope shares have surged 61% and paid an interim dividend.
