Superdrug pays Hong Kong billionaire owner Li Ka-shing £35m in dividends
Superdrug has paid out £35m in dividends to its Hong Kong owner Li Ka-shing.
The chain, which has about 800 stores across the UK and Ireland, has been under the ownership of Mr Li’s Chinese conglomerate since 2002.
Nicknamed Superman, Li Ka-shing is revered as one of the most influential businessmen in Asia. He owns not just the Superdrug pharmacies, but also pub chain Greene King and the Three mobile phone network.
The 93-year-old retired from the day-to-day running of his empire in 2018 and has an estimated fortune of $36.4bn (£30.2bn), according to Forbes.
The retailer halted dividend payments in 2020 after the pandemic hit, but they were resumed in the year to January 1 as lockdown restrictions were lifted.
A spokesman for Superdrug said: “Retail has had a tough period weathering the storm of the pandemic and in 2020 we took the decision to stop all dividend payments.
“In 2021 we have seen footfall start to return to the high street and continued growth in our online sales.
“Accordingly we have paid an appropriate amount of dividends in relation to the revenue and profit delivered within the Superdrug business.”
