David Beckham’s branded businesses paid out about $124 million (€120 million) in dividends, according to accounts filed this week. Profits surged thanks to endorsements, digital content and launches of new consumer products.
The set of accounts for DRJB Holdings highlights the ongoing popularity of the Beckham brand more than a decade after he retired from professional football.
DRJB Holdings includes David Beckham Ventures Limited, which owns the majority of his brand portfolio and earns licensing revenues from companies such as Boss, Stella Artois and Paramount. It is also the holding company for Studio 99, which made the Beckham documentary for Netflix and produces marketing campaigns for brand partners.
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Beckham and his team remain active in promoting his public image — most recently with the popular Netflix documentary — and turning that into a lucrative revenue stream through marketing tie-ups with brands keen to be associated with the star.
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Beckham is also a co-founder and co-owner of Major League Soccer franchise Inter Miami.
DRJB Holdings is majority-owned by US retail and entertainment group Authentic Brands Group, which bought into the business in 2022 and has since overseen its global brand operations.
According to the accounts, DRJB Holdings paid its shareholders ordinary dividends of $28.5 million in 2023 as well as $38.9 million in preference share payouts.
The accounts also show that after the end of 2023, a final dividend of $5.6 million was paid against preference shares in the first quarter of 2024, while ordinary dividends of $51 million were paid to the company’s shareholders.
A person familiar with the details said the dividends were split between Authentic Brands, which owns 55 per cent of the business, and Footwork Productions, the Beckham company that owns the remainder.
[ David Beckham has sold his privacy to Netflix. I’m not buying itOpens in new window ]
However, Authentic Brands was paid all of its dividends on the preference shares, the person added, meaning the footballer would have earned about $36 million from his stake in the company.
Authentic Brands, which owns retailers including Forever 21 and Barneys New York, as well as the brand rights for stars such as Shaquille O’Neal, paid about $269 million for a 55 per cent stake in the group in 2022.
According to the accounts, pretax profits for DRJB Holdings rose to $36.2 million in 2023, from $16.2 million in 2022. Revenue increased to $91.2 million, from $89.7 million the year before. — Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2024
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