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David Beckham-branded companies paid out about $124 million in dividends, according to accounts filed this week, with profits rising thanks to endorsements, digital content and the launch of new consumer products.
The DRJB Holdings portfolio of accounts highlights the continuing popularity of the Beckham brand more than a decade after his retirement from professional football.
DRJB Holdings includes David Beckham Ventures Limited, which owns the majority of his brand portfolio and receives licensing revenue from companies such as Boss, Stella Artois and Paramount. It is also the holding company for Studio 99, which made Beckham Documentary film for Netflix and produces marketing campaigns for brand partners.
Beckham and his team remain active in promoting his public image – most recently through the popular Netflix documentary – and turning that into a lucrative income stream through marketing relationships with brands keen to associate with the star.
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 the company in 2022 and has since overseen its global brand operations.
According to accounts filed Monday, DRJB Holdings will pay its shareholders $28.5 million in ordinary dividends in 2023 on top of $38.9 million in preferred stock payments.
The accounts also show that after the end of 2023, a final dividend of $5.6 million was paid for preferred shares in the first quarter of 2024, while a regular dividend of $51 million was paid to the company's shareholders.
The profits were split between Authentic Brands, which owns 55 percent of the company, and Footwork Productions, Beckham's company, which owns the remainder, a person familiar with the details said.
The source added that Authentic Brands received all of its dividends from preferred stock, meaning the footballer would have received around $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 to stars such as Shaquille O'Neal, paid about $269 million for a 55 percent stake in the group in 2022.
According to the calculations, DRJB Holdings' pre-tax profits rose to $36.2 million in 2023, from $16.2 million in 2022. Revenues increased to $91.2 million, from $89.7 million the previous year.
