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David Beckham’s brand businesses delivered around $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 set of accounts for DRJB Holdings highlights the continued 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 its brand portfolio and earns licensing income from companies such as Boss, Stella Artois and Paramount. It is also the holding company for Studio 99, which has made Beckham documentary for Netflix and produces marketing campaigns for brand partners.
Beckham and his team remain active in promoting his public image – most recently with the popular Netflix documentary – and turning it into a lucrative revenue stream through marketing tie-ins with brands willing to be associated with the star.
Beckham is also a co-founder and co-owner of the Major League Soccer franchise Inter Miami.
DRJB Holdings is majority-owned by US retail and entertainment group Authentic Brands Group, which bought the business in 2022 and has since overseen its global brand operations.
According to the accounts, which were filed on Monday, DRJB Holdings paid its shareholders ordinary dividends of $28.5 million in 2023, as well as $38.9 million in preferred share payments.
The accounts also show that after the end of 2023, a final dividend of $5.6 million was paid against preferred 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 percent of the business, and Footwork Productions, the Beckham company that owns the remainder.
However, Authentic Brands was paid all of its dividends in preferred stock, the person added, meaning the football player 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 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 accounts, pretax earnings for DRJB Holdings rose to $36.2 million in 2023, from $16.2 million in 2022. Revenue rose to $91.2 million, from $89.7 million a year earlier.
