Laura Ashley rewards loyal investors with 7.5 million pound bonus dividend

Clothing and homeware fabric retailer Laura Ashley has announced a bonus 1 pence

per share interim dividend for the year ended January 25.

The company stated that the dividend was a way to “show our appreciation to the shareholders for their continued support”. The 7.5 million pound bonus comes less than a week after Laura Ashley sold its entire stake in Moss Bros for 8 million pounds.

The dividend is to be paid on February 10 and will result in a 4.46 million pound pay-out for companies associated with Khoo Kay Peng, chairman of Laura Ashley, who is also chairman of the MUI Group, the conglomerate that acquired the retailer in 1998 and currently holds a 34 percent stake in the company.

Bonham Industries, the investment vehicle controlled by Peng, also holds a 25 percent stake in Laura Ashley, which means that Peng controls a 59 percent stake in the company, according to the Telegraph.