As the stock market revitalizes and corporations strengthen shareholder return policies, the dividends collected by Korea's major retail Oner are expected to rise sharply. It is estimated that heads of major groups will receive at least more than 15 billion won in dividends.
On the 25th, according to the retail industry, Shin Dong-bin, chairman of Lotte Group, is set to receive about 29.74 billion won in dividends from four listed affiliates, including Lotte Corporation, Lotte Shopping, Lotte Wellfood and Lotte Chilsung Beverage.
Lotte Corporation, which accounts for the largest share, raised the dividends per common share from 1,200 won to 1,250 won. Accordingly, the chairman's holding-company dividend intake expanded to about 17.21 billion won.
Adding the dividends from Lotte Shopping (about 11.57 billion won), Lotte Wellfood (about 600 million won) and Lotte Chilsung Beverage (about 360 million won), the aggregates is about 1.2 billion won higher than the previous year's 28.48 billion won.
Chung Yong-jin, chairman of Shinsegae Group, will see a sharp increase in dividends received from E-MART. Based on a 28.85% equity stake in E-MART, Chung is expected to receive about 19.9 billion won in dividends.
Although Chung's number of E-MART shares is the same as the previous year, E-MART raised the minimum dividends by 25% to strengthen shareholder returns, increasing the per-share dividends from 2,000 won to 2,500 won.
Chung Yoo-kyung, chair of Shinsegae Co., will receive about 16.78 billion won by combining the dividends from Shinsegae and Shinsegae International. This is more than a 60% increase from the previous year's 10.38 billion won.
Chair Chung Yoo-kyung's equity ratio rose by more than 10 percentage points after receiving a stock gift from her mother, Lee Myung-hee, the group's general chair. At the same time, Shinsegae also significantly increased the per-share dividends from 4,500 won to 5,200 won.
Chung Ji-sun, chairman of Hyundai Department Store Group, is expected to receive about 19.44 billion won by combining dividends from Hyundai Department Store and Hyundai G.F Holdings.
In particular, Hyundai G.F Holdings raised its annual dividends from 210 won to 300 won per share, affecting the increase in dividends collected by Chung, who holds about 40% equity.
Each corporation's dividends scale will be finalized at upcoming general shareholders' meetings.