Warhammer maker Games Workshop shares out £18m among staff
The Nottingham-based company said it handed out cash payments ‘on an equal basis to each member of staff’ following strong sales and profits.
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Your support makes all the difference.Games Workshop has revealed it dished out £18 million among its staff, after the Warhammer figurine maker reported a stronger year of sales and profits.
The Nottingham-based company said it handed out cash payments “on an equal basis to each member of staff” in recognition of their contribution to its financial performance.
The business has more than 1,500 staff working at its global headquarters in the UK, as well as workers based in offices and stores around the world.
Last year, it awarded “group profit share” cash payments totalling £11 million to its employees.
Games Workshop said it estimates its pre-tax profit for the year to June to be at least £200 million, up from £171 million the year prior.
It comes as its total sales are set to have jumped from £445 million to £490 million year on year.
The FTSE 250-listed firm’s short update to shareholders provided a sneak peek into its finances, leading its share price to rise by as much as a tenth on Wednesday morning.
The company sells figurines and miniatures online and in shops across the UK for the hobby Warhammer, a wargame usually played in groups.
It also gets money from selling its intellectual property to entertainment and gaming companies who use the brand for spin-off shows and products, from which it generated £30 million last year.
Earlier this year, Games Workshop finalised a deal with Amazon to make films and TV series based on the fantasy games.
Superman actor Henry Cavill, who has said he is a fan of the hobby, is set to be involved the creation of a Warhammer Cinematic Universe, based on its hit franchise Warhammer 40,000.
Dan Coatsworth, an investment analyst at AJ Bell, said the “numbers spoke for themselves, with profit expected to beat market expectations” for Games Workshop.
“Licensing income is really picking up, which is important to Games Workshop’s strategy of trying to sweat its assets and find more ways to commercially exploit its intellectual property.”