Koper - Port operator Luka Koper will pay out dividends of EUR 1.14 gross per share as shareholders on Monday endorsed a counter-proposal by Slovenian Sovereign Holding (SSH). This means that EUR 15.96 million will be paid out for dividends out of the EUR 29.5 million in distributable profit.

The remaining EUR 13.6 million in distributable profit will remain undistributed.

The management proposed to pay a dividend of EUR 0.71 per share, meaning EUR 9.94 million would be paid out. A total of EUR 14.6 million would be transferred to other profit reserves and just over EUR 5 million would remain undistributed.

A counter-proposal was also made by the Association of Small Shareholders under which EUR 15.4 million would be paid out for dividends. Shareholders would thus get EUR 1.1 gross per share.

The SSH's counter-proposal was based on Luka Koper's increase in revenue and transshipment last year and the improvement in the operating result.

Taking into account a relatively low level of indebtedness and solid economic growth forecasts for the next two years, the state asset guardian considered that the payment of a higher dividend than initially envisaged could not jeopardise the company's operations or planned investments.

Luka Koper posted EUR 228.4 million in revenue for 2021, up 9% on the year before, and EUR 31.8 million in net profit, down 1%.

Chairman Boštjan Napast noted that the port operator had remained the biggest container port in the northern Adriatic last year. A total of EUR 70 million is earmarked for investments in 2022.

The AGM also took note of the resignation of Rado Antolovič as a member of the supervisory board, and appointed Tomaž Benčina in his stead.