Reckitt Benckiser (Bangladesh) has announced its highest-ever dividend payout despite a fall in annual profit.

 The board of the company has recommended a 3,330 percent final cash dividend, or Tk 333 per share, for 2024, according to a disclosure on the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) news board yesterday.

 Following the record dividend announcement, shares of the multinational company edged up 0.82 percent to Tk 3,980 in morning trade on the DSE.

 The company posted a profit of Tk 75.20 crore in 2024, an 8 percent decrease year-on-year.

 Its earnings per share dropped to Tk 159.17 from Tk 173.65 in 2023.  Net operating cash flow per share fell sharply to Tk 22.55 from Tk 253.56 over the same period.

 Reckitt Benckiser (Bangladesh), a prominent multinational, has had a long-standing presence in the country since its incorporation in 1961.

 Renowned for household names such as Dettol, Harpic, and Lizol, the company manufactures and markets a wide array of health, hygiene, and home care products.

 As of February 28 this year, Reckitt Benckiser directors held 86.96 percent of the multinational company's shares, while the government owned 3.77 percent.

 General investors held 5.12 percent of the shares, according to the DSE.