Zara founder Amancio Ortega to receive record €3.23 billion dividend

Amancio Ortega, founder of Zara and owner of the world’s largest fashion retail group Inditex, is set to receive a record dividend of €3.23 billion ($3.5B) in 2026, slightly surpassing last year’s payout of €3.1 billion.

Ortega, who still controls 59% of Inditex, while his daughter Marta Ortega Pérez now chairs the board, will receive half of his dividend in May and the other half in November. Other shareholders will receive payments on the same schedule, according to The Guardian.

Inditex, which owns popular brands including Bershka, Massimo Dutti, Pull&Bear, Stradivarius, and Oysho, reported a 4% increase in dividends following “robust operational growth” in 2025.

According to Bloomberg, Ortega’s net worth is approximately $126.7 billion (£94 billion), making him the 15th richest person in the world.

The company operates 5,460 stores in over 90 countries, with sales rising 3.2% to €39.9 billion in the year ending January 31, 2026, and pre-tax profit increasing 5.8% to €8 billion. Despite closing 103 stores worldwide last year, Inditex expanded many locations into larger outlets, increasing total retail space.

Ortega, who will turn 90 in March, launched Zara in 1975 from a small store in La Coruña, Galicia, northern Spain. He began his career as a local shirt supplier and delivery boy before opening his own shop.

Looking ahead, Inditex expects to grow retail space by 5% in 2026 and continue expanding its online business. The company kicked off the new year with a 9% sales increase from February 1 to March 8, excluding currency effects.