KATHMANDU: Himalayan Distilleries Ltd (HDL) through its 19th annual general meeting held in Birgunj and which was chaired by Akhileshwor Prasad Singh has approved a final dividend of 102.63 per cent — cash dividend of 52.63 per cent plus bonus shares of 50 per cent — for the financial year ended July 16.

With the interim dividend of 68.42 per cent declared earlier, the total dividend for fiscal 2018-19 of 171.05 per cent is the highest dividend declared by any publicly listed company in Nepal, other than that of a multinational.

HDL clocked operating revenue of Rs 6.28 billion in fiscal 2018-19, a growth of 23 per cent over the previous year.

Likewise, net profit for the year increased by 82.65 per cent to Rs 537 million. The company’s CAGR of operating revenue and net profit over the last five years are 15.87 per cent and 45.90 per cent, respectively.

As per HDL, it paid total tax of Rs 4.38 billion including excise duty, VAT, income tax, import duty and tax on salary in fiscal 2018-19.