Amancio Ortega, the billionaire founder of Zara and one of the world’s richest people, is set to receive a record €3.23 billion dividend from Inditex this year. This payment is the largest he has received from the global fashion retailer and is a bit higher than last year’s €3.1 billion.
Ortega, who founded the company behind Zara nearly five decades ago, remains the largest shareholder in Inditex with a 59% stake. The dividend will be paid in two installments, with half scheduled for May and the remaining half in November, similar to the structure used for other shareholders.
The bigger payout comes after a strong year for Inditex, the Spanish retail giant that owns several well-known fashion brands. The company said it would increase its dividend by 4% following solid financial results in 2025.
According to the company’s latest earnings report, sales rose 3.2% to €39.9 billion in the financial year ending 31 January 2026. Meanwhile, pre-tax profits climbed 5.8% to €8 billion, reflecting steady demand for its fashion brands worldwide.
Despite closing 103 stores globally, Inditex expanded its overall retail space by focusing on larger outlets and flagship stores. The group currently operates 5,460 stores in more than 90 countries and employs over 160,000 people worldwide.
Amancio Ortega’s story is one of the most remarkable in global business. He opened the first Zara store in 1975 in La Coruña, Spain, after beginning his career as a delivery boy at a shirtmaker.
Starting from those humble beginnings, he grew Inditex into the world’s largest fashion retailer, famous for its fast-fashion approach and global presence. Today, the company owns popular brands like Bershka, Massimo Dutti, Pull&Bear, Stradivarius, and Oysho.
Ortega’s daughter, Marta Ortega Pérez, is now the chair of Inditex, keeping the company under family leadership.
With a net worth around $126.7 billion, Ortega is one of the richest people globally and currently ranks 15th on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
Although he stepped away from daily management years ago, Ortega is still reportedly seen visiting the company’s headquarters and talking with staff.
In the past, Ortega has often used his dividend income to expand his extensive global property portfolio. Some of his notable purchases include The Post Building in London, the Haughwout Building in New York, and the Southeast Financial Center in Miami.
Last year, reports said he quickly reinvested much of his dividend in property deals, partly to handle Spain’s wealth tax rules. Spain is currently the only EU country with a full wealth tax, though some investments in economic assets can offer exemptions.
Looking ahead, Inditex plans to grow its retail space by about 5% this year while also expanding its online business. The company said the new financial year started strong, with sales up 9% between February 1 and March 8, excluding currency effects.
The group is also exploring new concepts and markets. It plans to bring its budget fashion brand Lefties to the UK while expanding its premium retail concept, “The Apartment,” which showcases Zara clothing and homeware in a store designed to look like a stylish home.
New stores are also planned in the United States, Norway, Denmark, and Curaçao.
At the same time, Inditex is investing heavily in technology. One of its newest innovations is an AI-powered virtual fitting system that lets online shoppers create an avatar from their own photos to see how clothes would look before buying.
Despite ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, Inditex said it has not faced major supply chain disruptions. The region is often a hub for shipping fashion goods from manufacturing countries like Bangladesh.
For now, the company seems well positioned to keep growing, while Ortega’s record dividend shows the remarkable scale of the fashion empire he built from a single store almost 50 years ago.
