The largest investment companies in Iceland paid their stockholders over ISK 70 billion (USD 1 billion, EUR 787 million) in dividends for 2006, which is 23 percent of their combined profit last year, thus setting a new record.
According to Fréttabladid, FL Group, Kaupthing and Exista alone paid over ISK ten billion (USD 148 million, EUR 112 million) in dividends to their shareholders for 2006.
The investment companies have to pay a tax of ten percent of the total ISK 70 billion, so ISK seven billion (USD 104 million, EUR 79 million) goes to the Icelandic state.
