Games Workshop pays out £5m in bonuses to staff after sales surge

Games Workshop shares have jumped after the retailer announced it has paid more than £5 million in bonuses to staff.

The retailer revealed the payout, which saw staff receive more than £2,500 each, as it hailed sales growth for the year to June 2.

The Warhammer maker said it expects sales for the year to be approximately £254 million, up more than 15% from £219.9 million in the previous year.

Group pre-tax profits will be more than £80 million for the year, it said, up from £74.5 million in the year to June 2018.

Sales have jumped across all channels at the Nottingham-based business during the year.

It said that “in recognition of our staff’s contribution to these results”, it has paid out the profit share bonuses, split equally across its roughly 1,900 staff numbers.

It is the second consecutive year that staff at the fantasy games firm have received the £5 million cash boost, after it doubled profits in 2018.

During the year, Games Workshop also received royalties from licensing of approximately £11 million.

A series of investment projects, including a new Nottingham factory and upgraded warehouse capacity, are expected to foster further sales growth and increase efficiencies at the business.

Shares were up more than 5% at 4,674p in morning trade.