Dreyfus Pays Big Dividend as Billionaire Owner Seeks Cash

Margarita Louis-Dreyfus faces deadline to buy out family
Financial results follow surprise departures of CEO and CFO

A worker walks next to distilling tanks at the Louis Dreyfus Commodities' Biosev sugarcane processing facility unity near Sertaozinho, Brazil — A worker walks next to distilling tanks at the Louis Dreyfus Commodities' Biosev sugarcane processing facility unity near Sertaozinho, Brazil
Photographer: Dado Galdieri

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By Andy Hoffman and Javier Blas

October 8, 2018 at 8:38 AM UTC

Updated on

October 8, 2018 at 12:48 PM UTC

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Louis Dreyfus Co. paid a big dividend to its eponymous family owners despite dismal earnings, showing how majority owner Margarita Louis-Dreyfus is squeezing the company for cash.

The company paid a dividend of $411 million, partly financed with fresh debt, which will largely go to Louis-Dreyfus. The Russian billionaire heiress is in the process of raising money to buy out other family members and needs about $900 million to meet a December deadline.