 Alec Reed retained a third of the company, having given a further third to his three children and floated the remaining third (1.3 million shares, for just over £10.97m in 2014 terms).At their 1980s peak, the shares increased to 150 times their offer value; they averaged 80 times offer value for most of the 1990s.The Reed Family retained effective control of the company post-flotation, through the combination of Alec Reed's shareholdings and that of his children.