In 2009, the company's financial performance had improved and had a total shareholder return of 38.3 percent.

In the decade to 2010, Amlin management drove a shareholder return of 487pc.

Previously, they were based on total shareholder return versus its peers and earnings growth.

"The company is now at £15 - that represents incredible shareholder returns."

This represents an average total shareholder return of 18% year-on-year since 1974.

That was based entirely on the company's shareholder return from 1997 through 2000, which came to 294 percent, the company said.

This, he said, was the highest shareholder return in 54 years.

Commerce produced a 23% annual compounded shareholder return over that time.

The analysis did not take into account how dividends might have improved shareholder returns.

Chief executives at consumer products companies took a pay cut of about 4 percent after weaker shareholder returns.