Egypt Kuwait Holding Achieves $185 Million Net Profit in 2024

An offshore gas platform (Reuters)
An offshore gas platform (Reuters)
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Egypt Kuwait Holding Achieves $185 Million Net Profit in 2024

An offshore gas platform (Reuters)
An offshore gas platform (Reuters)

Egypt Kuwait Holding Company (EKH) on Sunday said it recorded a net profit of $185 million for the full fiscal year of 2024.

EKH posted revenues of $642 million, supported by solid gross and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) margins of 40% and 39%, respectively.

The company recorded a net profit of $185 million, with a 2% point expansion in net profit margin, reaching 29%. Meanwhile, net profit attributable to EKH shareholders stood at $163 million during the same period.

The company successfully maintained profitability margins despite economic challenges, with gross profit and EBITDA margins reaching 41% and 42%, respectively during the period, EKH said in a statement.

Commenting on the Group’s performance and business outlook, EKH Chairman Loay Jassim Al-Kharafi emphasized that EKH successfully navigated operational and economic challenges throughout 2024, attributing this resilience to the Group’s well-defined strategy and flexible business model.

These factors, he said, have enhanced EKH’s ability to achieve sustainable growth and drive long-term success.

Al-Kharafi added that the positive financial results reflect a notable recovery in prices and an increase in sales volumes of core products, reinforcing confidence in the strength and sustainability of the Group’s business portfolio and paving the way for ambitious expansion plans in 2025.

Al-Kharafi affirmed that the Group’s top priorities include boosting foreign currency revenues, expanding exports, and strengthening its financial position, while continuing to contribute to regional economic development.

He also noted that EKH’s first investment in Saudi Arabia is expected to commence commercial operations in the coming months.

Additionally, the Group is advancing its ambitious investment strategy, which includes its first strategic investment beyond the Middle East and North Africa region during the current year, expanding its global operational footprint, Al-Kharafi said.

This reflects EKH’s commitment to managing foreign exchange risk, expanding into high-growth markets, and diversifying its investment portfolio across sectors and geographies, he added.

“Looking ahead to 2025, we will continue to optimize our capital deployment and prioritize investments that align with our strategic objectives, to maximize returns for our stakeholders,” Al-Kharafi said.

Subsidiaries/Fertilizers

Meanwhile, the gross profits of the Alexandria Fertilizers Company (AlexFert) expanded, supported by steady natural gas supply secured by way of recent government interventions and sustained recovery in export urea prices.

In Fiscal Year 2024, revenues recorded $213 million, impacted by natural gas availability, while gross profit and EBITDA margins remained strong at 36% and 44%, respectively, coupled with a 2 percent point year-on-year expansion in the company’s bottom-line margin.

“Looking ahead, the company expects to sustain its strong performance, benefiting from stable natural gas supplies supported by government measures and the continued recovery in global urea prices,” it said in a statement.

Urea prices increased by 8% quarter-on-quarter in 4Q 2024 to reach $364 per ton, while the average global urea price stood at $387 per ton in January 2025.

Petrochemicals

Sprea Misr recorded revenues of 5.84 billion Egyptian pounds in FY 2024, up 19% year-on-year.

Net profit stood at 2.64 billion Egyptian pounds in 2024, reflecting a 2 percent point year-on-year expansion in bottom-line profitability to 45%, driven by gains from interest income and foreign exchange movements.

Sprea Misr is well-positioned to capitalize on the recovery of domestic prices following the devaluation of the Egyptian Pound and increased demand for Sulfonated Naphthalene Formaldehyde (SNF) due to the revival of Egypt’s construction sector.

Utilities Sector

NatEnergy recorded revenues of 5.3 billion Egyptian pounds, a 30% year-on-year increase, while net profit rose 21% to 1.8 billion Egyptian pounds.

Moving forward, NatEnergy is expected to benefit from recent electricity tariff hikes and will continue targeting higher-margin customers. Additionally, Kahraba is investing in a second substation in the 10th of Ramadan industrial zone to support growing energy demand.

Oil and Gas Sector

The North Sinai Offshore Concession reported total revenues of $62 million, reflecting a 7% year-on-year increase.

Meanwhile, net profit amounted to $31 million, with a net profit margin of 50%.

The company continues to deliver strong operational results, supported by its expansion initiatives. The commencement of production at the Aton-1 and KSE2 wells is expected to sustain stable gas production levels at approximately 55 million cubic feet per day (MMSCFD) until the end of 2026.

Additionally, the North Sinai Offshore Concession will benefit from the recent 10-year extension of its Concession Agreement, approved by the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC) during the year, further enhancing the long-term sustainability of its operations.

Non-banking financial services & other diversified sectors

Both Delta Insurance and Mohandes Insurance achieved strong growth, with net profit increasing by 72% and 27% year-on-year, respectively, in Egyptian pound terms during Fiscal Year 2024.

Looking ahead, management expects the insurance sector to maintain its positive trajectory, supported by continued upward revaluation of insured assets, stable premium growth, and a favorable macroeconomic environment, the company said.

Additionally, NileWood is making significant progress toward the commercial launch of its MDF board production line, with operations set to commence in the first half of 2025.



Saudi Arabia Expands Tourist E-Visa Eligibility to Four More Countries

The tourist visa allows visitors to attend events, perform Umrah, and visit exhibitions and conferences (SPA)
The tourist visa allows visitors to attend events, perform Umrah, and visit exhibitions and conferences (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Expands Tourist E-Visa Eligibility to Four More Countries

The tourist visa allows visitors to attend events, perform Umrah, and visit exhibitions and conferences (SPA)
The tourist visa allows visitors to attend events, perform Umrah, and visit exhibitions and conferences (SPA)

Saudi Arabia has expanded its electronic tourist visa program by adding four countries to the list of eligible nationalities: Mexico, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Ministry of Tourism said the move is part of ongoing efforts to facilitate travel to the Kingdom for visitors from around the world, allowing citizens of the newly added countries to apply electronically for tourist visit visas.

The tourist visa also permits holders to attend events, perform Umrah, visit exhibitions and conferences, and visit relatives and friends, in accordance with applicable regulations and instructions.


50-Year Contracts Open New Horizons for Real Estate Investment in Saudi Arabia

A neighborhood in the Saudi capital, Riyadh (SPA)
A neighborhood in the Saudi capital, Riyadh (SPA)
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50-Year Contracts Open New Horizons for Real Estate Investment in Saudi Arabia

A neighborhood in the Saudi capital, Riyadh (SPA)
A neighborhood in the Saudi capital, Riyadh (SPA)

Long-term real estate investment models are opening new opportunities for Saudi Arabia's private sector, as the Kingdom seeks to expand partnerships with investors to develop municipal assets and transform them into mixed-use projects.

The approach is expected to enhance the appeal of the real estate market, create investment opportunities spanning decades, and attract domestic and international capital to urban development. It also aims to improve land-use efficiency, maximize the economic value of municipal assets and increase housing supply.

Riyadh Region Municipality, the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing, and the National Center for Privatization & PPP (NCP) announced the launch of the expression of interest, prequalification and proposal submission phases for a joint land investment project in northern Riyadh.

The project involves developing a plot of municipal land under a 50-year partnership with the private sector, marking the municipality's first initiative under this joint investment model.

The private-sector partner will be responsible for designing, constructing, operating and maintaining all project facilities.

Located on Zaid bin Asim Street, the strategically positioned 30,015-square-meter site benefits from flexible urban planning regulations that allow for mixed-use development, including residential, commercial, office and recreational facilities.

The project aims to deliver high-quality developments that meet growing demand, serve local residents and community needs, and strengthen Riyadh's urban infrastructure.

Long-Term Investment Strategies

Offering investment opportunities through contracts extending up to 50 years represents a shift in how Saudi Arabia develops government-owned real estate assets.

The model gives private-sector investors a longer timeframe to develop projects and implement long-term investment strategies, overcoming some of the limitations associated with short- and medium-term contracts.

It also strengthens investors' ability to undertake financial and operational planning, allowing them to recover development costs and generate investment returns over a longer period.

This could make such opportunities more attractive to real estate companies and institutional investors.

The project forms part of Riyadh Region Municipality's strategy to improve the efficiency of municipal asset management, expand private-sector participation in urban development and attract high-value investments.

These efforts are intended to promote sustainable urban development, keep pace with the capital's rapid growth and advance Saudi Vision 2030 objectives, in line with the municipality's ambition to help create a prosperous, sustainable Riyadh with a higher quality of life.

Project Sustainability

Real estate expert Khaled al-Mobid said the launch of a 50-year investment project in Riyadh's Al-Narjis district represents an important step toward enabling the private sector to develop real estate assets and transform them into sustainable projects with substantial economic value.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, he explained that the extended investment period encourages developers to improve construction quality and services while enhancing the financial viability of projects.

He added that the model could help diversify real estate offerings and increase supply in one of the capital's most expensive neighborhoods.

Al-Mobid said the project's significance lies less in its immediate impact on property prices than in its potential to establish a replicable investment model.

Such a model, he noted, could gradually increase supply, strengthen competition and contribute to greater price stability across Riyadh's real estate market.

Diversifying Real Estate Supply

Real estate developer Ahmed Omar Basoudan said the importance of these contracts extends beyond simply making land available to investors.

They also create opportunities to develop integrated real estate assets combining residential, commercial, office and recreational uses, increasing the economic value of land and improving its utilization.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Basoudan explained that bringing design, construction, operation and maintenance together under a single investment framework allows for more integrated developments.

It also creates a stronger link between construction quality, operational efficiency and long-term sustainability.

At the broader market level, he said, the model could help diversify real estate offerings, particularly in major cities experiencing rapid urban expansion and rising demand for residential, commercial and office space.

The participation of new developers and operators could also strengthen competition and improve the quality of projects and services.

Moreover, the approach could create integrated mixed-use urban destinations that meet residents' needs and support economic activity, rather than relying solely on conventional real estate development.

 

Replicating the Model

 

According to Basoudan, the success of this investment model will depend on how effectively contracts are structured, how risks are allocated between government entities and investors, and how clearly development, operation and maintenance obligations are defined.

Equally important, he said, is striking an appropriate balance between investment returns and the public interest.

Basoudan believes extending the model to other municipalities and regions could create an additional channel for attracting domestic and international investment.

It could also strengthen private-sector participation in urban development, in line with Saudi Vision 2030 objectives to diversify the economy and improve the efficiency of government asset management.


Gold Rallies as Dollar, Treasury Yields Soften after US Midterm Results

Gold chips displayed at a state-owned gold retail store in Surabaya, East Java (AFP)
Gold chips displayed at a state-owned gold retail store in Surabaya, East Java (AFP)
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Gold Rallies as Dollar, Treasury Yields Soften after US Midterm Results

Gold chips displayed at a state-owned gold retail store in Surabaya, East Java (AFP)
Gold chips displayed at a state-owned gold retail store in Surabaya, East Java (AFP)

Gold climbed to its highest level in over two weeks on Thursday as the fallout from the US midterm election results rippled through the global financial and oil markets.

Spot gold rose 1.6% to $4,124.89 per ounce by 0752 GMT. It touched $4,146.63 per ounce, its highest level since October 20, earlier in ‌the session.

Bullion ‌climbed about 3.4% on Wednesday, its biggest ‌daily gain ⁠since August 19.

US ⁠gold futures for December delivery climbed 1.5% to $4,135.40, Reuters said.

A weaker dollar and lower Treasury yields have helped gold recover above the key $4,000 level, though holding above that threshold remains crucial for the recovery outlook, said Linh Tran, market analyst at XS.com.

"If investment flows and yield movements continue to provide support, gold could stabilize ⁠above $4,000, also opening up an opportunity for a ‌recovery toward $4,200, followed by $4,400."

Oil prices ‌were slightly higher after earlier falling for a fourth day on ‌expectations that the losses US President Donald Trump's Republican Party ‌suffered in congressional elections this week may reduce the risk of further escalation of the US-Israeli war with Iran.

Lower energy prices ease inflationary pressures, reducing expectations that the central bank will keep interest rates higher ‌for longer, supporting the appeal of non-yielding bullion.

The dollar slid to its lowest in more ⁠than a ⁠month, and 10-year US Treasury yield fell to its lowest since September 10.

A weaker dollar makes greenback-priced bullion more affordable for holders of other currencies.

Market participants now await the US non-farm payrolls report on Friday to further gauge the Federal Reserve's monetary policy outlook.

Meanwhile, Citi has a 0-3 month price target of $4,500 per ounce for gold, the brokerage said on Wednesday, as it sees substantial upside potential if the Strait of Hormuz reopens and the Yemen/Saudi conflict de-escalates.

Among other metals, spot silver rose 0.8% to $52.63 per ounce, platinum gained 1.2% to $1,514.20 and palladium climbed 2.2% to $1,026.83.