Saudi Aramco Holds First General Assembly after IPO

Saudi Aramco will hold its first general assembly Monday after its IPO. (Reuters file photo)
Saudi Aramco will hold its first general assembly Monday after its IPO. (Reuters file photo)
TT

Saudi Aramco Holds First General Assembly after IPO

Saudi Aramco will hold its first general assembly Monday after its IPO. (Reuters file photo)
Saudi Aramco will hold its first general assembly Monday after its IPO. (Reuters file photo)

Saudi Aramco, the world’s top oil exporter, will hold its first general assembly Monday after its partial initial public offering (IPO) in the Saudi market.

Aramco's board of directors issued a statement inviting its shareholders to attend its first ordinary general assembly through the Tadawulaty system.

The statement said the meeting will be held online following the directives of the Capital Market Authority (CMA), which called for the suspension of physical attendance of general assembly meetings until further notice, and urged all companies to hold such meetings remotely.

This also comes in line with the precautionary measures issued by health authorities to limit the spread of COVID-19.

In order to be able to attend the meeting and vote, Aramco encouraged all its shareholders to register via the Tadawulaty system.

The eligibility to participate in the general assembly meeting and vote electronically on its agenda will be for shareholders that are registered in Saudi Aramco’s shareholders register at the Securities Depository Center (Edaa) as of the end of the trading session on the general assembly meeting day, and as per the relevant rules and regulations, according to the statement.

The company explained that the ordinary general assembly meeting shall be valid only if it is attended by one or more shareholders representing at least one quarter of the ordinary shares, provided that the state is represented.

However, if the quorum is not satisfied, a second meeting shall be held one hour after the designated period for the first meeting has ended. The second meeting shall be valid regardless of the number of ordinary shares represented, provided that the State is represented.

The statement announced that the attendees will vote on the report for the FY 2019. It will also appoint an external auditor and determine their fees to review and audit the company’s: financial statements for Q2 and Q3 for FY 2020, annual financial statements of FY 2020, and financial statements for Q1 of FY 2021.

Electronic voting started last Thursday and will continue until the general assembly meeting is concluded.

Meanwhile, Aramco’s shares closed trading Sunday at $8.3, while Saudi shares closed at a 0.8 percent gain, a 54-point increase.



Saudi Non-Oil Exports Hit Two-Year High

The King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam, eastern Saudi Arabia. (“Mawani” port authority)
The King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam, eastern Saudi Arabia. (“Mawani” port authority)
TT

Saudi Non-Oil Exports Hit Two-Year High

The King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam, eastern Saudi Arabia. (“Mawani” port authority)
The King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam, eastern Saudi Arabia. (“Mawani” port authority)

Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports soared to a two-year high in May, reaching SAR 28.89 billion (USD 7.70 billion), marking an 8.2% year-on-year increase compared to May 2023.

On a monthly basis, non-oil exports surged by 26.93% from April.

This growth contributed to Saudi Arabia’s trade surplus, which recorded a year-on-year increase of 12.8%, reaching SAR 34.5 billion (USD 9.1 billion) in May, following 18 months of decline.

The enhancement of the non-oil private sector remains a key focus for Saudi Arabia as it continues its efforts to diversify its economy and reduce reliance on oil revenues.

In 2023, non-oil activities in Saudi Arabia contributed 50% to the country’s real GDP, the highest level ever recorded, according to the Ministry of Economy and Planning’s analysis of data from the General Authority for Statistics.

Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan emphasized at the “Future Investment Initiative” in October that the Kingdom is now prioritizing the development of the non-oil sector over GDP figures, in line with its Vision 2030 economic diversification plan.

A report by Moody’s highlighted Saudi Arabia’s extensive efforts to transform its economic structure, reduce dependency on oil, and boost non-oil sectors such as industry, tourism, and real estate.

The Saudi General Authority for Statistics’ monthly report on international trade noted a 5.8% growth in merchandise exports in May compared to the same period last year, driven by a 4.9% increase in oil exports, which totaled SAR 75.9 billion in May 2024.

The change reflects movements in global oil prices, while production levels remained steady at under 9 million barrels per day since the OPEC+ alliance began a voluntary reduction in crude supply to maintain prices. Production is set to gradually increase starting in early October.

On a monthly basis, merchandise exports rose by 3.3% from April to May, supported by a 26.9% increase in non-oil exports. This rise was bolstered by a surge in re-exports, which reached SAR 10.2 billion, the highest level for this category since 2017.

The share of oil exports in total exports declined to 72.4% in May from 73% in the same month last year.

Moreover, the value of re-exported goods increased by 33.9% during the same period.