Saudi’s Tadawul IPO 442.53% Oversubscribed

Saudi Tadawul is preparing to list on Wednesday (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Tadawul is preparing to list on Wednesday (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi’s Tadawul IPO 442.53% Oversubscribed

Saudi Tadawul is preparing to list on Wednesday (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Tadawul is preparing to list on Wednesday (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Shares of Tadawul group will begin trading on the main market on Wednesday, Dec. 8.

The individual subscribers’ tranche of Tadawul’s initial public offering was 442.53% oversubscribed with a total demand of SR5.02 billion ($1.3 billion).

The stock exchange group was offering 10.8 million shares to individual investors, or 30% of the total offer shares at a final price of SR105.

Around 598,327 subscribers participated in the period. The subscription period started on November 30.

The IPO will provide an important strategic dimension to realize Tadawul’s expansion plans, strengthen its position globally, and align its growth objectives with the Public Investment Fund’s strategy to boost the economic transformation of Saudi Arabia.

Tadawul had earlier increased the size of the offering for retail investors to 30%, up from 10% initially, to encourage the participation of individual investors.

Subscribers will each receive a minimum of 10 shares, while those remaining will be allocated on a pro-rata basis.

The shares will be listed on the main index of the Saudi Exchange once all listing formalities are complete. Citigroup, JP Morgan Chase and SNB Capital are financial advisers and global coordinators for the IPO.

Tadawul is among the top 10 global stock markets with a market capitalization of about $2.8 trillion.

Tadawul Group has four subsidiaries that include the Saudi Exchange, a dedicated arm running the kingdom’s equity market previously known as the Saudi Stock Exchange Company; the Securities Clearing Centre Company, known as Muqassa; the Securities Depository Centre Company (Edaa); and a new subsidiary focused on applied technology services, known as Wamid.



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)
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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.