DUBAI: Saudi Aramco aims to buy a controlling stake in petrochemical maker SABIC, possibly taking the entire 70 percent stake owned by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Late last week Aramco confirmed a Reuters report that it was working on a possible purchase of a “strategic stake” in Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC) from the Public Investment Fund, the kingdom’s top sovereign wealth fund.
Aramco’s initial thinking is to buy the full stake owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), but if that fails to materialize Aramco could end up with a stake in SABIC of more than 50 percent, making it a majority owner, the sources said.
No final decision has been made on the size of the stake as the discussions are still at a very early stage, they added.
Aramco declined to comment. The PIF did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Riyadh-listed SABIC, the world’s fourth-biggest petrochemicals firm, has a market capitalization of 385.2 billion Saudi riyals ($103 billion).
The potential acquisition would affect the time frame of Aramco’s planned initial public offering set for later this year, the state oil giant’s chief executive, Amin Nasser, said in a TV interview on Friday.
Aramco plans to boost investments in refining and petrochemicals to secure new markets and sees growth in chemicals as central to its downstream strategy to cut the risk of an oil demand slowdown.
Aramco plans to raise its refining capacity to between 8 million and 10 million barrels per day, from around 5 million bpd now, and double its petrochemicals production by 2030.
Aramco, the world’s largest oil producer, pumps around 10 million bpd of crude oil.
Saudi Aramco aims to buy controlling stake in SABIC: Sources
Saudi Aramco aims to buy controlling stake in SABIC: Sources
- Riyadh-listed SABIC, the world’s fourth-biggest petrochemicals firm, has a market capitalization of 385.2 billion Saudi riyals
- The potential acquisition would affect the time frame of Aramco’s planned initial public offering set for later this year
Closing Bell: Saudi main index closes higher at 10,596
RIYADH: Saudi equities closed higher on Tuesday, with the Tadawul All Share Index rising 43.59 points, or 0.41 percent, to finish at 10,595.85, supported by broad-based buying and strength in select mid-cap stocks.
Market breadth was firmly positive, with 170 stocks advancing against 90 decliners, while trading activity saw 161.96 million shares change hands, generating a total value of SR3.39 billion.
Meanwhile, the MT30 Index closed higher, gaining 6.52 points, or 0.47 percent, to 1,399.11, while the Nomu Parallel Market Index edged marginally lower, slipping 3.33 points, or 0.01 percent, to 23,267.77.
Among the session’s top gainers, Al Masar Al Shamil Education Co. surged 9.99 percent to close at SR26.20, while Saudi Cable Co. jumped 9.98 percent to SR147.70.
Cherry Trading Co. rose 4.18 percent to SR25.44, and United Carton Industries Co. advanced 4.09 percent to SR26.46.
Al Yamamah Steel Industries Co. also posted solid gains, climbing 4.07 percent to end at SR32.70.
On the downside, Emaar The Economic City led losses, slipping 3.55 percent to SR10.32, followed by Derayah REIT Fund, which fell 2.92 percent to SR5.31.
Derayah Financial Co. declined 2.13 percent to SR26.62, while United International Holding Co. retreated 1.96 percent to SR155.20, and Gulf Union Alahlia Cooperative Insurance Co. eased 1.92 percent to SR10.70.
On the announcements front, Red Sea International Co. said it signed a SR202.8 million contract with Webuild S.P.A. to provide integrated facilities management services for the Trojena project at Neom.
The agreement covers operations and maintenance for the project’s Main Camp and Spike Camp, including accommodation and housekeeping, catering, security, IT and communications, utilities, waste management, fire safety and emergency response, as well as other supporting services.
The contract runs for two years, with the financial impact expected to begin in the first quarter of 2026. Shares of Red Sea International closed up 0.99 percent at SR34.74.
Al Moammar Information Systems Co. disclosed that it received an award notification from Humain to design and build a data center dedicated to artificial intelligence technologies, with a total value exceeding 155 percent of the company’s 2024 revenue, inclusive of VAT.
The contract is expected to be formally signed in February 2026, underscoring the scale of the project and its potential impact on the company’s future revenues.
MIS shares ended the session 2.82 percent higher at SR156.70, reflecting positive investor sentiment following the announcement.
