Saudi Arabia’s BinDawood Holding prices IPO

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Updated 08 October 2020
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Saudi Arabia’s BinDawood Holding prices IPO

  • BinDawood manages more than 70 hypermarkets and supermarkets across Saudi Arabia

DUBAI: Saudi Arabian supermarket retailer BinDawood Holding has priced its initial public offering at SR96 ($25.59) a share.

The retailer, which owns the Danube and BinDawood supermarket brands, said the book-building process generated an order book of SR106.9 billion.

Subscriptions came from public and private funds and discretionary portfolios, non-Saudi investors and other investors, which include government institutions, private companies and financial institutions, it said.

“I am very pleased with the exceptionally strong demand we have witnessed for BinDawood Holding shares by institutional investors,” said CEO Ahmad Abdulrazzaq BinDawood.

At 96 riyals per share, BinDawood’s market capitalization at listing is seen at SR10.97 billion, the statement said. Retail investors will be able to subscribe to shares on Oct.8-12 at the final offer price, with the allotment due on Oct. 15.

BinDawood’s IPO marks another major listing for Saudi Arabia’s bourse, as companies tap into demand for shares since oil giant Aramco’s record IPO last year.

Saudi Arabia is encouraging more family-owned companies to list in a bid to deepen its capital markets under reforms to reduce its reliance on oil revenues.

BinDawood manages more than 70 hypermarkets and supermarkets in major cities including Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah, Riyadh, and Dammam. The BinDawood chain is focused on middle-income customers and pilgrims, while the Danube chain is focused on wealthier customers.


Saudi PIF-backed Humain awards AI data center project to MIS 

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Saudi PIF-backed Humain awards AI data center project to MIS 

RIYADH: Humain, an artificial intelligence company backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, has awarded Al Moammar Information Systems Co. a contract to design and build a data center dedicated to AI technologies. 

In a filing to Tadawul, MIS said the project’s value exceeds 155 percent of its total revenues for 2024. The company reported revenues of SR1.21 billion ($320 million) last year, implying a contract value of nearly SR1.88 billion. 

The development aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 program, which aims to position the Kingdom as a regional technology hub by the end of the decade. 

The contract is expected to be signed on Feb. 15, 2026, and does not involve any related parties, according to the statement. MIS will design and construct a private AI-focused data center for Humain. 

Earlier this month, Saudi Telecom Co. signed an agreement with Humain to launch a joint venture to develop and operate data centers dedicated to artificial intelligence in the Kingdom. 

According to a Tadawul filing, Humain will hold a 51 percent stake in the joint venture, while stc will own the remaining 49 percent. 

The data center will be developed through stc’s subsidiary Digital Data and Communications Centers, also known as center3. 

The facility will feature advanced infrastructure capable of supporting up to 1 gigawatt of power, starting with an initial capacity of 250 megawatts, subject to customer demand. 

Saudi Arabia has been ramping up its AI ambitions. Earlier this month, the Saudi Press Agency, citing the Global AI Index, said the Kingdom ranked fifth globally and first in the Arab region for growth in the AI sector. 

The report said the ranking reflects the Kingdom’s progress in artificial intelligence and the success of its economic diversification strategy under Vision 2030. 

Separately, MIS said on Dec. 24 that it signed a SR114.43 million contract with the Saudi Central Bank to renew IT systems support licenses. The 36-month agreement covers license renewals and ongoing support, with the financial impact expected to be reflected in the company’s fourth-quarter results.