S&P affirms A-/Stable/A-2 sovereign rating for Saudi Arabia on post-pandemic performance, oil prices

The easing of tourism restrictions also supported other non-oil industries, including hotels and hospitality. (Shutterstock)
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Updated 28 September 2021
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S&P affirms A-/Stable/A-2 sovereign rating for Saudi Arabia on post-pandemic performance, oil prices

  • Economy to benefit from higher oil prices, successful vaccine roll out, says rating agency

DUBAI: The semi-annual review from S&P affirmed the A-/Stable/A-2 sovereign rating of the Kingdom, attributing it to a positive post-pandemic performance as well as an improvement in oil sector dynamics.

Saudi Arabia’s economy will benefit from higher oil prices and its successful COVID-19 vaccine rollout, ratings agency S&P Global has said as it affirmed the Kingdom’s stable outlook in its latest report. 

Growth is heavily observed in non-oil sectors, particularly in real estate where the government aims to drive national home ownership to 70 percent by 2030. 

Plastic and petrochemical exports also supported the Kingdom’s non-oil manufacturing, and consumer spending rose 3 percent in the first half of the year. 

The easing of tourism restrictions also supported other non-oil industries, including hotels and hospitality. 

There is also evidence of progress in the oil sector, which was heavily hit by the pandemic and the production cuts that came with it. Saudi Arabia’s GDP contracted by 4.1 percent last year, the biggest since 1987. 

But the S&P report said oil is getting back on track, particularly given the OPEC+ decision to restore and increase overall production by 400,000 barrels per day — 100,000 from Saudi Arabia. 

These indicators could drive economic growth from 2021 to 2024, the report said, especially given government efforts at fiscal control. Saudi Arabia recently revised its GDP figures for the second quarter of this year on the back of strong growth in private sector and non-oil activities. 

The Kingdom’s private sector grew by 11 percent in Q2, compared to the same period last year, pushing GDP up by 1.8 percent, up from 1.5 percent the General Authority for Statistics reported last month.

The data represents a rebound after five consecutive quarters of year-on-year declines, including a 7 percent drop in the second quarter of 2020 when lockdowns to slow the spread of the pandemic took effect globally.

Data showed an 8.4 percent growth in the Kingdom’s non-oil sector. The government sector grew by 2.3 percent.

Economic activities in the Kingdom showed moderate recovery from the pandemic, with transactions in community, social, and personal services growing at the highest rate of 17.1 percent.

Retail, as well as the restaurants and hotel industry, jumped 16.9 percent, while the manufacturing sector grew 15.3 percent.


PIF-backed EV maker Lucid hits 16k 2025 deliveries, sets sights on robotaxi deployment

Updated 8 sec ago
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PIF-backed EV maker Lucid hits 16k 2025 deliveries, sets sights on robotaxi deployment

RIYADH: Electric vehicle manufacturer Lucid Group, majority-owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, announced a surge in deliveries in 2025 with volumes reaching 15,841 units, a 55 percent increase year-on-year.

According to a statement, the EV maker also provided an optimistic production outlook for 2026, signaling confidence in its operational turnaround and strategic shift toward autonomy.

In September 2023, the group opened its first-ever international car manufacturing facility in the Kingdom. The hub serves as the company’s second Advanced Manufacturing Plant and its first outside of the US.

According to the earnings report, the company delivered 5,345 vehicles in the fourth quarter of 2025, up 72 percent from the same period in the previous year, marking its eighth consecutive quarter of record deliveries.

Interim CEO Marc Winterhoff said that 2025 “was all about execution and strategy adjustment to set Lucid up for long-term success. Against a challenging macro backdrop, we nearly doubled production, gained market share, reduced unit costs, and strengthened our financial position.”

This commercial momentum translated directly into financial gains. Lucid’s fourth-quarter revenue soared 123 percent to $522.7 million, while full-year 2025 earnings climbed 68 percent to $1.35 billion. The company ended the quarter with a robust liquidity position of approximately $4.6 billion.

A key driver of the improved performance was the ramp-up of production, including the launch of the Lucid Gravity SUV. Despite facing supply chain and tariff headwinds, Lucid nearly doubled its total production for the year.

The company clarified its final production figures for 2025, reporting a total of 17,840 vehicles. This aligns with its previous guidance of approximately 18,000 units.

Lucid explained that a preliminary estimate of 18,378 units, announced in early January, was revised after 538 vehicles were found not to have completed the final internal validation procedures required to be classified as “produced.”

These vehicles are expected to be finalized in 2026, and the company stressed the revision does not impact previously reported financial results.

The manufacturer expects to produce between 25,000 and 27,000 vehicles in 2026, representing growth of up to 51 percent compared with 2025.

Chief Financial Officer Taoufiq Boussaid said: “Q4 marked a clear step-change in production and unit economics. The progress we made is structural, creating a more repeatable and stable operating cadence heading into 2026.”

Beyond the production numbers, Lucid outlined a pivot toward software and autonomy. Winterhoff highlighted the company’s ambition to become an “early mover in the emerging robotaxi market” by leveraging its industry-leading EV technology and strategic partnerships.

To fund these future growth platforms while maintaining financial discipline, the company is making targeted adjustments to its workforce.

“As we prepare for the next stage of our product and volume expansion, we are making targeted adjustments to our US-based, non-manufacturing workforce to reallocate resources to support the next stage of our growth and margin progression,” Boussaid added.

He reiterated the company’s commitment to “financial rigor, operational efficiency, and thoughtful capital allocation.”

In January 2025, the EV maker became the first global automotive company to join the Kingdom’s “Made in Saudi” program, granting it the right to use the “Saudi Made” label on its products, symbolizing the nation’s focus on quality and innovation.

Lucid’s facility, located in King Abdullah Economic City, can currently assemble 5,000 vehicles annually during its first phase. Once fully operational, the complete manufacturing plant, including the assembly line, is expected to produce up to 155,000 electric cars per year. 

This comes as the Kingdom is promoting the adoption of electric vehicles as part of its Vision 2030 strategy, which aims to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2060.
A critical target of the initiative is for 30 percent of all vehicles in Riyadh to be electric by 2030, contributing to a broader goal of reducing emissions in the capital by 50 percent.