Citigroup sees S&P 500 breaching 5,000-mark by year-end on robust earnings

Image: Shutterstock
Short Url
Updated 05 January 2022
Follow

Citigroup sees S&P 500 breaching 5,000-mark by year-end on robust earnings

Citigroup analysts on Wednesday raised their S&P 500 price target for the end of 2022, estimating it to breach the 5,000 level for the first time, as the brokerage expects strong corporate earnings to continue this year.

Earnings results from S&P 500 companies in 2021 blew past analyst estimates to deliver year-on-year growth in the first three quarters of 52.8 percent, 96.3 percent and 42.6 percent, respectively, according to Refinitiv, which currently sees fourth-quarter annual earnings growth of 22.3 percent.


Companies, consumers and the broader economy largely thrived in 2021, helped by several factors such as a transfer of power in the US government, the “meme stock” phenomenon, generous fiscal and monetary stimulus, booming demand and price spikes.


Citigroup analysts raised their price target for the S&P 500 to 5,100 from 4,900 set in October, cautioning that a US Federal Reserve policy tightening could pose valuation headwinds.


The S&P 500 rose about 27 percent in 2021, gaining more than 3 percent in the last two months alone. The index closed at 4793.54 on Tuesday.


Upcoming quarterly results and 2022 outlook of companies could provide the cushion for growth, despite COVID-19 and supply chain woes, Citigroup analyst Scott Chronert said. 


Two Saudi cybersecurity firms plan Tadawul listings within 2 years 

Updated 14 December 2025
Follow

Two Saudi cybersecurity firms plan Tadawul listings within 2 years 

RIYADH: Two Saudi cybersecurity companies, Cyber and Infratech, plan to list a portion of their shares on the Saudi Stock Exchange, or Tadawul, between 2026 and 2027, according to the companies’ chairmen, who spoke to Al-Eqtisadiah. 

Abdulrahman Al-Kenani, founder and CEO of Cyber, said: “The company is currently planning to acquire certain entities, which will be disclosed in the coming period, in addition to preparing for a public offering through the Tumooh program on the stock market within the next two years at the latest.” 

Al-Kenani explained that the financial, healthcare and services sectors are witnessing continuous cyberattacks as Saudi Arabia expands its digital transformation, accompanied by a rise in the frequency of such incidents. He added that this phenomenon is not limited to the Kingdom but is a global issue. 

The CEO added: “The company is working with several Saudi airports and vital sectors, in addition to collaborating with major international companies to provide cutting-edge cybersecurity solutions.” 

Infratech plans 4 R&D centers abroad 

Ayman Al-Suhaim, CEO of Infratech, stated: “The size of the information technology and cybersecurity market in Saudi Arabia has reached approximately SR87 billion ($23.2 billion), of which SR15.7 billion are allocated to the cybersecurity sector. This includes consulting, managed services, governance, risk management, and cybersecurity within the industrial sector.” 

He said the company has a strategic plan covering the period from 2026 to 2028, which includes establishing a firm in the first quarter of next year to finance cybersecurity and artificial intelligence products, as well as launching four research and development centers in the US, Russia, China and Eastern Europe. 

The plan also includes investment in cloud storage, overseas ventures, and the expansion of operations and investments in data centers. 

Al-Suhaim said the company intends to go public in 2027, noting that it operates across multiple cybersecurity domains serving sectors including energy, defense, aviation and government services. 

The Tumooh program for small and medium-sized enterprises in Saudi Arabia is one of the support initiatives offered by the General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises, or Monsha’at. It aims to drive SME growth by strengthening capabilities, improving performance and accelerating expansion. 

The initiative seeks to help fast-growing SMEs prepare for initial public offerings in the financial markets. To date, the program has facilitated the listing of 24 companies on the Nomu Parallel Market out of more than 2,500 firms registered under the scheme.