Saudi Arabia to sign real estate deals with US during minister’s visit 

Minister of Municipalities and Housing Majid bin Abdullah Al-Hogail at the Saudi Cultural Mission in Virginia. X/@majedhogail
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Updated 19 August 2024
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Saudi Arabia to sign real estate deals with US during minister’s visit 

  • Majid Al-Hogail began his tour on Aug. 18, engaging in high-level meetings with government officials and industry leaders
  • Visit focused on attracting leading American companies to the Saudi market

RIYADH: Multiple US-Saudi real estate agreements are set to be signed during a five-day visit by a leading official from the Kingdom to the North American country.

Minister of Municipalities and Housing Majid bin Abdullah Al-Hogail began his tour on Aug. 18, engaging in high-level meetings with government officials and industry leaders, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The visit is focused on attracting leading American companies to the Saudi market, particularly in real estate development, financing, and supply chains as well as modern construction technologies, and urban infrastructure.




Minister of Municipalities and Housing Majid Al-Hogail opened a housing exhibition at the Saudi Cultural Mission to be a new point of contact for our citizens in the US. X/@majedhogail

This comes as Saudi Arabia aims to improve access to affordable, quality housing through its national housing strategy, targeting a 70 percent homeownership rate by 2030.

In a post on his X account, Al-Hogail said: “In the state of Virginia, we opened a Sakani exhibit at the Saudi Cultural Mission, establishing a new point of contact for our citizens in the US to access the housing and financing options provided by the Sakani Program.”

He added that this initiative reflects their deep commitment to supporting the aspirations of younger generations and enabling them to build their futures with confidence and peace of mind.

In an additional post, the minister said he also met with Saudi students in the US who attended the housing exhibit, adding that the discussions shed light on his ministry’s empowerment initiatives in engineering, financial management, and artificial intelligence.




Minister of Municipalities and Housing Majid Al-Hogail met with Saudi students studying in the US. X/@majedhogail

He added: “I assured the students that our homeland eagerly awaits their return with pride and honor for their achievements.”

During his visit, the minister will explore successful US urban development projects and assess opportunities to implement similar initiatives in the Kingdom, as reported by SPA.

In July, Saudi Arabia’s Housing Program, part of Vision 2030, released its 2023 analysis. The report revealed that the homeownership rate among the Kingdom’s households reached 63.74 percent by the end of 2023, a 16.7 percentage point increase since 2016. This rate also surpassed the 2023 target of 63 percent.

The analysis also indicated that over 96,000 households benefited from accommodation support in 2023 through the same program, which helped cover housing costs. Additionally, more than 20,000 homes were assisted through ownership pathways via developmental housing.


Saudi Maaden reports 156% profit surge to $2bn on strong commodity prices, record production

Updated 05 March 2026
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Saudi Maaden reports 156% profit surge to $2bn on strong commodity prices, record production

RIYADH: Saudi mining and metals company Maaden has reported a 156 percent jump in its net profit attributable to shareholders for 2025, driven by higher commodity prices, record production volumes, and a one-off bargain purchase gain.

The state-backed giant posted a net profit of SR7.35 billion ($1.95 billion) for the full year 2025, an increase from SR2.87 billion in the previous year. The firm’s revenue surged by 19 percent to SR38.58 billion, up from SR32.55 billion in 2024.

This comes as Saudi Arabia steps up efforts to expand its mining sector as a pillar of economic diversification, encouraging international participation and private investment to unlock the Kingdom’s estimated $2.5 trillion in untapped mineral resources under Vision 2030.    

In a statement on Tadawul, the company said: “Performance was led by record phosphate production, near record aluminum production, an increase in all three of Maaden’s main output commodity prices.”

The performance was also fueled by a 60 percent increase in gross profit, which reached SR14.79 billion. In its annual results announcement, Maaden attributed the top-line growth to “higher commodity market prices for phosphate, aluminum and gold business units,” as well as increased sales volumes in its phosphate and aluminum segments. This was partially offset by slightly lower sales volume in the gold unit.

Maaden’s CEO, Bob Wilt, hailed 2025 as a transformative year for the company, marked by strategic growth and operational excellence. “This was a great year for Maaden’s strategic growth. We delivered strong financial results and sustained operational excellence across the business,” he said in a statement.

“This was driven by growth in production across all businesses, including record-breaking DAP (di-ammonium phosphatevolumes), disciplined cost control across and a clear commitment to our role as a cornerstone of the Saudi economy,” Wilt added.

Profitability was further bolstered by an increased share of net profit from joint ventures and an associate. This included a one-off bargain purchase gain of SR768 million related to Maaden’s investment in Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. The company also benefited from lower finance costs.

The fourth quarter of 2025 was strong, with Maaden swinging to a net profit of SR1.67 billion, compared to a loss of SR106 million in the same period of the prior year. Quarterly revenue rose 7 percent to SR10.64 billion.

The firm achieved record production of di-ammonium phosphate, reaching 6.72 million tonnes for the year, a 9 percent increase. Aluminum production remained near-record levels, while the company added a net 7.8 million ounces to its reportable gold mineral resources through discovery and resource development.

The phosphate division saw sales jump 17 percent to SR20.77 billion, with the earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization margin expanding to 47 percent. The aluminum business reported a 9 percent increase in sales to SR10.99 billion, with EBITDA more than doubling in the fourth quarter.

Looking ahead, Wilt emphasized that the pace of growth will accelerate as the company advances key initiatives, including the Phosphate 3 Phase 1 and Ar Rjum projects, which remain on budget and schedule. Maaden has also secured a gas supply for its future Phosphate 4 project.

“This pace of growth will only accelerate. Not only as we advance projects and increase the scale of our exploration program, but as we continue to grow production and implement technology that will further modernize, streamline and unlock value,” Wilt added.

Earnings per share for the year rose sharply to SR1.91, up from SR0.78 in 2024. Total shareholders’ equity increased by 18.7 percent to SR61.59 billion.