Saudi POS spending opens 2026 with a 31% surge: SAMA 

Spending on freight transport, postal and courier services recorded the sharpest increase. Shutterstock
Short Url
Updated 09 January 2026
Follow

Saudi POS spending opens 2026 with a 31% surge: SAMA 

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s total point-of-sale transactions reached SR17 billion ($4.5 billion) in the week ending Jan. 3, with all sectors recording positive weekly growth. 

According to the latest data from the Saudi Central Bank, the total POS value represented a 30.6 percent week-on-week increase, while the number of transactions rose 15.7 percent to 255.36 million. 

Spending on freight transport, postal and courier services recorded the sharpest increase, surging 110.9 percent to SR74.22 million, followed by education, which rose 66.4 percent to SR235.51 million. 

Expenditure on personal care increased by 31.7 percent, while spending on books and stationery rose 36 percent. Jewelry outlays climbed 48 percent to SR544.12 million. 

Further gains were recorded across other categories. Spending at pharmacies on medical supplies rose 42.1 percent to SR284.81 million, while expenditure on medical services increased 20.8 percent to SR556.27 million. 

The food and beverages sector saw outlays rise 41.4 percent to SR2.7 billion, accounting for the largest share of POS transactions.

Restaurants and cafes followed with a 20.9 percent increase to SR1.9 billion, while apparel and clothing spending rose 30 percent to SR1.6 billion, ranking third. 

Together, the top three categories accounted for approximately 36.53 percent of total POS spending, or SR6.22 billion. 

Saudi Arabia’s major urban centers mirrored the national surge.

Riyadh, which accounted for the largest share of POS spending, saw a 21 percent increase to SR5.61 billion, up from SR4.63 billion the previous week.

The number of transactions in the capital rose 12.2 percent to 79.6 million. 

In Jeddah, transaction values increased 25.6 percent to SR2.24 billion, while Dammam posted a 26.1 percent rise to SR831.93 million. 

POS data, tracked weekly by SAMA, provides an indicator of consumer spending trends and the ongoing growth of digital payments in Saudi Arabia. 

The data also highlights the expanding reach of POS infrastructure, extending beyond major retail hubs to smaller cities and service sectors, supporting broader digital inclusion initiatives. 

The growth of digital payment technologies aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 objectives, promoting electronic transactions and contributing to the Kingdom’s broader digital economy. 


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

Updated 05 March 2026
Follow

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.