Lumi Rental profit rises 10% in 2025 on leasing growth, stronger pricing 

In a Tadawul filing, the Saudi car rental firm said its revenue increased 7.7 percent year on year to SR1.67 billion, supported by growth across the company’s core leasing and rental businesses. Shutterstcok
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Updated 25 February 2026
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Lumi Rental profit rises 10% in 2025 on leasing growth, stronger pricing 

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Lumi Rental Co. posted a 9.9 percent rise in 2025 net profit to SR198.1 million ($52.81 million) as higher leasing revenue and improved vehicle pricing lifted earnings.  

In a Tadawul filing, the Saudi car rental firm said its revenue increased 7.7 percent year on year to SR1.67 billion, supported by growth across the company’s core leasing and rental businesses. 

The company benefited from higher revenue per vehicle rather than fleet expansion. Rental rates per vehicle rose 18.9 percent and lease revenue per vehicle increased 11.5 percent, while the total fleet remained broadly stable at 34,400 vehicles, the Tadawul filing showed. 

“This year was a display of solid execution for Lumi,” Azfar Shakeel, CEO of Lumi, said in the regulatory filing. “We continued to deliver growth across our core leasing and rental businesses. We … strengthened our margins while maintaining tight control over costs and capital deployment.” 

The company’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation climbed 8.8 percent to SR764.6 million, while the EBITDA margin expanded slightly to 45.8 percent, reflecting pricing discipline and stable operating costs per vehicle. 

Looking ahead, the company expects fleet growth in the high single- to low double-digit range, with rental fleet expansion projected at 9–11 percent and leasing growth at 10–12 percent, driven mainly by pricing improvements rather than fleet size increases. 

Shakeel said the growth of contracted leasing revenue provides greater visibility into the company’s future earnings, a well-managed fleet lifecycle, and a stronger balance sheet.

“We enter 2026 well positioned to deliver sustainable growth and long-term value for our shareholders,” he added.

Joseph Salem, partner and travel, transportation and hospitality lead for management consulting firm  Arthur D. Little, Middle East said car rental is increasingly becoming a bridge between aviation, urban transport, and emerging mobility models, reflecting a maturing and more diversified transport landscape.

“The acceleration in car rental growth is not an isolated phenomenon — it mirrors the broader expansion of Saudi Arabia’s transportation ecosystem under Vision 2030. As tourism scales, giga-projects come online, and airport capacity expands, demand for flexible mobility solutions naturally rises,” he added.


G7 countries to release oil reserves in global push to tackle Iran war energy price surge 

Updated 8 sec ago
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G7 countries to release oil reserves in global push to tackle Iran war energy price surge 

  • IEA expected to recommend the largest oil reserve release in the agency’s history

RIYADH: Germany, the US, Japan and Austria will release part of their oil reserves after the International Energy Agency recommended the release of 400 million barrels of oil ‌from stockpiles, the largest ‌such move in IEA ​history.

Germany’s Economy ⁠Minister ​Katherina Reiche ⁠confirmed on Wednesday the government plans to limit petrol price increases at filling stations to once a day and to introduce more stringent antitrust regulation of the sector.

She did not ⁠give an exact timing for ‌those measures, but added that ‌the US and ​Japan would be the ‌largest contributors to the release of the ‌oil reserves.

The announcements did not stop oil prices rising, with Brent crude up 3.26 percent to $90.66 a barrel at 4:29 p.m Saudi time, and West Texas Intermediate up 3.12 percent to $86.05. Both were some way below the $119 a barrel seen earlier in the week.

“The situation regarding oil supplies is tense, as the Strait of Hormuz is currently virtually impassable,” Reiche said.

“We will comply with this request and ‌contribute our share, because Germany stands behind the IEA’s most important principle: mutual ⁠solidarity,” Reiche ⁠said about the IEA’s request.

According to a statement by Reiche’s ministry, Germany will contribute 2.64 million tonnes of oil. This corresponds to 19.51 million barrels.

Reiche stressed there was no supply shortage in the country, which has a legally mandated reserve of oil and oil products intended to cover 90 days’ demand.

The IEA’s move comes as countries are grappling with ​soaring crude prices amid ​the US-Israeli war with Iran. 

Austrian Economy Minister Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer said his country was releasing part of the emergency oil reserve and extending the national strategic gas reserve, adding: “One thing is clear: in a crisis, there must be no crisis winners at the expense of commuters and businesses.”

Acting ahead of the IEA move, G7 ​member Japan announced plans to release 15 days' worth of ‌private-sector oil reserves and one month's worth of state oil reserves.

“Rather than wait for formal IEA approval ‌of a coordinated international reserve release, Japan will act first to ease global energy market supply and demand, releasing reserves as early as the 16th of this month,” Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in a broadcast statement.