L’Imad moves to take full control of AD Ports amid Hormuz risks

Abu Dhabi’s L’Imad Holding sovereign wealth fund wants tighter control of the emirate’s ports as the Iran war makes shipping through the Strait of Hormuz increasingly risky.

The government-owned fund is offering to buy the 24.6% of AD Ports it doesn’t already control for about $2.1 billion, valuing the company at $8.66 billion, Bloomberg reports.

The offer of 6.25 dirhams a share is a 23% premium to Friday’s close and sent AD Ports shares up by the daily limit of 15% on Monday.

Taking AD Ports private would give L’Imad more freedom to invest and make acquisitions across a network that includes ports, shipping services and economic zones, including infrastructure that can help Abu Dhabi bypass Hormuz.

The move comes two months after L’Imad said it would delist $81 billion utility TAQA, reversing Abu Dhabi’s recent push to put major state assets on the public market.

Oman’s OQ plans IPO that could raise $2 billion for energy firm

Oman’s state energy company OQ may be about to pull off the Gulf’s biggest IPO this year.

In an offering that could raise some $2 billion, the Muscat-based firm said on Monday it will sell a 25% stake next month in its OQ Exploration & Production subsidiary. The company also plans to pay $600 million in  annual dividends from 2024 to 2026, along with a performance-linked dividend in 2025 and 2026.

The IPO would value OQEP, as the business is known, at around $8 billion, according to Bloomberg, though the company did not provide details of the valuation. OQ’s effort to raise the large sum may reflect the drop in oil prices, which tumbled last week to the lowest point in three years amid concerns over slumping global demand.

If successful, the IPO would be the largest in the Gulf region since ADNOC Gas raised $2.5 billion in February 2023. Last year, OQ raised almost $750 million in its gas pipelines and oil-drilling businesses.

NMDC set to raise $877 million in UAE’s biggest IPO this year

NMDC Energy’s IPO next week is shaping up to be the UAE’s biggest this year.

The offering, expected to raise about $877 million, was oversubscribed by 31 times after its presentation to institutional investors.

The Abu Dhabi-based company, a subsidiary of National Marine Dredging Co., will use the funds to expand regionally and globally, CEO Yasser Zaghloul said in a statement.

“We are building a legacy that goes beyond profits,” he said. “It’s about sustainable growth, technological innovation and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the energy sector.”