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Saudi was a top-three M&A market by volume in 2023 with 99 cross-border transactions closing, according to PwC’s TransAct Middle East report (pdf). The UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt continued to maintain leadership in the M&As activity in the Middle East last year, accounting for 381 transactions — good for 85.2% of the total volume in the region. Transaction volumes were down for the three countries, with Saudi recording a 13% drop.
Total transaction volume in MENA dropped last year to 447 from 635 in 2022. Corporate M&A activity accounted for 56% of transactions, while private equity investors made up the rest.
By industry: Consumer-related mergers or acquisitions led with 106 transactions, followed by financial services (96) and industrial, manufacturing, and automotive (91). TMT and healthcare rounded out the top five.
Regional outlook for 2024: “We anticipate that 2024 will be a year of growth and activity will be driven by economic diversification goals, decarbonisation, and a focus on localisation and value creation, as organizations transform their business models and look to expand capabilities,” PwC transactions markets leader Romil Radia said.
(Check out this morning’s EnterpriseAM UAE for additional coverage of the report.)
The Public Investment Fund led two of the region’s five largest M&As last year. It acquired minority stakes in local construction firms Nesma & Partners, Almabani General Contractors, El Seif Engineering Contracting and Al Bawani Holding in a USD 1.4 bn transaction. Its acquisition of 80% stake in telecom operator Zain for USD 806.8 mn through a consortium it led was second-largest. Investment bank SNB Capital also placed near the top of the league table when it took 20% stake in homegrown BNPL unicorn Tamara for USD 340 mn.
PwC said the Kingdom’s economic diversification drive, expansion of non-oil activity, and growth in industrial manufacturing and clean technologies industries drove interest in investment here. Legislation was also a key driver in luring in fresh capital after the new Companies Law came into effect. It regulates all forms of businesses under comprehensive national law. Interest was also driven by reforms, including the introduction of the Civil Transactions Law, which is the first local written legal code meant to replace a system in which judges had full discretion in ruling on business disputes on a case-by-case basis according to their own interpretation of shariah.
SAUDI TOPS MENA IPOS IN 2023-
Saudi reigned supreme in terms of Middle East IPOs in 2023, reporting the largest number of IPOs in the region with 36 offerings, according to the report. Despite its position as IPO leader, the figure is down from 41 IPOs a year earlier. Oil driller Ades Holding IPO was the Kingdom’s largest at USD 1.2 bn, followed by SAL Saudi Logistics, which raised USD 700 mn.
What they said: “IPO activity [in Saudi] has also remained strong and we are confident that the region will continue to see a strong pipeline coming through in 2024. We expect the positive momentum to continue as the government privatizes state assets and encourages private sector companies to list in a bid to attract investment, push reforms and move away from dependent on fossil fuels,” PwC Middle East’s Transaction Services Leader Imad Matar noted.
Remember: Saudi’s leadership of the IPO league table is largely thanks to the surge in listings on Nomu — that’s Tadawul’s parallel market for smaller, riskier, earlier-stage companies. Nomu is only open to qualified investors and has easier listing and disclosure requirements. Think of it as Tadawul’s answer to London’s AIM.
More to come: The report took note of Aramco’s potential secondary share sale which could see the oil giant raise up to USD 20 bn. The state-owned oil company is currently in talks with bulge bracket investment banks to quarterback the sale.
REMEMBER- The domestic IPO market is still going strong in 1Q 2024 with regional broadcaster MBC debuting on Tadawul in January in a USD 222 IPO. Avalon Pharma has gone public on the main market and shares of Moderns Mills will start trading today as it wraps its IPO. Al Modawat Specialized Medical Hospital and Pan Gulf Marketing have both made their debuts on Nomu.
