Saudi retail real estate sales to reach $183bn by 2027: Deloitte

RIYADH: Lendo, a debt crowdfunding platform in Saudi Arabia, has secured a SR2.6 billion ($690 million) warehouse facility, with J.P. Morgan serving as the lead arranger.

According to an official statement, the facility will support increased job creation within the Kingdom, underscoring Lendo’s commitment to fostering domestic economic growth and employment opportunities.

Endorsed by Fintech Saudi, this achievement highlights the rapid expansion of Saudi Arabia’s fintech sector and signals the substantial potential for small and medium-sized enterprise financing within the economy, it added.

The initiative also aligns with Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to raise SME lending from 4 percent in 2018 to 20 percent by 2030.

“This landmark facility represents a transformative moment for Lendo and the Saudi fintech ecosystem,” said Osama Alraee, CEO and co-founder of Lendo.

“The strong backing from global financial institutions such as J.P. Morgan validates our innovative approach to SME financing and positions us to significantly expand our impact in the Saudi market. This facility will accelerate our mission of driving SME growth while contributing to the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals.”

The statement said the facility will be strategically allocated to enhance Lendo’s lending capacity, introduce innovative financial products, and broaden the company’s coverage of SMEs across the Kingdom.

George Deves, co-head of Northern European Asset-Backed Securities at J.P. Morgan, remarked: “We are pleased to collaborate with Lendo on this landmark transaction. A robust and rapidly expanding SME sector is crucial to the local economy, and this financing will contribute to the strategic goal of boosting SME lending in Saudi Arabia.”

Moreover, the deal underscores the growing confidence of international investors in the Kingdom’s fintech sector, particularly in the strength of its regulatory framework.

Lendo has successfully completed two rounds of investment to date, with its most recent Series B funding round, raising $28 million, led by Sanabil Investments, a wholly owned subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index dipped on Thursday, losing 23.99 points, or 0.19 percent, to close at 12,415.49. 

The total trading turnover of the benchmark index was SR6.49 billion ($1.73 billion), as 139 stocks advanced, while 89 retreated.    

The MSCI Tadawul Index increased by 4.12 points, or 0.27 percent, to close at 1,544.02. 

The Kingdom’s parallel market, Nomu, rose, gaining 201.99 points, or 0.65 percent, to close at 31,250.65. This comes as 45 of the listed stocks advanced, while 36 retreated. 

The best-performing stock was United Cooperative Assurance Co., with its share price surging by 7.94 percent to SR10.20. 

Other top performers included the Saudi Steel Pipe Co., which saw its share price rise by 7.33 percent to SR73.20, and Gulf General Cooperative Insurance Co., which saw a 5.91 percent increase to SR12.18. 

Bupa Arabia for Cooperative Insurance Co. saw the largest decline of the day, with its share price dropping 4.12 percent to SR186. 

CHUBB Arabia Cooperative Insurance Co. saw its shares drop by 3.59 percent to SR56.40, while The Mediterranean and Gulf Insurance and Reinsurance Co. declined 3.17 percent to SR25.95. 

On the announcements front, Jarir Marketing Co. profits slightly increased to SR974 million by the end of 2024, compared to SR973 million in the same period of 2023. 

According to a Tadawul statement, operating profit totaled SR1.05 billion in 2024, up from SR1.04 billion in the corresponding period of 2023, reflecting a 0.74 percent growth. The increase in profits was attributed to a 2.2 percent rise in total sales, driven by higher sales in the smartphone, computer, and tablet sectors. 

The company’s total profit also rose by 3.8 percent, which is higher than the sales growth due to a relative improvement in profit margins in certain departments, particularly smartphones, as a result of discounts granted by suppliers, the statement added. 

Jarir Marketing also reported that shareholders’ equity reached SR1.74 billion by the end of the period, compared to SR1.77 billion at the end of the same period last year. 

Shares of Jarir traded 1.38 percent lower in today’s trading session on the main market to close at SR12.82. 

Moreover, SNB Capital Co. serving as the lead manager of the Arabian Co. for Agricultural and Industrial Investment, announced that Entaj will proceed with an initial public offering of 9 million ordinary shares, representing 30 percent of its total share capital.