Saudi Arabia dominates MENA IPO market in 2020

•  Kingdom had four listings totaling $1.45 billion, accounting for 78% of IPO issuances last year

Published 03 Mar,2021 via Arab News - Economy RIYADH - Saudi Arabia continued to lead the initial public offering (IPO) market in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region with the Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul), representing 78 percent of MENA IPO issuances last year, according to the latest industry figures.

According to consultancy firm EY’s MENA IPO Eye Q4 2020 report, “Saudi Arabia continued to have the most active IPO market in the MENA region in terms of both issuances and proceeds. Tadawul was MENA’s top listing venue for the year with four listings totaling $1.45 billion, which represented 78 percent of the total amount raised by MENA IPO candidates in 2020.”

The fourth quarter of 2020 was the strongest for IPOs based on proceeds, primarily due to the listing of BinDawood Holding ($584 million), which was the second-largest listing of the year after Dr. Sulaiman Al-Habib Medical Services Group Company ($701 million), which listed in the first quarter of 2020. Both listings were on Tadawul’s main market.