Middle East Equity

After another delay to the IPO of Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) may have to accept that international fund managers may never value the kingdom’s prize asset as much as its royal family does, but local investors just might.

Saudi Aramco has delayed the launch of its mega IPO for the second time in two years and investors are starting to tire of continued speculation and no hard numbers on valuation.

Equity investors expect there will be an IPO of Saudi Aramco this year as long as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS), and the Saudi government, go ahead with the deal at a valuation below his $2tr aim. But some are concerned the Saudi's will push ahead with whatever value they deem the company is worth, regardless of initial feedback.

Saudi Aramco, the state-owned oil company of Saudi Arabia, is confident that its exceptional financial position will allow its IPO to withstand geopolitical shocks such as the drone attack on the company’s oil facilities last Saturday, write Sam Kerr, Mariam Meskin and Francesca Young.

It isn't often that equity investors are asked to buy assets subjected to physical attack. The drone strikes on Saudi Arabia’s Abqaiq and Khurais oil facilities on Saturday could lead to Aramco demanding a big discount on any upcoming listing. The IPO market has suffered its fair share of geopolitical tumult of late, but this long and keenly anticipated deal could wind up being the riskiest of them all.

Sources close to the listing of Saudi Aramco, the state-owned oil producer, have confirmed that they are working flat out to bring the Saudi company to market before the end of the year, despite attacks on its oil fields over the weekend.

Global banks have been stepping up their pitches to win the mandate for oil giant Saudi Aramco's $100bn IPO during the second week of meetings, as competition heated up to win a spot on the on-again, off-again blockbuster sale.

Equity bankers flew out to the Middle East this week to pitch for roles in the IPO of Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia’s state oil and gas giant, according to equity capital markets sources.

A number of highly anticipated emerging market IPO issuers are understood to have shifted listing plans to next year instead of the last quarter of 2019.

An expected return of Brexit volatility means that there are likely to be fewer UK firms doing IPOs in the fourth quarter of the year, but London will continue to host high profile international listings to make up the shortfall.

Banks working on the IPO of Finablr, the financial holding company that owns Travelex, had to reduce the price of the IPO and extended the books to 3pm on Tuesday, in order to price the transaction.

There has been no covered message sent on the IPO of Finablr, the financial holding company which owns Travelex, though the deal is set to close today, Monday May 13. The banks are still working hard to close the book on schedule.