Debut demand: Saudi power firm prices IPO at top of range

Saudi power firm ACWA is one of the kingdom’s main vehicles for building renewable energy projects.

A solar farm in China
ACWA Power is a key part of Saudi Arabia’s plan to transform its energy sector, boosting renewable power generation to reduce emissions and the amount of hydrocarbons that are burned to make electricity that could be more profitably exported [File: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg]

ACWA Power International, one of Saudi Arabia’s main vehicles for building renewable energy projects, set the offer price for its initial public offering at the top of a range as investors flock to share sales in the kingdom.

The power producer, which will be 44% owned by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund after the IPO, said it’ll sell shares at 56 riyals ($14.93) apiece after institutional part of the offering ended. It will raise $1.2 billion for ACWA and value the company at $10.9 billion.

Demand for stock offerings in Saudi Arabia has never been higher. Arabian Internet and Communications Services Co., also known as solutions by stc, attracted over 471 billion riyals in orders for its IPO earlier this month. Plenty more are in the pipeline, including the stock exchange itself and the specialty chemicals business of Saudi Basic Industries Corp.

ACWA is a key part of Saudi Arabia’s plan to transform its energy sector, boosting renewable power generation to reduce emissions and the amount of hydrocarbons that are burnt to make electricity and could be more profitability exported. Over the next five years, the company will double the amount of power it generates, mostly from renewable sources, Chief Executive Officer Paddy Padmanathan told Bloomberg earlier in September.

  • ACWA’s IPO is the biggest offering in Riyadh since Saudi Aramco’s listing in 2019
  • Subscription period for individual investors: Sept. 29 to Oct. 1
  • Joint financial advisers: JPMorgan, Citigroup, Riyad Capital and Natixis

Source: Bloomberg