
ADNOC venture Borouge nets $281m in Q1-2025 profit
Borouge, which is going through a major corporate makeover, maintained its profit margins at 20% over the last two quarters.
Up for major changes
The latest numbers set up the 'foundation' for the proposed combining of Borouge and the other petrochemicals entity Borealis. Plus, there is acquisition of US-based Nova Chemicals to create Borouge Group International, which will be a '$60 billion global petrochemicals leader'.
"The new entity has been designed to deliver consistently strong dividends and significant near-term growth, with the transactions scheduled for completion in Q1-2026," said a statement.
Higher dividend
ADNOC and the other major shareholder in Borouge, OMV, are creating Borouge Group International. Once all the pieces are in place for the transformation, investors will get an 'attractive estimated total dividend of $2.2 billion'.
That's equal to a minimum of 16.2 fils per share dividend from 2026 to 2030, which is a 6.3% annual dividend. (This is based on an intended 90% net income pay-out ratio. Borouge and Borouge Group International dividends represent a 38% cumulative dividend return through to 2030.)
On the Q1-25 numbers, "Borouge is firmly positioned on an accelerated growth trajectory having demonstrated remarkable resilience and operational excellence over the past couple of years," said Hazeem Sultan Al Suwaidi, CEO of the ADNOC joint venture.
"This gives us strong confidence as we enter a new phase of transformational growth with Borouge Group International.
"A core focus of our strategy remains on delivering superior value to our shareholders, demonstrated by Borouge's intention to further increase our dividend to 16.2 fils per share for 2025 - which will also serve as the intended minimum share payout up to 2030 under Borouge Group International.'

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Khaleej Times
3 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
S&P affirms 'AA+' credit rating for US, cites impact of tariff revenue
S&P Global on Monday affirmed its "AA+" credit rating on the US, saying the revenue from President Donald Trump's tariffs will offset the fiscal hit from his massive tax-cut and spending bill. Trump signed the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" into law in July after it was passed by the Republican-controlled Congress. The bill, which delivered new tax breaks, also made Trump's 2017 tax cuts permanent. "Amid the rise in effective tariff rates, we expect meaningful tariff revenue to generally offset weaker fiscal outcomes that might otherwise be associated with the recent fiscal legislation, which contains both cuts and increases in tax and spending," S&P said in a statement. "At this time, it appears that meaningful tariff revenue has the potential to offset the deficit-raising aspects of the recent budget legislation." The U.S. reported a $21 billion jump in customs duty collections from Trump's tariffs in July, but the government budget deficit still grew nearly 20% in the same month to $291 billion. Interest on the public debt also continued to grow, hitting $1.013 trillion in the first 10 months of the fiscal year, an increase of 6%, or $57 billion, over the prior-year period due to slightly higher interest rates and increased debt levels. Since returning to power in January this year, Trump has launched a global trade war with a range of tariffs that have targeted individual products and countries. The Republican president has set a baseline tariff of 10% on all imports to the U.S., as well as additional duties on some items and trading partners. IMPACT OF TARIFFS S&P, which became the first ratings agency to cut the pristine U.S. government rating in 2011, said the outlook on the U.S. rating remains stable. The ratings agency said it expects the Federal Reserve, which Trump has criticized this year for not cutting interest rates, "to navigate the challenges of lowering domestic inflation and addressing financial market vulnerabilities." It projected the country's general government deficit to average 6.0% of GDP during the 2025-2028 period, down from 7.5% in 2024 and from an average 9.8% of GDP in 2020-2023. S&P said it could lower the rating over the next two to three years if already high deficits increase. "The ratings could also come under pressure if political developments weigh on the strength of American institutions and the effectiveness of long-term policymaking or independence of the Federal Reserve," it said. SP, however, said it could raise the U.S. rating in the event of sustained economic growth and adjustments to the U.S. fiscal profile that would diminish recent increases in the country's debt burden. There was no reaction in markets on Tuesday to SP's credit rating affirmation, which follows a U.S. sovereign credit downgrade by Moody's in May, when that ratings agency cut the triple-A U.S. rating by one notch, citing rising debt levels. The U.S. national debt load surged above a record $37 trillion last week. James Ragan, co-chief investment officer and director of investment management research at D.A. Davidson, said the SP rating affirmation was an acknowledgment of the meaningful tariff revenue generated so far. "That's all good revenue (coming) in, but that's also a drag on the economy, so I think we don't know the impact of that going forward," he said.


Campaign ME
5 hours ago
- Campaign ME
VRAcademi appoints Blitz PR for Middle East comms strategy
VRAcademi, a Dubai-based immersive education and innovation hub, has appointed Blitz PR as its official public relations partner for the Middle East region. As part of this partnership, Blitz PR will lead all regional communications efforts, helping to elevate VRAcademi's brand visibility, build media relations, and amplify the company's mission of making future-ready digital skills accessible to youth, professionals and educational institutions across the Middle East. 'We are thrilled to join hands with Blitz PR as we expand our footprint across the Middle East,' said Sonal Ahuja, Co-Founder, VRAcademi & Metaverse Lab. 'Their strong media network and proven experience in positioning emerging tech brands will be critical as we engage new partners, schools, and students in the region.' VRAcademi said its programs are already being used by students across the UAE. The hub further claims it has partnered with leading schools, universities, learning centers and even government initiatives like UAE AI to integrate advanced tech skills into curricula. With growing demand for creative and immersive tech education in the GCC, the company is now doubling down on its regional presence. 'We believe the Middle East is ripe for the kind of transformative, future-focused education we provide, and Blitz is the right partner to help us tell that story,' Ahuja said. Commenting on the partnership, Craig Michael, Managing Director, Blitz PR & Marketing said: 'We're excited to partner with VRAcademi on their journey in the Middle East.' 'In a region that is actively investing in digital transformation and youth empowerment, VRAcademi is bringing timely and relevant learning opportunities,' Michael added. 'Our goal is to amplify their vision and ensure their impact is seen, heard, and celebrated across the region.' The partnership comes at a time of growing interest in the metaverse, digital creativity, and future skills education across the UAE, KSA, and beyond.


Al Etihad
6 hours ago
- Al Etihad
85% of UAE retail investors back local stocks: eToro survey
19 Aug 2025 17:50 DUBAI (WAM) A whopping 85% of UAE-based retail investors are currently invested in local stocks, and many are buying even more in response to global trade tensions, based on the latest edition of the UAE Retail Investor Beat by trading and investing platform study, which surveyed 1,000 retail investors across the United Arab Emirates, revealed that UAE-based investors are strong supporters of their local market. 85% are currently invested in locally listed equities, with 39% of respondents holding Abu Dhabi stocks, 28% holding Dubai stocks, and 18% holding investments reflect their confidence in the UAE economy - 63% of investors stated they are 'very confident' in its current performance, and a further 29% indicated they are 'somewhat confident'. When it comes to the long-term performance of locally listed stocks, 59% expressed that they are 'very confident', with a further 32 % who are 'somewhat confident'.Looking ahead, 48% of investors forecast significant gains in the UAE stock market over the next 12 months, while 34% expect steady conviction is also evident in investors' long-term expectations. 58% believe that the Middle East will deliver the most substantial returns over the next five years, followed closely by the US (50%).When asked which UAE sectors evoke the most optimism for investments over the next 12 months, real estate topped the list at 55%, followed by technology (48%), financial services (37%), and energy (37%).Commenting on the findings, George Naddaf, Managing Director at eToro MENA, shared, 'The DFM and ADX are among the best-performing stock exchanges in the world this year, outperforming the S&P 500 by a considerable margin. Against this backdrop, our research confirms that investor confidence in the UAE market remains strong, supported by resilient performance across local indices, solid macroeconomic indicators, and sustained earnings across key sectors."Investors are favouring real estate, technology, financial services, and energy, as these sectors continue to benefit from government-backed initiatives. The fact that 85% are already invested in UAE equities reflects a clear preference for local opportunities in the current environment.'Despite strong confidence in their local market, geopolitical risk is firmly on the minds of investors: 90% say tariffs and trade wars will significantly impact their portfolios in the next six months, and 89% have already adjusted or plan to adjust their investments in the most common way investors are adjusting their portfolios in response to trade tensions is by increasing exposure to UAE equities (53%), a close second is increasing allocations to commodities (51%). This corresponds with respondents choosing gold or precious metals as the most resilient type of asset in a volatile trade environment (49%). Crypto (45%) was the second-most popular option, and it is already the most held asset class among UAE investors, currently with 54% Naddaf added, 'With 90% of investors anticipating an impact from tariffs and trade wars, and 89% adjusting their portfolios accordingly, UAE investors show an impressive level of adaptability. Besides local stocks, many are reallocating towards commodities such as gold and oil, which are viewed as reliable hedges against external volatility. This suggests a disciplined, dual-track approach: reinforcing exposure to domestic markets that are shielded from the impact of tariffs, while managing risk through defensive asset classes.' Uncertainty is not deterring investors from continuing to seek opportunities in the market. 65% of UAE retail investors have already increased contributions to their investment portfolios over the previous months, and 76% expect to increase contributions over the next three months. Stock Markets Continue full coverage