Latest news with #LuluGroup
Arab News
a day ago
- Business
- Arab News
Lulu opens new stores near holy sites to enhance pilgrim experience
Saudi Arabia is hosting millions of pilgrims for this year's Hajj, which is taking place from June 4 to 9. The Kingdom continues to ensure an organized, safe, and spiritually fulfilling experience for all pilgrims. As part of efforts to enhance pilgrim services, Lulu Group has partnered with Kidanh Development Company, under the supervision of the Royal Commission for Makkah City and the Holy Sites, to open new retail stores near key pilgrimage locations, including Mina, Arafat, and Muzdalifah. These stores are already operational, providing easy access to essential items such as food, beverages, and personal care products. The agreement was signed by Muhammed Al-Mejmaj, executive manager at Kidanh, and Bashar Naseer Al-Besher, executive administration manager of Lulu Group. The project aligns with Saudi Vision 2030, which focuses on improving quality of life and expanding private sector involvement in national development. This partnership marks a significant step toward enhancing the overall Hajj experience through effective public-private collaboration. Kidanh's development strategy includes modernizing traditional market areas near the holy sites to better serve the needs of pilgrims through modern infrastructure and organized retail services. More than 122,000 Indian pilgrims, including over 16,000 from Kerala, are performing Hajj this year. The new Lulu outlets are designed to meet the needs of this diverse and growing pilgrim community by offering trusted products in strategically located stores. Retail outlets have already opened, and shopping is underway, making Lulu one of the first major retailers to begin operating in close proximity to the holy sites. This reinforces Lulu's commitment to service excellence and community support.
Al Bawaba
2 days ago
- Business
- Al Bawaba
UAE Investors Flock to Food, Retail & Hospitality Stocks Ahead of Holiday Surge
As the UAE prepares for the Eid holidays, local equity markets are experiencing a familiar seasonal trend: a shift in investor focus toward food, retail, and hospitality stocks, driven by an anticipated surge in consumer spending and sales in the UAE are forecast to reach $10 billion this year, highlighting the economic significance of the festive period. Food and beverage producers, particularly Agthia Group, are already witnessing increased demand for staples such as dates, flour, and bottled water — key items during Ramadan and Eid celebrations. Agthia, listed on the ADX, reported an 8.1% year-on-year revenue increase in a recent quarter, largely fueled by strong seasonal sales."Investors have become more attuned to the predictable earnings rhythm driven by Eid-related consumption," said Josh Gilbert, Market Analyst at eToro. "We typically see a spike in food and retail performance leading into the holiday, and this often shows up in market movements."Retailers such as Union Coop (DFM-listed) and Lulu Group (ADX-listed) have benefited from increased foot traffic, gift-buying, and promotional campaigns. Union Coop has seen consistent holiday-driven growth since its listing in 2022, while Lulu Group has leaned into the festive momentum with store expansions and targeted hospitality sector is also capitalizing on the Eid travel boom. Abu Dhabi National Hotels (ADX: ADNH) and other listed hotel operators reported significant increases in occupancy, with some Emirates peaking at over 95% during Eid al-Fitr 2025. This surge is driven in part by intra-GCC tourism and a rise in domestic 'staycations,' bolstering hotel revenues, RevPAR, and margins."The UAE's strong macroeconomic conditions, supported by elevated oil prices and a post-COVID tourism rebound, are reinforcing these seasonal trends," added Gilbert. "Tourism now contributes nearly 9% to the UAE's GDP, and festive periods like Eid deliver a clear economic and market impact."Equity traders have taken note. In the run-up to Eid, shares of consumer-focused companies often see increased trading volumes and positive price action. In one pre-Eid trading session, Dubai's consumer staples index jumped more than 2% in a single day, underscoring how investors reposition their portfolios toward holiday beneficiaries. While overall liquidity may dip during the holiday week, the run-up to Eid continues to offer a meaningful — if temporary — catalyst for UAE equities. As the festive period kicks off, companies in the food, retail, and hospitality sectors are once again in the spotlight, supported by strong consumer sentiment and investor interest.
Khaleej Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Khaleej Times
UAE investors flock to food, retail and hospitality stocks ahead of holiday surge
As the UAE prepares for the Eid holidays, local equity markets are experiencing a familiar seasonal trend: a shift in investor focus toward food, retail, and hospitality stocks, driven by an anticipated surge in consumer spending and tourism. Retail sales in the UAE are forecast to reach $10 billion this year, highlighting the economic significance of the festive period. Food and beverage producers, particularly Agthia Group, are already witnessing increased demand for staples such as dates, flour, and bottled water — key items during Ramadan and Eid celebrations. Agthia, listed on the ADX, reported an 8.1 per cent year-on-year revenue increase in a recent quarter, largely fueled by strong seasonal sales. 'Investors have become more attuned to the predictable earnings rhythm driven by Eid-related consumption,' said Josh Gilbert, market analyst at eToro. 'We typically see a spike in food and retail performance leading into the holiday, and this often shows up in market movements.' Retailers such as Union Coop (DFM-listed) and Lulu Group (ADX-listed) have benefited from increased foot traffic, gift-buying, and promotional campaigns. Union Coop has seen consistent holiday-driven growth since its listing in 2022, while Lulu Group has leaned into the festive momentum with store expansions and targeted promotions. The hospitality sector is also capitalising on the Eid travel boom. ADX-listed Abu Dhabi National Hotels and other listed hotel operators reported significant increases in occupancy, with some emirates peaking at over 95 per cent during Eid Al Fitr earlier this year. This surge is driven in part by intra-GCC tourism and a rise in domestic 'staycations,' bolstering hotel revenues, RevPAR, and margins. 'The UAE's strong macroeconomic conditions, supported by elevated oil prices and a post-COVID tourism rebound, are reinforcing these seasonal trends,' added Gilbert. 'Tourism now contributes nearly 9 per cent to the UAE's GDP, and festive periods like Eid deliver a clear economic and market impact.' Equity traders have taken note. In the run-up to Eid, shares of consumer-focused companies often see increased trading volumes and positive price action. In one pre-Eid trading session, Dubai's consumer staples index jumped more than 2 per cent in a single day, underscoring how investors reposition their portfolios toward holiday beneficiaries. While overall liquidity may dip during the holiday week, the run-up to Eid continues to offer a meaningful — if temporary — catalyst for UAE equities. As the festive period kicks off, companies in the food, retail, and hospitality sectors are once again in the spotlight, supported by strong consumer sentiment and investor interest.
Al Bawaba
3 days ago
- Business
- Al Bawaba
Eid Powers UAE Markets at 95% Hotel Occupancy and $10B in Sales
Each year, as the UAE heads into the Eid holidays, a familiar pattern tends to emerge across local equity markets. Investors start turning their attention to food, retail and hospitality stocks, anticipating a seasonal uplift in spending and activity. Consumer sentiment typically builds and peaks around Eid, with retail sales in the UAE forecast to hit $10 billion this year. This isn't just anecdotal, it shows up in the numbers. For instance, Agthia Group, a major player in food and beverages, often sees a spike in demand for staples like dates, flour and bottled water during holy periods in the UAE. In 2023, the company reported a strong Q2 before revenue softened in Q3, largely because the Eid-driven sales bump had passed. That kind of seasonal fluctuation has become a regular feature of Agthia's earnings rhythm, and investors are increasingly attuned to also benefit from this surge in pre-Eid shopping, according to Josh Gilbert, Market Analyst at eToro. Union Coop, one of the UAE's largest grocery chains, consistently reports higher footfall and sales leading into the holiday. Although only listed since 2022, the market's response to its seasonal performance has already been positive. Lulu Group, which listed on ADX last year, is another name that has leaned into festive demand with targeted promotions and store expansions. For investors, this seasonality has helped support upward momentum in the sector, particularly when paired with broader macro stocks tell a similar story. Eid is a high season for travel and leisure, and hotel operators tend to post stronger numbers off the back of it. Abu Dhabi National Hotels (ADNH) typically sees occupancy levels rise across its portfolio, and this year was no exception – hotel occupancy in some Emirates peaked at over 95% during Eid. These demand spikes often translate into improved RevPAR and profit margins, which can support share price moves around this macroeconomic conditions in the UAE have helped support seasonal equity trends around Eid. Elevated oil prices have boosted government spending and consumer confidence, while the post-COVID rebound in tourism and the job market has further fuelled festive demand. With tourism now contributing close to 9% of GDP, the influx of visitors during Eid has directly lifted retail sales and hotel occupancy. Household spending has remained resilient, especially during key cultural moments like Eid. For investors, this macro backdrop reinforces the case for stronger earnings across consumer-facing sectors during the festive period, which can often correlate to strong share price the Eid holidays approach each year, UAE equity markets tend to reflect a predictable seasonal shift. Investors often increase their focus on consumer-facing sectors in anticipation of festive surges in spending and travel. Trading activity gravitates toward food, retail, and hospitality shares that stand to benefit most from holiday demand. Macro drivers take a backseat during this period, as sector-specific trends dominate investor the weeks around Eid, consumption of food and consumer goods spikes as families prepare celebrations. This seasonal lift directly benefits UAE-listed food producers and retailers. Agthia Group – an ADX-listed food & beverage firm – often experiences strong demand for staples like flour, bottled water, and especially dates, a traditional delicacy. Notably, Agthia's revenues jumped 8.1% year-on-year in a recent quarter, driven by robust sales of dates, flour and other core the retail side, chains such as Union Coop (DFM) enjoy higher footfall and sales fueled by holiday promotions and gift-buying. Retailers typically launch Eid campaigns with steep discounts, and malls see some of their highest footfall and sales volumes of the year during the festive period The anticipation of strong Eid sales often leads to upward moves in these stocks and heavier trading volumes in the run-up to the holiday, as investors position for a potential earnings boost in the consumer Uptick Lifts Hospitality StocksEid is also a peak season for travel and tourism in the Gulf. Many families across the region take advantage of the days off for vacations or 'staycations,' resulting in a sharp uptick in UAE hotel occupancy and leisure spending. During Eid al-Fitr 2025, for example, hotel occupancy in some emirates nearly hit full capacity – Ajman peaked at 95.8% on the holiday night Intra-GCC tourism typically soars over Eid, bolstering hospitality and entertainment businesses; destinations like the UAE attract regional tourists and see a surge that boosts hotel revenues, retail sales and visitor spending This trend has direct implications for Abu Dhabi National Hotels (ADX: ADNH) and other listed hospitality operators, which tend to report higher occupancies and RevPAR during and even restaurant stocks often trade actively around this season, as investors anticipate that festive tourism flows and dining-out plans will translate into improved quarterly results. Importantly, these seasonal consumption and travel patterns don't go unnoticed in the markets. Every Eid, market participants re-calibrate portfolios toward the beneficiaries of holiday spending, and the effect can be seen in short-term equity performance. For instance, consumer-focused stocks have at times led the market higher just before an Eid break – on one pre-Eid trading session, Dubai's consumer staples sector index jumped over 2% in a single day While overall liquidity can taper off during the holiday week, investor interest in names like Agthia, Union Coop and ADNH tends to spike ahead of Eid as traders seek to capitalize on seasonal demand drivers. In summary, the Eid period injects a notable, if temporary, catalyst into UAE equities, with food, retail, and hospitality shares enjoying a seasonal tailwind in both sentiment and trading activity.
New Indian Express
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Lulu Fashion Week concludes in Kochi
KOCHI: The eighth edition of Lulu Fashion Week wrapped up with a star-studded finale in Kochi, celebrating emerging trends and fresh perspectives in the fashion world. The event featured celebrities walking the ramp and awards being presented to icons from the worlds of fashion and sports. This year's 'Style Icon Award' was conferred upon actress Honey Rose, while the 'Pride of Kerala Award' went to cricketer and former Kerala Ranji Trophy captain Sachin Baby. The 'Bold and Beautiful Award' was presented to actress Prayaga Martin. Actor Vinay Forrt handed over the honours to the winners. During the event, Sachin Baby expressed his gratitude, stating, 'Kerala has always embraced me, and Kochi holds a special place in my heart.' The closing event was attended by several key figures from Lulu Group — Lulu Kochi regional director Sadiq Qasim, Lulu India media head N B Swaraj, general manager of Lulu Hypermarkets Sudheesh Nair, Lulu India HR head Anoop Majeed, Lulu Mall GM Vishnu Raghunath, Lulu Hypermarket GM Jo Painadath, and other executives. The event featured over 30 fashion shows across four days. The ramp was also lit up by celebrities such as Kunchacko Boban, Sunny Wayne, Vinay Forrt, Anson Paul, Kailash, Bibin George, Hemant Menon, Riyas Khan, Dhruvan, Marina Michael Kurisingal, and Sadhika Venugopal. The shows were directed by Mumbai-based stylist Shy Lobo. Six brand excellence awards were presented during the closing ceremony, recognising outstanding contributions to the fashion industry.
