Aramco Kicks Off Debut Sale of Dollar-Denominated Islamic Bonds

The sun sets over crude oil storage tanks at the Juaymah tank farm, operated by Saudi Aramco, in Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia, on Monday, Oct. 1, 2018. Saudi Aramco aims to become a global refiner and chemical maker, seeking to profit from parts of the oil industry where demand is growing the fastest while also underpinning the kingdom’s economic diversification. Photographer: Simon Dawson/Bloomberg , Ameya Karve

Ameya Karve, Bloomberg News

Jun 8, 2021

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(Bloomberg) -- Saudi Aramco, the world’s biggest energy company, started marketing its first dollar-denominated Islamic bond sale.

The state-controlled company is offering sukuk due in three, five and 10 years, according to a person familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified as the details are private.

The firm is raising cash to help fund its commitment to pay out $75 billion in dividends, a pledge Aramco made to drum up support for its initial public offering. But with the spread of the coronavirus and widespread lockdowns curbing demand for oil last year, the price of Brent crude plunged to just below $16 a barrel at one point in 2020, the lowest since 1999.

Aramco hired advisers including Citigroup Inc. and Goldman Sachs Group Inc., a separate person familiar said earlier this week.

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