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Saudi Aramco most likely to issue a bond in 2024, CFO says

Saudi Aramco is likely to provide a bond this year and will prioritise longer maturities of as much as 50 years, Chief Financial Officer Ziad AlMurshed stated on Monday.

The planned issuance is part of a strategy to optimise the company's capital structure, Al-Murshed informed an audience at the Saudi Capital Markets Online Forum in Riyadh.

Aramco last tapped global debt markets in 2021, when it raised $6 billion from the sale of a three-tranche sukuk, or Islamic bond.

Gulf business and federal governments have actually rushed to tap financial obligation markets considering that the start of the year to take advantage of current falls in worldwide interest rates, with oil-rich Saudi Arabia issuing $12 billion of dollar-denominated bonds in January.

There was a duration of inactivity because the marketplaces were not steady. Now, the markets are becoming more steady so you can expect us to be more active, Al-Murshed said.

The Saudi energy ministry last month ordered Aramco to halt strategies to boost its maximum sustainable capability to 13 million barrels each day (bpd), going back to the previous 12 million bpd target.

The company is because of announce yearly financial results and dividend payments in March. Last year, it presented an unique, performance-based dividend.

The Saudi state is Aramco's biggest shareholder by a big margin and relies heavily on its generous payments.

Still, it is poised to sell more Aramco shares, 3 individuals acquainted with the matter informed previously this month, which could enhance the nation's funding and its goal of moving the economy away from oil.

Inquired about such reports, Al-Murshed stated he might not comment as it was not the company's choice as to the sale of existing federal government shares.

The share sale could raise about $20 billion, according to Bloomberg. Saudi Aramco has actually not validated the figure.

Aramco completed the world's largest going public in late 2019, raising $25.6 billion and later on selling more shares to raise the overall to $29.4 billion.

(source: Reuters)