Aramco’s $12bn Stock Offer Sells Out in Hours

Saudi Aramco’s $12 billion share sale sold out shortly after the deal opened on Sunday, in a boon to the government that’s seeking funds to help pay for a massive economic transformation plan.

The government had demand for all shares on offer in a few hours after books opened, according to terms of the deal seen by Bloomberg News. Books were covered across the price range of 26.70 riyals to 29 riyals.

While it wasn’t immediately clear exactly how much of the demand came from overseas, the order book reflected a mix of local and foreign investors, three people familiar with the matter said.

The extent of foreign participation will be closely watched as an indicator of interest in Saudi assets. During Aramco’s 2019 initial public offering, the $29.4-billion listing drew orders worth $106 billion, and about 23 per cent of shares were allocated to foreign buyers.

A top selling point of the latest offer is the chance to reap one of the oil industry’s biggest dividends. Aramco shares fell as much as 2.9 per cent to 28.30 riyals Sunday, valuing the firm at about $1.8 trillion.

The stock has dropped about 14 per cent since the start of this year, when Bloomberg News first reported the government’s intention to offload a stake, and is currently trading at its lowest levels in over a year.