AD Ports Group, the operator of industrial cities and free zones in the emirate, has acquired Spain’s integrated logistics platform Noatum as it continues to expand globally.
The enterprise value for 100 per cent ownership of the Spanish company amounts to Dh2.5 billion ($681 million), AD Ports said in a statement to the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, where its shares are traded. The deal will be fully funded through a new acquisition loan.
The “value and earnings accretive acquisition” significantly broadens AD Ports Group’s global footprint and positions it among the leading logistics and freight forwarding companies in the world, the company said.
“This ambitious acquisition brings a major global logistics platform into the AD Ports Group family, significantly enhancing our global connectivity and extending the range of maritime, logistics and ports solutions,” Falah Al Ahbabi, chairman of AD Ports Group, said.
“This acquisition makes AD Ports Group one of the most significant global players in the finished vehicle logistics, which we intend to expand in our home and core markets.”
The Noatum acquisition is Abu Dhabi Ports Group's third international investment this year as the company continues to expand.
In September, the company completed the acquisition of a 70 per cent equity stake in Egypt's International Associated Cargo Carrier for Dh514 million. The deal, which was announced in July, gives AD Ports Group majority stakes in IACC's portfolio of Egyptian maritime companies, Transmar International Shipping Company and Transcargo International.
Earlier this month, AD Ports Group bought an 80 per cent stake in a Dubai-based global container shipping company Global Feeder Shipping for Dh2.9 billion, implying a 100 per cent enterprise value of Dh3.7 billion.
GFS, which has one of the largest fleets of container ships globally, will be integrated into AD Ports' maritime cluster, which already offers a comprehensive portfolio of shipping, offshore and subsea services, the company said at the time.
Noatum has “high growth potential and capacity to scale” and AD Ports intends to create a market-leading international logistics brand, merging its existing logistics business with the company, it said.
“Moving forward, Noatum will lead AD Ports Group’s logistics cluster, consolidating the company’s existing logistics offering into its operations,” the company said.
Noatum, whose origins date back to 1963, operates in three business areas — logistics, maritime and port terminals — with market-leading positions in Spain and Turkey and a significant presence in the US, UK, China, and South-east Asia.
Noatum, which has presence in 26 countries, posted Dh6.91bn in revenue in the past 12 months. Despite its geographical diversification, about 75 per cent of its revenue is denominated in US dollars or euros.
“Bringing Noatum into our integrated network of businesses will add scale and new layers of expertise, supporting both our global ambitions and our contribution to economic diversification within the UAE,” Captain Mohamed Al Shamisi, managing director and group chief executive of AD Ports, said.
“Noatum operates an asset-light model with a high cash conversion rate and will make an immediate contribution to our financials.”
Established in 2006, AD Ports Group owns and operates 10 ports in the UAE, including Khalifa Port, Zayed Port, Mussaffah Port, Fujairah Terminals, Community Ports, Kamsar Port and the Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal, as well as a terminal in Guinea.
It also manages more than 550 square kilometres of industrial zones and an end-to-end logistics business, besides offering a range of maritime services.
AD Ports Group, which made its debut on the ADX in February after raising Dh4 billion from its share sale, in August signed a preliminary agreement with India's Adani Ports to explore joint investment opportunities in Tanzania.
It is also collaborating with Hong Kong-based Hutchison Ports to identify business opportunities in logistics and port activities across the GCC, Africa and Asia in the maritime and logistics sector.
The company has signed agreements to develop logistics and food trading projects in Uzbekistan, and a partnership with the Aqaba Development Corporation to develop tourism, logistics, transport and digital infrastructure in the Jordanian coastal city.
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Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
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SPEC SHEET
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Storage: 128/256/512GB/1TB
Platform: Android 12
Main camera: quad 12MP ultra-wide f/2.2, 108MP wide f/1.8, 10MP telephoto f/4.9, 10MP telephoto 2.4; Space Zoom up to 100x, auto HDR, expert RAW
Video: 8K@24fps, 4K@60fps, full-HD@60fps, HD@30fps, super slo-mo@960fps
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Battery: 5000mAh, fast wireless charging 2.0 Wireless PowerShare
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Price: Dh4,699 for 128GB, Dh5,099 for 256GB, Dh5,499 for 512GB; 1TB unavailable in the UAE
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From exhibitions to the battlefield
In 2016, the Shaded Dome was awarded with the 'De Vernufteling' people's choice award, an annual prize by the Dutch Association of Consulting Engineers and the Royal Netherlands Society of Engineers for the most innovative project by a Dutch engineering firm.
It was assigned by the Dutch Ministry of Defence to modify the Shaded Dome to make it suitable for ballistic protection. Royal HaskoningDHV, one of the companies which designed the dome, is an independent international engineering and project management consultancy, leading the way in sustainable development and innovation.
It is driving positive change through innovation and technology, helping use resources more efficiently.
It aims to minimise the impact on the environment by leading by example in its projects in sustainable development and innovation, to become part of the solution to a more sustainable society now and into the future.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
Tributes from the UAE's personal finance community
• Sebastien Aguilar, who heads SimplyFI.org, a non-profit community where people learn to invest Bogleheads’ style
“It is thanks to Jack Bogle’s work that this community exists and thanks to his work that many investors now get the full benefits of long term, buy and hold stock market investing.
Compared to the industry, investing using the common sense approach of a Boglehead saves a lot in costs and guarantees higher returns than the average actively managed fund over the long term.
From a personal perspective, learning how to invest using Bogle’s approach was a turning point in my life. I quickly realised there was no point chasing returns and paying expensive advisers or platforms. Once money is taken care off, you can work on what truly matters, such as family, relationships or other projects. I owe Jack Bogle for that.”
• Sam Instone, director of financial advisory firm AES International
"Thought to have saved investors over a trillion dollars, Jack Bogle’s ideas truly changed the way the world invests. Shaped by his own personal experiences, his philosophy and basic rules for investors challenged the status quo of a self-interested global industry and eventually prevailed. Loathed by many big companies and commission-driven salespeople, he has transformed the way well-informed investors and professional advisers make decisions."
• Demos Kyprianou, a board member of SimplyFI.org
"Jack Bogle for me was a rebel, a revolutionary who changed the industry and gave the little guy like me, a chance. He was also a mentor who inspired me to take the leap and take control of my own finances."
• Steve Cronin, founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com
"Obsessed with reducing fees, Jack Bogle structured Vanguard to be owned by its clients – that way the priority would be fee minimisation for clients rather than profit maximisation for the company.
His real gift to us has been the ability to invest in the stock market (buy and hold for the long term) rather than be forced to speculate (try to make profits in the shorter term) or even worse have others speculate on our behalf.
Bogle has given countless investors the ability to get on with their life while growing their wealth in the background as fast as possible. The Financial Independence movement would barely exist without this."
• Zach Holz, who blogs about financial independence at The Happiest Teacher
"Jack Bogle was one of the greatest forces for wealth democratisation the world has ever seen. He allowed people a way to be free from the parasitical "financial advisers" whose only real concern are the fat fees they get from selling you over-complicated "products" that have caused millions of people all around the world real harm.”
• Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.org
"In an industry that’s synonymous with greed, Jack Bogle was a lone wolf, swimming against the tide. When others were incentivised to enrich themselves, he stood by the ‘fiduciary’ standard – something that is badly needed in the financial industry of the UAE."
India team for Sri Lanka series
Test squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Priyank Panchal, Mayank Agarwal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Shubhman Gill, Rishabh Pant (wk), KS Bharath (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Jayant Yadav, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Sourabh Kumar, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah.
T20 squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Surya Kumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan (wk), Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Deepak Hooda, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Avesh Khan
