Dubai toll operator Salik expects the number of revenue-generating trips through its toll gates to increase by about 5 per cent to 6 per cent in 2023, driven by the resurgence of the UAE economy after the Covid-19 pandemic.
In 2022, the total number of trips made through Salik’s toll gates rose by 12 per cent annually to 539 million on the continued recovery from the coronavirus-induced slowdown as restrictions were fully lifted in Dubai, as well as by the positive growth resulting from Expo 2020 Dubai in the first quarter of the year.
Traffic levels through its eight toll gates “broadly” recovered to pre-pandemic levels during the fourth quarter of 2022, the company said in a statement on Tuesday to the Dubai Financial Market, where its shares are traded.
Trips through the toll gates are the largest revenue driver for Salik and they constituted about 87 per cent of its total revenue in 2022, the company told The National separately.
“Salik’s positive performance in 2022 is a reflection of … Dubai’s unwavering economic resilience amid global turbulence and the ongoing efforts to attract a diverse and growing population,” said Salik chairman Mattar Al Tayer.
The UAE's economy has rebounded strongly from the coronavirus-induced slowdown on the back of higher oil prices and government initiatives to support businesses and the economy.
The Arab world's second-largest economy is estimated to have grown by 7.6 per cent last year — the highest in 11 years — after expanding by 3.9 per cent in 2021, according to the UAE Central Bank.
The country's gross domestic product is projected to expand 3.9 per cent in 2023, with non-oil sector growth estimated at 4.2 per cent, according to the Central Bank.
Salik reported about a 12 per cent jump in its 2022 full-year revenue to Dh1.89 billion ($514 million), while fourth-quarter revenue rose 2 per cent to Dh502 million.
The number of vehicles registered with the toll operator increased 7 per cent annually to 3.7 million in 2022.
Salik’s board proposed to distribute 100 per cent of the net profit recorded in the second half of 2022 as dividends to shareholders after deducting a one-time statutory reserve of Dh37.5 million, the company said.
Salik raised Dh3.73 billion in September from its initial public offering, which was more than 49 times oversubscribed across all tranches, with total gross demand at Dh184.2 billion.
The Dubai government sold more than 1.867 billion shares in the company, or 24.9 per cent, at Dh2 a share. The government retained a 75.1 per cent stake after the IPO.
EA Sports FC 25
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4&5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
Pad Man
Dir: R Balki
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor, Radhika Apte
Three-and-a-half stars
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Kareem Shaheen on Canada
Day 2, stumps
Pakistan 482
Australia 30/0 (13 ov)
Australia trail by 452 runs with 10 wickets remaining in the innings
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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THE SPECS
Engine: 4.4-litre V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 523hp
Torque: 750Nm
Price: Dh469,000
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
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Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
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Key findings of Jenkins report
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- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
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Profile of Tarabut Gateway
Founder: Abdulla Almoayed
Based: UAE
Founded: 2017
Number of employees: 35
Sector: FinTech
Raised: $13 million
Backers: Berlin-based venture capital company Target Global, Kingsway, CE Ventures, Entrée Capital, Zamil Investment Group, Global Ventures, Almoayed Technologies and Mad’a Investment.
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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LUKA CHUPPI
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Producer: Maddock Films, Jio Cinema
Cast: Kartik Aaryan, Kriti Sanon, Pankaj Tripathi, Vinay Pathak, Aparshakti Khurana
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