MUSCAT: Sohar International has successfully concluded its mandate as Issue Manager for the Asyad Shipping share offering, marking another significant milestone in the Bank’s growing track record of executing strategic capital market transactions in the Sultanate of Oman.
The offering attracted exceptional investor demand, reflecting strong market confidence and reinforcing the growing depth and maturity of Oman’s capital markets. The successful conclusion follows Asyad Shipping’s official disclosure of the final results of the offering of existing shares by Asyad Group, which confirmed robust participation across both retail and institutional investor tranches. The transaction represents an important development in broadening investor access to one of Oman’s strategically significant companies, while demonstrating the capital market’s increasing capacity to attract and accommodate substantial investor interest.
Commenting on the successful conclusion of the offering, Abdulwahid Mohamed Al Murshidi, Chief Executive Officer of Sohar International, said: “The successful conclusion of the Asyad Shipping offering represents an important milestone for Oman’s capital market and another significant achievement for Sohar International in our role as a trusted financial partner to major national enterprises. The exceptional investor response demonstrates the strength of confidence in Oman’s economic fundamentals, the quality of its investment opportunities and the continued development of its capital markets. As Issue Manager, we are proud to have played a central role in facilitating this landmark transaction, bringing together our capital markets expertise, execution capabilities and understanding of investor expectations to support a successful outcome. More importantly, we see transactions of this nature as catalysts for broader economic progress. They create opportunities for greater participation in national enterprises, contribute to market liquidity and strengthen the investment ecosystem that is essential to Oman’s long-term growth. At Sohar International, we remain committed to enabling high-impact transactions that connect investors with opportunity, support the ambitions of Omani businesses and advance the objectives of Oman Vision 2040.”
At the centre of this achievement was Sohar International’s role as Issue Manager, drawing on its capital markets expertise, institutional capabilities and transaction execution experience to support the successful delivery of the offering. The Bank’s involvement reflects its commitment to facilitating investment opportunities that connect capital with high-potential national enterprises, while supporting the continued evolution of Oman’s investment landscape.
Beyond the strength of subscription demand, the offering carries wider significance for Oman’s economic development. Asyad Shipping operates within the maritime and logistics sector, a strategic pillar of the Sultanate’s economic diversification agenda. Strong investor participation therefore reflects confidence not only in the company’s long-term prospects, but also in the broader opportunities emerging from Oman’s efforts to strengthen its position as a regional and international logistics hub.
A defining feature of the offering was the particularly strong response from retail investors, highlighting the expanding participation of individuals in Oman’s capital market. In response to this demand, the Retail Tranche was increased by approximately 15%, from 65,109,304 shares, representing 1.25% of the company’s share capital, to 74,875,699 shares, representing 1.44%. Following the increase, the Retail Tranche was oversubscribed by nearly 2.6 times, attracting more than 11,000 individual investors and generating approximately OMR 37.9 million in demand at the offer price of 195 Bzs per share. This level of participation is particularly significant in the context of Oman’s evolving investment landscape. It reflects the increasing willingness of individual investors to participate directly in the ownership of major national companies, contributing to a more diversified investor base and strengthening the foundations for sustained capital market activity.
In line with the offering’s allocation methodology, Small Retail investors will receive full allocation of up to 4,000 shares, together with approximately 19.4% of their demand exceeding that threshold. Large Retail investors will receive approximately 30.8% of their subscribed shares. This allocation framework reflects the importance of accommodating broad investor participation while managing the substantial demand generated by the offering.
Shares allocated under both the Retail and Institutional Tranches are expected to commence trading on the Muscat Stock Exchange (MSX) on 12 November 2026, marking the next milestone in the transaction and providing investors with access to secondary market trading.
For Sohar International, the transaction further consolidates its position as a leading participant in Oman’s capital markets, building on its established experience across initial public offerings, secondary share offerings, investment banking and strategic advisory mandates. Through these capabilities, the Bank continues to extend its role beyond conventional banking, supporting the mobilisation of capital, facilitating access to investment opportunities and enabling national enterprises to pursue their long-term strategic objectives.
transactions in advancing Oman Vision 2040. By supporting wider share ownership, enhancing market participation and facilitating investment in strategically important sectors, such transactions contribute to the development of a more dynamic, transparent and competitive financial ecosystem capable of attracting domestic, regional and international capital.
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