Saudi Arabia’s Berain Water hires Samba for possible IPO

Berain would become the first bottled-water company to list in Saudi Arabia. (File)
Short Url
  • Berain Water is considering a 30 percent stake sale

RIYADH: Berain Water has hired the investment banking arm of Samba Financial Group to manage a possible initial public offering (IPO), Bloomberg reported citing people familiar with the matter.

No final decision has yet been made on a potential 30 percent stake sale and the company may decide against an IPO, said the people, who asked not to be identified as the information is private.

Riyadh-based Berain is one of Saudi Arabia’s biggest bottled-water companies, and its listing would open a new industry to public investment in the Kingdom.

Saudi Arabia is also expected to sell part of its Ras Al-Khair facility on Saudi Arabia’s Arabian Gulf coast, one of the world’s biggest desalination plants, later this year.

Saudi Arabia will be among the top 10 most “water-stressed” nations in 2040, according to World Resources Institute forecasts.