Bupa Arabia third fastest growing company in GCC

RIYADH — A landmark report released Wednesday by research group Marmore MENA Intelligence profiles 15 of the fastest growing listed companies in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. M.R. Raghu, managing director of Marmore MENA Intelligence, noted: “Falling energy prices have produced a profound and well-documented slowing of economic activity across the region over recent years.” “We wanted to highlight how particular companies have achieved very strong annualized growth in revenues and/or net income in the five years to 2015.” The report profiles 15 regional companies, who achieved between 20% and 63% annual growth in revenues over that period. Some 13 of the 15 companies - or 90% of the total - came from Saudi Arabia and Qatar. For all but one of the 15 companies, higher revenues and/or net income resulted in share price gains over the five years to the end of 2015. Some 10 of the companies achieved double digit rises in their share prices. This outcome meant that the fastest growing companies dramatically outperformed other listed companies in the GCC countries. Nigel Sillitoe, CEO, Insight Discovery, a marketing partner of Marmore, said an investment of $1 in the S&P GCC Index at the end of 2010 would have become $0.95 by the end of 2015. The value of the investment would have basically tracked sideways. Conversely, an investment of $1 in the 15 fastest growing companies - the growth champions - would have risen in value to $1.91. In terms of revenue growth, the fastest growing company was Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma’aden). Revenues increased by 63% per annum, while net income also rose at a double-digit rate. The second fastest growing company was Qatar Insurance Company (QIC), which achieved a 40% annual lift in revenues and 15% annual increase in net income. In third position was health insurer Bupa Arabia for Cooperative Insurance, whose revenues also increased by 40% per annum. Bupa Arabia’s net income nearly doubled each year, growing at a compound rate of 99%. Tal Nazer, Chief Executive Officer of Bupa Arabia, noted: “Marmore MENA Intelligence has correctly highlighted how particular GCC companies have achieved revenue growth of at least 20% per annum over the five years to the end of 2015.” “These companies have had the vision, the business models, and the solutions for their customers which have enabled them to thrive even though the regional economy has been slowing.” “At Bupa Arabia, we are proud to be a part of this group and, indeed, the third-fastest growing company in the region over that period.” — SG