Kuwait City: KIPCO – Kuwait Projects Company (Holding) – announced that it has completed the sale of its 46.32% stake in Gulf Insurance Group (GIG) to a Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited’s group entity. The closing of the deal comes after the buyer obtained all necessary regulatory approvals.

The deal’s net value came to KD 256.5 million (US$ 832 million), with KIPCO’s net profit at KD 73 million (US$ 237 million). The price per share was set at KD 2 minus 54 fils distributed as dividend for 2022. The deal generated a double-digit internal rate of return (IRR) during the investment holding period.

On this occasion, Sheikha Dana Naser Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, KIPCO’s Group Chief Executive Officer, said:

“KIPCO’s transformative merger grew our portfolio, and we have since been looking at opportunities for exits and investments with the ultimate goal of growth and greater value-creation for our shareholders. The sale of GIG to our partners, Fairfax, is yet another example of the success of our long-term strategy of acquiring businesses, scaling them and then exiting when both the timing and the financial rewards are opportune.”

The proceeds of the sale of KIPCO’s stake in GIG will provide liquidity to further strengthen KIPCO’s capital structure and reduce its leverage. It will also allow KIPCO to seek growth opportunities, both in sectors it already operates in, as well as new sectors and business opportunities that are aligned with the company’s vision and strategy.

Kuwait Projects Company (Holding) – KIPCO – is a holding company that focuses on investments in the Middle East and North Africa. Its strategy of acquiring, building, scaling and selling companies in the MENA region has worked successfully for over 30 years.

KIPCO’s main business sectors are financial services, energy, media, real estate, manufacturing and education. KIPCO’s financial service interests include holdings in commercial banks, insurance companies, asset management and investment banking.

The conversion rate used is US$1 to KD 0.30820