Almarai Company’s financial results for 2025 revealed a 6.18% increase in net profit compared to the company’s profits in 2024, supported by revenue growth.
According to the company's data on the Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul) website on Sunday, net profit rose to 2.46 billion riyals last year, compared to profits of 2.31 billion riyals in the previous year, thus achieving the highest profits in the company's history.
The company explained that the increase in net profit in 2025 is due to revenue growth, cost control, an improved sales mix, and lower financing costs.
The company’s results for 2025 revealed an increase in operating profit to 3.06 billion riyals, compared to 3 billion riyals in operating profits in 2024, an increase of 2.17%.
Total sales/revenues increased by 5.17% in 2025, to SAR 22.06 billion, compared to SAR 20.98 billion for the previous year, as a result of growth in most markets and all sales channels, led by the poultry, food, dairy, bakery and bottled water sectors.
Regarding the results for the fourth quarter of 2025, the company's data revealed an increase in net profit to 464.79 million riyals, compared to profits of 430.73 million riyals in the fourth quarter of 2024, an increase of 7.91%.
Saudi National Bank completes issuance of capital bonds
Additional $1 billion from the first tranche
The National Bank of Saudi Arabia announced the completion of the issuance of Additional Tier 1 capital bonds, valued at $1 billion, equivalent to 3.75 billion riyals.
According to the bank’s statement on the Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul) website on Sunday, the settlement date for the bond issuance will be January 22, 2026.
The bank noted that 5,000 bonds were issued (based on the minimum category and total issuance size), with a nominal value of $200,000.
He also pointed out that the bonds are perpetual bonds, redeemable after 5.5 years, with an annual return of 6.15%.
He noted that the bonds may be redeemed in certain cases as detailed in the bonds' basic offering memorandum.
He said the bonds would be listed on the London Stock Exchange's international financial market and could be sold under Regulation S of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
US stocks close slightly lower, posting weekly losses
U.S. stocks fell marginally at the close of trading on Friday as geopolitical tensions persisted, but the major indexes still suffered weekly losses.
Trump said he had been told that the killings during the crackdown in Iran were declining, and that he did not believe there was a current plan to carry out large-scale executions, adopting a “wait and see” approach after previously hinting at the possibility of intervention.
Analysts said the remarks reduced the risk premium that had accumulated in recent days, after a U.S. official said on Wednesday that the United States was withdrawing some personnel from military bases in the Middle East, following a statement by a senior Iranian official that Tehran had informed its neighbors that it would target U.S. bases if Washington launched a military strike.
Markets continue to closely monitor geopolitical developments around the world, particularly the Russian-Ukrainian war, as well as the Greenland and Venezuela crisis on one hand, and the United States on the other.
This week also kicked off the quarterly earnings season for companies listed on Wall Street for the last quarter of 2025, which usually begins with the results of the banks.
On the other hand, Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Jefferson emphasized in statements today that the central bank's monetary policy is in good shape.
At the close of the session, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.1% (83 points) to 49,359 points. The index recorded losses this week of 0.3%, reaching a high of 49,616 points and a low of 49,246 points.
The broader S&P 500 fell 0.1% (4 points) to 6,940, with weekly losses of 0.4%, hitting a high of 6,967 and a low of 6,925.
The Nasdaq index fell 0.1% (equivalent to 14 points) to 23,515 points, and suffered a loss of 0.7% this week, while reaching a high of 23,664 points and a low of 23,446 points.
Corn futures closed higher but suffered their biggest weekly loss since July due to oversupply.
Chicago corn futures rose sharply on Friday, but still posted a weekly loss of more than 5%, the biggest drop since last July, after revised production estimates showed an increase in global supply.
Wheat and soybean futures also rose, but ample supply limited gains, leaving both contracts in weekly losses.
Corn prices plunged 5.4% on Monday after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) raised its estimates for production and stockpiles more than analysts had expected.
The International Grains Council on Thursday highlighted its forecast of abundant supply, raising its estimate for global maize production for the 2025/26 season by 15 million tons to 1.313 billion tons, and also increasing its assessment of global wheat production.
A meteorologist said on Thursday that limited rainfall in Argentina, the world's third-largest corn exporter, could damage the crop, but the country is still expected to break production records this year.
Regarding soybeans, prices were supported by strong domestic demand in the United States and rising CBOT soybean oil prices, which jumped 4.4% on Thursday and added an additional 0.5% on Friday after a Reuters report that the U.S. government plans to set biofuel blending quotas for 2026 by early March.
The National Oilseed Processors Association in the United States said its members crushed the second-largest monthly amount of soybeans ever in December, exceeding analysts' expectations.
However, the oversupply remains a factor putting downward pressure on prices. The Brazilian agricultural agency Conab forecast on Thursday a record soybean harvest of 176.12 million tons for the 2025/26 marketing season, while the consultancy Agroconsult said production could be even higher, reaching 182.2 million tons.
maize
In trading, March corn futures rose 1.1% to $4.24 a bushel at the end of the session, but suffered losses of approximately 5.5% this week.
Soy
Soybean futures for March delivery rose 0.3% to $10.57 per bushel, but soybeans posted a weekly loss of 0.6%.
wheat
Wheat futures for March delivery jumped 1.5% to $5.18 a bushel, while wheat suffered weekly losses of 1.1%.
