Saudi Aramco locks in another $6 billion with debut sukuk

Saudi Aramco locks in another $6 billion with debut sukuk

Saudi Arabian oil giant Aramco locked in another $6 billion on Wednesday to help fund a large dividend as it returned to the international debt markets with its first U.S. dollar-denominated sukuk sale, a document showed.

The debt issuance, which will help fund a $75 billion dividend commitment that will mostly go to the government, comprises tranches of three, five and 10 years, a document from one of the banks arranging the deal and seen by Reuters showed.

Aramco sold $1 billion in the three-year tranche at 65 basis points (bps) over U.S. Treasuries (UST), $2 billion in the five-year portion at 85 bps over UST and $3 billion in 10-year paper at 120 bps over UST.

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Initial price guidance was around 105 bps over UST for the three-year bonds, around 125 bps over UST for the five-year notes and around 160 bps over UST for the 10-year tranche.

The spreads were tightened after the deal attracted combined orders of more than $60 billion.

Aramco last year maintained its promised $75 billion annual dividend to shareholders despite lower oil prices, and is expected to shoulder significant domestic investments in Saudi Arabia's plans