Business
ADCB initiates coverage of three ADNOC listed companies at 'Buy'
ADCB initiates coverage of three ADNOC listed companies at 'Buy'
About this update from Borouge Plc
Staff WriterAbu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) has initiated equity research coverage on three of ADNOC's six listed companies, assigning a "Buy" rating to ADNOC Drilling, ADNOC Distribution and Borouge.In a sector report titled "The ADNOC Advantage," the bank's research division said the three stocks offer investors differentiated exposure to one of the world's most strategically important integrated energy platforms, underpinned by Abu Dhabi's sovereign strength and a multi-decade investment programme.ADCB set a fair value, equivalent to a price target, of AED7.00 per share on ADNOC Drilling, AED4.65 on ADNOC Distribution and AED3.00 on Borouge, implying upside of approximately 20%, 17% and 18% respectively, or around 18% on average. The bank said visible dividends, contracted cash flows, and discounted cash flow-based valuations underpin "an attractive total return opportunity," describing the companies' earnings as resilient through commodity cycles. A "Buy" rating signals that the bank expects the shares to outperform.Underpinning the three companies, ADCB pointed to ADNOC's scale as a globally relevant, integrated energy platform with one of the world's largest hydrocarbon resource bases. With global oil demand projected to rise from 100 million barrels per day in 2024 to 113 million by 2050, led by emerging markets, the bank said ADNOC is well positioned to capture that growth through its low-cost reserves, competitive operating structure and long-term investment programme . Against this backdrop, ADCB attributed its positive stance to each company's embedded role within ADNOC's fully integrated value chain, "a key differentiator" for investors in the listed companies.For ADNOC Drilling, ADCB pointed to contracted cash flows and resilient margins, protected by a fixed-return rig framework, with growth tied to ADNOC's push toward a crude oil production capacity of five million barrels per day by 2027 and expansion into higher-value oilfield services.On Borouge, it cited advantaged feedstock and a first-quartile global cost position that have held EBITDA margins stable through polymer-price volatility, alongside its scaling into a global polyolefins platform through Borouge Group International.For ADNOC Distribution, the bank highlighted defensive, regulated cash flows, anchored by a guaranteed retail fuel margin of around 45 fils per litre, and the ex...