KUWAIT, 05 May 2021 – Agility, a leading global logistics provider, held today its Annual Ordinary General Assembly Meeting for the year ending 31 December 2020, with a quorum of 66.253%.

During the meeting, that was held electronically, shareholders approved all the items on the agenda, including Agility’s audited financial results and endorsed the Board of Directors’ recommendation for a cash dividend of 10% (10 fils for every share) and a bonus share distribution of 10% (10 shares for every 100 shares).

Dividend distribution will apply to the shareholders registered in the company’s records at the end of the settlement date on 31 May 2021, and will be distributed on 03 June 2021, provided that the company is able to finalize related processes.

Cash dividend distributions will be transferred electronically to the shareholders bank accounts that have registered with Maqasa. Shareholders are kindly requested to check with Maqasa to update their records.

Agility had announced 2020 net profit of KD 41.6 million, or 21.73 fils per share, a decrease of 52.1% from 2019. Revenue for the year reached KD 1.6 billion, an increase of 2.7%, and EBITDA reached KD 162.4 million, a decrease of 15.9%. The 2020 results include one-time expenses related to restructuring that took place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic for KD 12.5 million and KD 28 million expense associated with the loss of Amghara land. Agility Vice Chairman and CEO Tarek Sultan said that Agility remains committed to driving shareholder value and achieving its vision. “We will continue to remain true to our name, and be flexible and proactive as we define a new way forward for our business. Agility will focus both on growing our profitable group of existing businesses, as well as on identifying new opportunities for the next phase of our growth. As always, we thank our employees, our customers, our shareholders, our suppliers and our partners for their support,” he said.

About Agility

Agility is a global logistics company with $5.3 billion in annual revenue and 26,000+ employees in more than 100 countries. It is one of the world’s top freight forwarding and contract logistics providers, and a leader and investor in technology to enhance supply chain efficiency. Agility is a pioneer in emerging markets and one of the largest private owners and developers of warehousing and light industrial parks in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Agility’s subsidiary companies offer fuel logistics, airport services, commercial real estate and facilities management, customs digitization, and remote infrastructure services.

For more information about Agility, visit Agility.com
Twitter: twitter.com/agility
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/agility
YouTube: youtube.com/user/agilitycorp

Agility to Take 8% Stake in Combined Company

Agility and DSV Panalpina A/S (“DSV”) have today signed an agreement for DSV to acquire Agility’s Global Integrated Logistics (GIL) business. The combination is expected to create a top-three global freight forwarder based on revenues. The acquisition will be an all-share transaction and closing is expected in the third quarter of 2021. Agility will become the second largest shareholder in DSV with an approximate 8% stake in the combined company.

Agility and DSV have reached an agreement that DSV will acquire Agility’s stand-alone GIL business in an all-share transaction. DSV will issue 19,304,348 shares, representing approximately 8.0% of all post-transaction outstanding shares of DSV. Based on the DSV share closing price of DKK 1,299.5, and an exchange rate of DKK 1.00 = USD 0.163 and KWD = 0.049, the all-share transaction has an implied equity value of GIL of USD 4.1 billion (KWD 1.2 billion). 

The combination of DSV and GIL will fortify DSV’s position as a leading global transport and logistics company with a combined pro forma revenue of approximately USD 22 billion and a combined workforce of more than 70,000 employees.

Creating Value

“This deal creates significant shareholder value and marks a new milestone in Agility’s journey. Agility remains committed to the supply chain industry, and will become the second largest shareholder in one of the fastest-growing and most profitable logistics companies in the world,” said Tarek Sultan, Agility’s Vice-Chairman. “I want to thank GIL’s leadership and employees for profitably growing the company and steering it through one of the most challenging periods the industry has ever seen during the global pandemic. Agility is proud of what GIL has achieved.”

He added: “Agility will be exploring opportunities between DSV and its other businesses, with promising areas of future cooperation potentially including Agility’s Logistics Parks business, Shipa group of companies, and technology ventures. Agility will remain an emerging markets leader, investor in emerging technologies, and champion of sustainable business.”  

“Agility’s Global Integrated Logistics business and DSV are an excellent match, and we are proud that we can announce our agreement to unite,” said Jens Bjørn Andersen, Group CEO of DSV. The combination of our two global networks will provide us with the opportunity to offer our customers an even higher service level. GIL’s global network, industry competencies and strong market position in APAC and the Middle East complement DSV’s network well and will support our long-term value creation ambitions. Our two groups of companies already share a culture of entrepreneurship and local ownership, and we look forward to welcoming GIL’s talented staff to DSV.”  

Transaction overview

  • At completion, DSV will acquire 100% of GIL in consideration for issuing 19,304,348 new shares of 1 DKK/share to Agility. This will represent approx. [8.0]% of all post-transaction outstanding shares of DSV. The share issue will be according to existing authorisations given to DSV’s Board of Directors.
  • Enterprise value of approximately USD [4.2 billion] and equity value of USD [4.1 billion].
  • Transaction multiple: 23.2x LTM EV/Adj. EBIT multiple (post IFRS-16) and 0.94x LTM EV/Sales. (Last twelve months: 1 April 2020 – 31 March 2021).
  • After completion of the transaction, DSV has agreed to nominate an Agility designee to DSV’s Board of Directors.
  • Completion of the transaction is expected in the third quarter of 2021.

Combination Creates Industry Leader

Scale remains one of the key competitive advantages in freight forwarding with significant operational and commercial benefits. The combination of DSV and Agility GIL is expected to increase DSV’s annual revenue by approximately 23%, which will rank the combined company in the freight forwarding industry top three with a pro forma revenue of approximately USD 22 billion and a combined workforce of more than 70,000 employees. The combined company will have own operations in more than 90 countries, with expected volumes of more than 2.8 million containers (TEU’s) and more than 1.6 million tonnes of air freight transported yearly.

“GIL’s presence in fast-growing emerging markets in APAC, as well as Europe and Americas, will be a strong addition to DSV’s existing network,” said Jens Bjørn Andersen. GIL will bring additional warehousing capacity of more than 1.4 millions square meters across the Middle East and Asia, significantly strengthening DSV’s contract logistics capabilities and Solutions division. GIL will also add road freight activities to DSV’s network in Europe and the Middle East.  

DSV and GIL are a strong match with many potential synergies as a result of similarities in business models, services and strategies:

A New Phase of Growth for Agility

“This deal is one of the largest private M&A deals made in the GCC to date. We expect that this transaction will have a positive impact on shareholder’s equity and the company’s market value,” Sultan said. “It will give Agility the resources and flexibility to explore new opportunities and reposition the company for the next phase of growth.”

Not part of the deal is Agility’s Logistics Parks  business that develops warehousing and light-industrial infrastructure, and its portfolio of subsidiary companies, covering fuel logistics, commercial real estate, airport services, customs digitization, and digital logistics, among others. Agility will continue to invest in emerging technologies and companies and remains committed to sustainability across its operations and the companies it invests in.

About DSV Panalpina

DSV Panalpina provides and manages supply chain solutions for thousands of companies every day – from the small family run business to the large global corporation. 57,000 employees in more than 80 countries work passionately to deliver great customer experiences and high-quality services – and help ensure a steady supply of goods to production lines, outlets, stores and consumers all over the world. DSV Panalpina is organised into three divisions offering the complete range of services to support customers’ entire supply chain: Air & Sea, Road and Solutions (warehousing and logistics services). In 2020, DSV Panalpina generated revenues of approximately USD 17.7 billion (DKK 116 billion) and EBIT before special items of USD 1.5 billion (DKK 9.5 billion). More than 1,300 offices, terminals and warehouses across the world enable DSV Panalpina to be close to local markets while taking advantage of a global perspective and network to secure the best possible service.

About Agility

Agility has expanded its global footprint through a series of successful acquisitions, and is an emerging markets leader, investor in emerging technologies and companies, and champion of sustainable and responsible business. The company has multiple lines of business. Agility’s Global Integrated Logistics business offers freight forwarding and contract logistics services across 100+ countries around the world. Agility’s Logistics Parks business develops and operates warehousing and light industrial parks across the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Agility’s subsidiary companies offer fuel logistics, airport services, commercial real estate and facilities management, customer digitization, and remote infrastructure services.

About Agility Global Integrated Logistics (GIL)

Agility’s stand-alone Global Integrated Logistics (GIL) business is a leading global transport and logistics provider, with a strong footprint in emerging markets. The business offers a mix of integrated logistics services including: air, ocean and road freight forwarding services, contract logistics and specialized logistics capabilities. GIL operates a flexible, customer-centric, and sustainability-driven business, with a global workforce of approximately 17,000 people, and service-provision across 100+ countries around the world. GIL empowers businesses of all sizes, from small businesses to large multinationals, through sector-specific expertise and digital tools and technology to enhance supply chain efficiency. In 2020, GIL reported revenues of USD 4.0 billion, adjusted EBITDA of USD 257 million, and adjusted EBIT of USD 129 million.

For more information about Agility:
Website:  Agility.com
Twitter: twitter.com/agility
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/agility
YouTube: youtube.com/user/agilitycorp

Offers world-class warehouses for lease to multinationals and local businesses

MAPUTO, Mozambique – April 13, 2021 – Agility, a leading global logistics and warehouse provider, has opened a new Agility Logistics Park in Maputo, adding to its growing network of international-standard warehouse parks serving key African markets.

ALP Mozambique
Agility Logistics Park: Maputo; Mozambique

The new 290,000 SQM Agility park is strategically located on the new Maputo ring road in the Marracuene-Chiongo district, providing easy access to the burgeoning Maputo market and road connections to the major highways leading to large markets in the north of Mozambique and to South Africa. 

The 32,000 SQM of Agility warehousing constructed for the first phase of the development provide ready-built, secure, international-standard facilities that are available to lease by both local companies and multinationals. Tenants lease the warehouses for storage, distribution, packaging, processing, assembly and light manufacturing.

Agility warehouses meet international environmental standards and feature eco-friendly construction materials. Agility used energy-efficient roof and side-insulated panels; wind-driven roof fans; skylights for natural lighting; LED and energy-saving bulbs; and solar-powered streetlights. The site will recycle paper, plastic, metal, and carton waste. It provides eco-friendly waste management services and carbon footprint reporting.

The Agility Logistics Park in Maputo is part of an expanding network of quality warehouse parks that Agility is funding and developing in key markets across Africa to support the development of domestic and regional trade. Other Agility Logistics Parks are located in Ghana, Cote D’Ivoire and Nigeria.

Geoffrey White, CEO Agility Africa, said: “We believe that the provision of international-standard warehouses in Africa for storage, distribution and light manufacturing is one of the fundamental building blocks necessary for economic growth. The Agility Logistics Parks enable companies, whether multinationals or small and medium local enterprises, to access quality infrastructure easily, quickly and cost effectively, enabling growth and prosperity.”

Agreement will integrate NAS’s KuwaitMosafer platform with the Forum’s Common Trust Network 

KUWAIT – April 12, 2021 — National Aviation Services (NAS), the leading airport services company in emerging markets, has partnered with the World Economic Forum to enhance safe air travel by using its KuwaitMosafer platform to share Kuwait’s vaccine records with countries and airlines across the globe.

The partnership will facilitate safer international air travel by using KuwaitMosafer to make vaccine certificates issued by the Kuwait Ministry of Health instantly accessible to airlines, airport authorities and governments via the Forum’s Common Trust Network. The Common Trust Network, launched by the Forum and the Commons Project Foundation, enables the safe, secure sharing of verifiable lab results and vaccination records to advance cross-border travel and commerce.

Hassan El-Houry, Group CEO of NAS, said, “Countries are keen to collaborate with us to revive passenger travel generally and to make it possible for high-spending Kuwaitis to safely resume business and leisure travel in greater numbers. Through platforms like KuwaitMosafer, we are focused on safer and simpler digital solutions that can aid both local and global recovery of travel.”

With multiple, interlinked technology solutions, Kuwait is considered a global leader in digital health tools that can be deployed at the airport.

The Common Trust Network’s partnership with KuwaitMosafer was fueled by Kuwait’s efforts to restart  global travel. Those efforts were highlighted in an article published by the Forum on its website. The article describes digital tools that NAS has developed to restore confidence and accelerate recovery in the air travel industry.

“With the Covid-19 vaccine certificate, passengers can travel reassured with complete data confidentiality and the ability to share their personal records as and where required,” El-Houry said.

The Common Trust Network is enabled by a global registry of trusted laboratory and vaccination data sources, standard formats for lab results and vaccination records, and standard tools to make those results and records digitally accessible.

The Commons Project also introduced CommonPass, a globally interoperable app that allows travelers to document their COVID-19 status digitally for cross-border travel and share via a QR code. CommonPass is already deployed by Lufthansa on all flights from Germany to the U.S. and by Jetblue on flights to Aruba. Japan’s Nippon Airways (ANA) and Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific are also currently piloting this technology.

As leading player in the aviation industry, NAS is a key participant at regional and global discussions including the Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos each year. NAS recently signed up to the Good Health Pass Collaborative, a cross-sector initiative to develop a blueprint for privacy-protected, user-controlled, globally interoperable, and universally accepted digital health pass systems. It is also in discussions with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to maximize integration and facilitate travel with the IATA Travel Pass that will allow storage and management of certifications for COVID-19 tests or vaccines.

NAS introduced the Medical Utility Network Accreditor (MUNA), a patented blockchain technology that connects PCR testing labs in different countries and cities together to verify and authenticate certificates for cross-border travel. KuwaitMosafer and BelSalamah, another online platform developed by NAS for safe passage of travelers from high-risk countries to Kuwait, are both linked to the MUNA network. This makes it possible to share authenticated PCR test results generated from audited labs in over 40 cities. El-Houry said: “The MUNA data in Kuwait shows promising results. All travelers arriving to Kuwait from high-risk countries are registered on KuwaitMosafer or BelSalamah and must get their PCR tests conducted at MUNA-authorized labs wherever available. We discovered that the number of positive cases entering the country were three times higher before MUNA was introduced. This suggests a significant reduction in infected cases entering the country with forged certificates or fake results.” 

Moves 50,000+ medical gowns to Uganda

BAAR, Switzerland – April 6, 2021 – Agility, a leading global logistics provider, has donated the transportation of nine tons of medical materials from China to Uganda for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, in partnership with Qatar Airways Cargo.

The donation, through One Million Kilos, Chapter 1 of Qatar Airways Cargo’s sustainability program “WeQare” included more than 50,000 surgical kits to be used at hospitals and medical centers in Kampala, Uganda. In China, Agility’s teams received, inspected and packaged the materials for export. The cargo was flown to Kampala, Uganda, by Qatar Airways Cargo; upon arrival, Agility facilitated customs clearance and delivered the goods to UNHCR.

Michael Blaufuss, Agility SVP of Air Freight, said: “This project demonstrates the value that Agility brings to its customers and charity partners. Our teams were able to work quickly with UNHCR and its vendors to export the medical gowns during the holiday period, and get them to in Kampala. The donation of space by Qatar Airways Cargo was critical in getting the supplies to the destination quickly.”

‘1 Million Kilos’ is the first chapter of WeQare, where charities were able to use the services of Qatar Airways Cargo through freight forwarders and transport humanitarian aid and medical supplies all over the world, free of charge. 

Guillaume Halleux, Chief Officer Cargo at Qatar Airways said, “The COVID-19 pandemic has shown how essential air freight is in the time of crisis.  Through WeQare’s One Million Kilos campaign, we are pleased to support Agility and UNHCR in transporting essential supplies to places where they are needed the most. “

Nader El Nakib, Head of Private Sector Partnership; Kuwait, said “This donation will be used by UNHCR’s medical teams to help displaced persons receive improved medical care, while protecting UNHCR’s frontline health workers. We are especially grateful that Agility and Qatar Airways were able to provide these international air cargo services during the global pandemic. This donation means UNHCR can redirect funding to support other beneficiaries in need of assistance.”

Agility has a globally recognized sustainability program, covering humanitarian logistics, community volunteerism, fair labor and environmental sustainability. Agility is part of the FTSE4Good Index Series, a resource used by investors to identify companies around the world with strong environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices. Agility is also ranked in the top 10% of all companies and the top 4% of the logistics industry for overall sustainability performance by EcoVadis. Since 2006, Agility has responded to 75+ humanitarian crises since 2006 across the world.   

State-of-the-art facility features energy efficiency, sustainability, indigenous art

MELBOURNE, Australia – March 17, 2021 – Agility, a leading global logistics provider, has moved its Australasia regional headquarters to a new 32,000 sqm facility in the Melbourne Airport Business Park.

The building has advanced features intended to make it energy efficient and environmentally friendly. It is mounted with 4,108 solar panels that can generate up to 1.8MW of electricity for Melbourne Airport’s existing 12MW solar farm. It also features a 10,000-litre, roof-rainwater harvesting tank that will provide water for toilets and drip irrigation of the landscaping.  Additionally, the main office has a solar-electric hot water system.

The new Agility Australasia facility is equipped with best-in-class technology for logistics with 30,000 sqm devoted to warehousing and 2,000 sqm for office space. Agility Australasia offers a complete range of logistics, multimodal transport and distribution services for industrial, service and retail companies operating in the region. The building will also feature space for Agility Fairs & Events.

Qanstruct, an innovative, Melbourne-based design firm, led construction of the facility, which took 13 months and employed more than 100 workers at the peak of the project. To enhance the facility, Agility landscaped the property with 1,800 plants and acquired 10 one-of-a-kind art pieces, all painted by indigenous women.

“We faced various challenges especially during the peak of COVID-19, but all parties were compliant to restrictions and the construction was completed safely,” said Michael Potenza, CEO of Agility Australasia. “Now that our facility is open, we are collaborating with customers, suppliers and innovators to pioneer the sustainable supply chains of the future. These supply chains are green and fair, which should inspire confidence in every customer.”

Agility shareholders requested to update contacts here

 

  FY 2020
(Million KD)
FY 2019
(Million KD)
Variance
(%)
Q4 2020
(Million KD)
Q4 2019
(Million KD)
Variance
(%)
Revenue 1,620.7 1,578.6 2.7% 452.7 402.8 12.4%
Net Revenue 493.9 531.4 -7.1% 129.9 145.0 -10.4%
EBITDA 162.4 193.1 -15.9% 40.0 50.7 -21.2%
Net Profit 41.6 86.8 -52.1% 10.1 23.2 -56.6%
EPS (fils) 21.73 45.34 -52.1% 5.25 12.11 -56.6%

Figures in the table above have been rounded

KUWAIT – 15th March, 2021 — Agility, a leading global logistics provider, today reported 2020 net profit of KD 41.6 million, or 21.73 fils per share, a decrease of 52.1% from 2019. Revenue for the year reached KD 1.6 billion, an increase of 2.7%, and EBITDA reached KD 162.4 million, a decrease of 15.9%. The 2020 results include one-time expenses related to restructuring that took place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic for KD 12.5 million and KD 28 million expense associated with the loss of Amghara land.

For Q4 2020, Agility reported a net profit of KD 10.1 million, or 5.25 fils per share, a decrease of 56.6% from Q4 2019. Q4 EBITDA was KD 40 million, a decrease of 21.2%. Q4 revenue increased 12.4% to KD 452.7 million.

Board of Directors Recommendation

Agility’s Board of Directors has recommended a cash dividend distribution of 10% (10 fils per share), along with 10% bonus shares (10 shares for every 100 shares), subject to approval of the General Assembly. 

Agility Consolidated Results

Agility Vice Chairman and CEO Tarek Sultan said 2020 was a challenging year for most businesses around the world, including Agility.  “Our company moved swiftly to adjust its cost structure to match the reality confronting each part of the business, while at the same time making sure to preserve our long-term strategic vision and ongoing support for our communities around the world,” he said.

Sultan said: “We are proud of the steps we took to keep our front-line workers safe, and keep cargo moving for our customers in the face of one of the greatest supply chain disruptions the world has ever seen.  We also stayed committed to ongoing pro-bono support for government, humanitarian, and education partners that are coping with the global pandemic.”

Sultan outlined areas that Agility is prioritizing for future investment:

  • Gearing up the company’s Life Sciences capabilities for distribution of vaccines, therapeutics, medical equipment and related products.
  • Making strategic bets on emerging technologies and companies that Agility believes will reshape supply chains, including Agility’s online logistics, last-mile and e-commerce portfolio, through its Shipa group of companies.
  • Boosting its sustainability and ESG initiatives and partnerships, including efforts to reduce fleet emissions, improve energy efficiency in logistics facilities, and work in partnership with customers.

Sultan said Agility must remain agile, flexible and ready to adjust to ongoing global economic uncertainty in 2021. “Our goal is not only to weather the storm, but to emerge stronger than ever from this crisis,” he said.

Agility’s full-year results and fourth-quarter results in particular, were affected by one-off expenses related to the loss of Amghara land and COVID-19 net restructuring expenses. Before accounting for those expenses, Agility would have reported 48.6% EBITDA growth in the fourth quarter, vs. Q4 2019, and 5.1% growth on a full-year basis.

Agility has a healthy balance sheet and is able to meet its liquidity requirements. Local, regional and international banks have recently extended the company $1.1 billion in 3 and 5 year credit facilities. In addition, the company’s focus on working capital management across the board in the midst of tough market conditions has yielded positive results. Operating cash flow for the year was KD 177.8 million, a 17.3% increase over 2019.

Agility Global Integrated Logistics (GIL)

“We have seen a significant improvement in GIL’s performance for 2020. This was driven by favourable market conditions in Air Freight and Contract logistics, coupled with a strong focus on cash and cost. GIL grew overall in 2020, despite challenges in other areas within the business, like Ocean Freight, Fairs & Events, and Project logistics, and the net restructuring charges of KD 12.5 million resulting from cost-cutting initiatives we took during the year.  We are optimistic about the future of that business and its ability to create value for our shareholders. Our optimism is reinforced by the strong performance we continue to see in the first couple of months of 2021, as net revenue and EBIT continue to grow.” Sultan said.

GIL’s full-year 2020 EBITDA was KD 66.6 million. Positive momentum for Air Freight and Contract Logistics was complemented by a strong focus on containing costs and driving operational efficiency throughout the organization. That led to full- year EBITDA growth of 13.6% vs. 2019. Excluding restructuring one-time expenses, EBITDA grew 35% vs. 2019.

GIL’s 2020 full-year net revenue was KD 283.7 million, a 3.8% increase compared with 2019. Net revenue grew in Contract Logistics and Air Freight, while declined in Ocean Freight and Fairs & Events. Volumes declined in both Air Freight and Ocean Freight in 2020 by 15.6% in Air Freight (tonnage) and 12% in Ocean Freight (TEUs), as a result of COVID-19’s impact on demand and economic contraction across industries and geographies. However, higher yields in Air Freight, driven by continued demand for exceptional shipments, including many for Life Sciences customers and products, offset the decline in volume. Air Freight net revenue grew 31.4% vs. prior year.

In 2020, Contract Logistics posted 12.2% net revenue growth, mainly as a result of strong performance in the Middle East (specifically, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi) and Asia-Pacific (Australasia and Indonesia). Fairs & Events results remain the most affected by the pandemic because of widespread event postponements and cancelations.

GIL’s 2020 gross revenue was KD 1,223.6 million, an 8.8% increase from 2019.

For Q4 2020, GIL EBITDA was KD 19.4 million, a 17.1% increase from same period in 2019. This improvement was primarily driven by strong Air Freight and Contract Logistics results, as well as significant cost reductions across the business.

GIL’s Q4 net revenue was KD 76.4 million, 9.3% higher than the same period in the prior year.  Along with net revenue (NR) increases in Air Freight and Contract Logistics, there were net revenue declines in Ocean Freight, Fairs & Events, and Project Logistics.

The Q4 Air Freight NR increase of 52.5% was driven by a continuation of exceptional shipments, Life Science product movements, and even higher charter activity. Ocean Freight NR, down 7% vs. Q4 2019, was affected by volume reductions and capacity/equipment shortages. 

Contract Logistics net revenue in Q4 grew 22.9%, as the MEA Region (Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi) posted strong results at new facilities and through increased efficiencies. Fairs & Events continued to be hit significantly by Coronavirus-related event postponements or cancelations.

GIL’s Q4 gross revenue was KD 347.3 million, a 22.9% increase from same period in 2019, the result of higher market freight rates in Air and Ocean.

GIL continues to focus on cost containment and operational efficiency in line with its strategic objectives. GIL’s is working to increasingly digitize and automate its processes to enhance customer and supplier connectivity, create innovative customer solutions, and enable comprehensive business insight to support optimal decision-making.

Agility’s Infrastructure Companies

For full year 2020, Infrastructure group’s EBITDA declined 24.4%, and revenue fell 12%.  For Q4, EBITDA decreased 50% and revenue fell 12.3%. COVID-19 had an uneven impact on the Infrastructure companies. Entities operating in the aviation sector were significantly hit, whereas others were resilient and reported growth during the same period.

Agility Logistics Parks (ALP) reported 5.4% revenue growth for the year, driven by increased demand for warehousing capacity from customers mainly in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. In Africa, Mozambique and Cote d’Ivoire, operations came online, joining the existing Ghana operation as part of Agility’s Africa expansion strategy. Despite construction disruption due to COVID-19, ALP was able to deliver 62k sqm of new space in Saudi Arabia and 18k sqm in Africa. ALP kicked off construction of a 26k sqm facility in Kuwait on an expedited basis. ALP is looking for opportunities to expand its land bank in new and existing countries where it operates.

Tristar, a fully integrated liquid logistics company, posted an 11.9% revenue decrease for 2020, primarily due to lower international fuel prices, reduced commercial fuel volumes, lack of mobilization revenue realized in 2019, and the impact of the pandemic on road transport. Tristar’s Maritime segment reported an increase in revenue from deployment of new vessels and favourable market charter rates. 

Despite lower revenues, Tristar reported an EBITDA increase over 2019, reflecting higher earnings from the Maritime segment, where increases in vessel fleet and market charter rates offset lower earnings from the Fuel segment.

Tristar continues to advance its growth strategy. It took delivery of six vessels for long-term charter contracts with Shell. Tristar also introduced Cryogenic Gas transportation in Saudi Arabia. It is in the final phase of an airport fuel system in Uganda and continues to optimize Road Transport and Warehousing (RTW) contracts in the U.A.E. Today, Tristar has operations in 21 countries and territories across 3 continents, and over 2,000 road transport assets and 35 maritime vessels. It operates 69 fuel farms and over 100 remote fuel sites, providing a wide spectrum of integrated service offerings.

National Aviation Services (NAS) reported a 38.9% drop in revenue in 2020, despite a record January-February. The remainder of 2020 was defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced a near-complete suspension of air passenger traffic for the bulk of the year. All of NAS’s major airports experienced closure to international traffic for at least some part of the year. NAS’s lounge business was hardest hit, followed by passenger services. Through the year, the industry witnessed a passenger traffic drop of 80% on average, while cargo volume dropped by an average of 15% – the largest- ever drop in air cargo.

Although patchy, NAS is witnessing a slow revival in air travel in its key markets. NAS remains optimistic that it is well positioned to take advantage of a recovery and to resume its strong growth once things start to normalize.

United Projects for Aviation Services Company (UPAC), reported a 2020 revenue decrease of 49.9%, primarily due to the suspension of operations at the Kuwait International Airport and the continuation of travel restrictions imposed as a result of the pandemic. The Kuwait operation is starting to show signs of recovery as UPAC continues to take various measures to reduce the negative impact on its business.

Construction of Reem Mall in Abu Dhabi was more than 75% complete as of December 2020. Located on Reem Island, the mall will include 2 million square feet of retail, leisure, dining, and entertainment choices. It will feature the region’s first fully integrated omni-channel retail ecosystem with fully enabled digital, e-commerce and logistics capabilities. Reem Mall will be home to the world’s largest snow play park, Snow Abu Dhabi. With a national vaccination program well underway in the UAE, the economy there is reopening. The resumption of consumer activity and movement, coupled with the unique positioning of the Reem Mall as an entertainment and digital destination, makes the company optimistic about the future performance of that investment, Sultan said.

GCS, Agility’s customs modernization company, posted 22.9% decline in revenue in 2020. The decline was the result of COVID’s negative impact on trade and goods flow.

GCS, like the other entities within the group, took measures to reduce the impact of the pandemic on its business. GCS is in the process of exploring different opportunities in customs modernization and diversification of its income sources.

Closing

Sultan said Agility remains committed to driving shareholder value and achieving its vision. “We will continue to remain true to our name, and be flexible and proactive as we navigate through COVID-19 and beyond. As always, we thank our employees, our customers, our shareholders, our suppliers and our partners for their support – this year more than ever,” he said.  

Financial Performance for the full year 2020

  • Agility’s net profit stands at KD 41.6 million, a 52.1% decrease from KD 86.8 million in 2019. EPS was 21.7 fils, compared with 45.3 fils a year earlier.
  • EBITDA was KD 162.4 million, a 15.9% decrease from 2019.
  • Agility’s revenue for 2020 was KD 1,620.7 million, an increase of 2.7% from KD 1,578.6 million in 2019. Net revenue decreased by 7.1%.
  • GIL’s revenue was KD 1,223.6 million, an 8.8% increase from 2019.
  • Infrastructure group revenue was KD 413.3 million, compared with KD 469.7 million in 2019, a 12% decrease from last year.
  • Agility enjoys a healthy balance sheet with KD 2,272.1 million in assets. Its net debt position is KD 185.3 million as of Dec. 31, 2020. Operating cash flow was KD 177.8 million for full year 2020.

Arbitration panel ruling signals “perils” of investing in Iraq

KUWAIT – February 22, 2021 — Agility, a leading global logistics provider, said foreign investors “should think carefully about the perils of investing” in Iraq, following a ruling by an international arbitration panel to deny its claims that Iraqi officials expropriated $380 million invested by Agility  in an Iraqi telecom company.

The ruling, by a panel constituted by the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), involved Agility’s claims that Iraq expropriated its investment in Korek Telecom, and denied it due process and fair and equitable treatment in breach of the bilateral Kuwait-Iraq investment treaty.

Notably, the ICSID panel denied Agility’s claims without investigating or considering evidence of corruption by key members of Iraq’s Communications & Media Commission (CMC).

Agility said:  “The ICSID tribunal has sent the message — not only to the Republic of Iraq, but to the international community of civilized nations — that states can expropriate investments without providing compensation to their foreign investors.  This was a regrettable decision, and Agility believes that foreign investors would be well-served to think carefully about the perils of investing in a country such as Iraq which continues to rank among the most corrupt countries, as determined by Transparency International.”

In February 2017, Agility filed its claims with the ICSID, a World Bank organization that serves as a forum for investor-state dispute resolution. The panel was comprised of Chairman Cavinder Bull and members John Beechey and Sean Murphy.

Agility described Monday’s ICSID panel ruling as “fundamentally flawed” because it:

  • Refused to address the merits of the regulatory decision itself, claiming lack of jurisdiction.
  • Failed to consider or investigate incontrovertible documentary evidence confirming the corruption and payment of bribes by Sirwan Barzani to the senior-most commissioners of the CMC: Ali Al-Khuwaildi, and Dr. Safa Al Rabiee. 

CMC corruption, reported widely in the press, including The Financial Times, was not investigated by the ICSID panel or by the Republic of Iraq. Al-Khuwaildi continues to lead the CMC, seemingly immune from any responsibility.

  • Sided with the Republic of Iraq on factual matters, despite the fact that the Iraqi government provided no fact witnesses and virtually no documentary evidence.
  • Summarily denied Agility’s requests for protection of the identity of its Iraqi witnesses, even in circumstances where Agility’s employees were arbitrarily detained, interrogated and threatened by Iraq’s secret police during the proceedings.
  • Failed to address critical arguments or provide reasons for the decisions in its ruling.

To date, there have been four claims against Iraq filed with the ICSID. Three of those claims have been in connection with the actions of the CMC, and three  stem from investments in companies based in the semi-autonomous Kurdish area of northern Iraq. ICSID tribunals have failed to hold Iraq liable for any of these claims, raising further doubts about what protections ICSID tribunals actually provide in holding states accountable for breaches of their treaty obligations.

Agility is currently considering its options to apply for annulment of the decision. 

Separately, Agility is also moving expeditiously to pursue claims of more than $700 million directly against Korek, Sirwan Barzani and others, pursuant to a separate arbitration being conducted pursuant to International Chamber of Commerce rules.