Dubai's Nakheel repays more cash to lenders

By Daniel Shane
  • Tuesday, 26 February 2013 5:06 PM
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Nakheel chairman Ali Rashid Lootah.

Nakheel chairman Ali Rashid Lootah.

Dubai's Nakheel, the developer behind the emirate's manmade Palm Jumeirah, said on Tuesday it had repaid an additional AED206m (US$56m) to creditors as part of its debt restructuring.

The property firm, which was badly impacted by Dubai's real estate crash in 2008-2009, said the funds were due to be repaid at the end of February in accordance with Nakheel's restructuring commitments. Nakheel said the sum brought the total amount it had paid back to lenders since its 2011 restructuring to AED923m.

“We remain focused on meeting our restructuring commitments to stakeholders, while continuing to work towards achieving our corporate objective of creating a long term, sustainable business that contributes to growth of Dubai’s real estate sector – and to the overall economy of Dubai and the UAE,” a spokesperson for Nakheel said in a statement.

Nakheel was one of the high-profile corporate casualties during Dubai’s debt crisis, which saw house prices in the emirate decline by over 60 percent. The developer agreed a US$16bn debt restructuring deal in 2011 and was forced to scale back its plans. The firm is reportedly currently in talks with lenders to extend a AED8bn (US$2.17bn) loan due in 2015.

The developer, which was brought under direct government control as part of the restructuring of its parent Dubai World, said last month it had delivered around 4,000 units to its customers since the start of its restructuring in August 2011.

The firm reported a 57 percent rise in annual profit for 2012 while revenues increased 91 percent to AED7.8bn. The developer awarded construction contracts valued at more than AED1.4bn for new projects, including Dragon Mart Phase 2 and Palma Residences, last year.

The developer expects to hand over around 3,000 units to customers in 2013. 

Earlier this week, Nakheel said it would build 170 new apartments on its flagship development Palm Jumeirah as part of a new project called Azure Residences

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Posted by: Andy Wednesday, 27 February 2013 6:17 PM[UAE] - USA

To the best of my knowledge they are paying back a portion of the interest and penalties of which were past due. They are negotiating to delay paying back the actual amount and even the minimum payments due. I have a payment that I am supposed to collect on and I have not collected interest or any thing and it has been 10 years now.

Posted by: Telcoguy Sunday, 3 March 2013 3:48 PM[UAE] - UAE

Sorry to hear that. For a small business (like mine) this would mean death (funny how the same people who will justify the non-payment will be claiming to throw me in jail if any of my cheques bounce)

For us the only way to manage risk in the UAE is to simply conduct no business with local firms because we, rightly or wrongly, assume we will never get paid if we do

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Posted by: Mhd Shzn Wednesday, 27 February 2013 12:31 AM[UAE] - Al Barsha

Always believed Dubai's return to a healthy economy would be linked to the return of Nakheel.

May God bless and guide Nakheel to prosperity and in turn bless the patient investors (and victims) who suffered the wrath a global financial crisis.

Dubai is truly back and in growth, mabrook all who held.

Posted by: Daud Al Zainey Wednesday, 27 February 2013 3:17 PM[UAE] - UAE

@ Mhd, well, held is the operative word because they are still holding my money and the money of many hundreds of other buyers even though the project is cancelled.

Posted by: leo50 Wednesday, 27 February 2013 11:17 AM[UAE] - United Arab Emirates

and commiserations to all who went under awaiting their money!

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Posted by: Telcoguy Wednesday, 27 February 2013 12:27 AM[UAE] - UAE

Just for the mathematically handicapped, US$ 56M is roughly 0.5% of Nakheel's total debts (US$ 16bn) and not even 2.5% of the amount being renegotiated(US$ 2.17bn)

Posted by: Telcoguy Wednesday, 27 February 2013 1:37 PM[UAE] - UAE

@RS It is interesting to see all the upbeat "news" and the reaction they are getting from some readers. It kind of reminds me of 2008-9

Well the numbers are what they are, the world economy is still very fragile and Dubai depends on foreign capital flows, either from the international banking community or from those property cash buyers discussed in other articles. None of them I find reassuring as a (potential) investor

Other people will surely disagree, and I am happy for them to play with their money as they see fit

Posted by: Ozimandius Wednesday, 27 February 2013 11:17 AM[UAE] - UAE

Priceless!

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