KSA is substantially exposed to financials. Any US cuts at all help the housing market and demand for mortgages. But lending rates should stay high thanks to restricted liquidity. Tighter liquidity comes from the lower oil price, meaning less money sloshing around in the Saudi financial system. We like the hedge that financials in the portfolio provide against the oil exposures, which, while achieving some idiosyncratic performance, are in a lower-demand and price environment.
Geographic diversification is increasingly important as US and Western markets face high valuations, debt, and structural challenges. Saudi Arabia's ambitious Vision 2030 and vast resources make it a compelling long-term investment story, but execution risks remain. The iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF offers exposure but is heavily weighted in traditional sectors, with high fees and limited diversification into growth industries.
I rate KSA as a hold due to poor momentum, weak technicals, and only modest earnings growth despite a reasonable P/E ratio. KSA's portfolio is heavily concentrated in financials and materials, with high volatility and a less attractive PEG ratio of 2.4x. The ETF faces bearish technical patterns, with crucial support at $36; a breakdown could trigger further downside toward $26.
KSA ETF offers exposure to Saudi Arabia's economy but is highly concentrated in financials and has high valuations, making it risky. Saudi Arabia's economy shows strong GDP growth and low inflation, but political risks and ambitious projects raise concerns about long-term stability. Technical indicators for KSA are bearish, with negative momentum and trading below its 200-day moving average, suggesting a bear market.
The iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF offers investors passive exposure to Saudi Arabian equities. The country's economic performance has been relatively robust, with that growth also trickling down to the fund's holdings. Valuation and the fund's ongoing charges may be sticking points, though, while developments in terms of Saudi stock ownership also slightly reduce the attractiveness of this ETF.
iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF has underperformed in 2024, lagging behind global equities, and we are not convinced this trend will reverse any time soon. Investors interested in Saudi equities also have the opportunity to look at FLSA, which we find more compelling. Saudi Arabia's economic outlook is pressured by declining oil prices, while Saudi banks, which dominate this portfolio, will have to deal with higher funding costs.
Saudi Arabia is launching an entrepreneurial ecosystem for non-oil industries, diversifying its economy away from energy. The iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF provides retail investors with exposure to the Saudi market and its economic transformation. The top holdings of the KSA ETF include major financial institutions and Saudi Arabian Oil, reflecting the country's dominance in the financial and energy sectors.
Panagora Asset Management Inc. increased its stake in iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF (NYSEARCA:KSA – Free Report) by 13.2% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 83,427 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 9,745 shares during the quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. owned approximately 0.35% of iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF worth $3,531,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. AJOVista LLC purchased a new position in shares of iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF in the fourth quarter worth about $6,706,000. Florin Court Capital LLP lifted its position in shares of iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF by 6.9% during the fourth quarter. Florin Court Capital LLP now owns 60,074 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,543,000 after acquiring an additional 3,897 shares in the last quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd grew its position in shares of iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF by 0.6% in the fourth quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd now owns 241,502 shares of the company’s stock valued at $10,223,000 after purchasing an additional 1,406 shares in the last quarter. Ninety One UK Ltd raised its stake in shares of iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF by 5.5% during the 4th quarter. Ninety One UK Ltd now owns 411,746 shares of the company’s stock valued at $17,429,000 after purchasing an additional 21,558 shares during the period. Finally, Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC lifted its holdings in iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF by 55.0% during the 4th quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 210,221 shares of the company’s stock worth $8,899,000 after purchasing an additional 74,603 shares in the last quarter. iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF Stock Up 0.4 % Shares of NYSEARCA KSA opened at $42.55 on Monday. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $43.76 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $42.57. iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF has a 52 week low of $36.21 and a 52 week high of $45.10. The company has a market cap of $795.69 million, a P/E ratio of 17.50 and a beta of 0.58. iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF Profile (Free Report) The iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF (KSA) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI Saudi Arabia IMI 25-50 index, a market-cap-weighted index of Saudi Arabian firms covering 99% of the market cap spectrum. KSA was launched on Sep 16, 2015 and is managed by BlackRock.