• Emaar Malls, the retail arm of Dubai-based real estate developer Emaar Properties, is considering selling e-commerce startup Namshi for $600-700 million according to Reuters. Emaar is considering listing Namshi abroad via a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC).
• In 2017, Emaar Malls acquired a 51 per cent stake in Namshi from Global Fashion Group (GFG.DE) for $151 million.
• If it goes ahead, Namshi will be the third Middle East startup to go public via a SPAC after Anghami and SWVL.

Source: Reuters

Dubai's Emaar (EMAR.DU) is weighing options to sell fashion e-commerce business Namshi that may include a listing abroad via a SPAC, three sources familiar with the matter said.

An outright sale of Namshi may generate $600 million to $700 million in proceeds, while a listing through a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) could be more lucrative, said one of the sources.

Emaar, which declined to comment, has approached some banks for potential advice on the deal, the sources said.

Emaar Malls, the retail arm of Dubai's biggest developer, Emaar Properties, bought a 51% stake in Namshi from Global Fashion Group (GFG.DE) for $151 million in 2017 shortly after Amazon.com (AMZN.O) bought Dubai-based e-commerce website Souq.com.

It bought the remaining 49% in 2019 for about $130 million.

Namshi posted revenues of 685 million dirhams ($187 million) in the first half of the year, up from 664 million dirhams in the same period one year earlier.

A SPAC - a popular dealmaking vehicle - raises money to acquire a private firm with the purpose of taking it public, allowing the target to list more quickly on share markets than via a traditional initial public offering.

SPACs are not permitted on UAE bourses, encouraging companies to seek out alternative venues. read more

Abu Dhabi-based music streaming app Anghami, the Middle East's rival to Spotify (SPOT.N), said in March it would become the first Arab tech company to list on the Nasdaq after agreeing to merge with a SPAC.