Talabat Board Proposes Share Buyback of Up to 5%

Dubai, UAE - Talabat, a leading on-demand online ordering and delivery platform in the MENA region, has announced that its board of directors has proposed a share buyback programme of up to 5% of the company’s issued share capital. The programme, subject to shareholder approval, is expected to be executed over a period of up to two years.

The company said the initiative, together with its recently announced strategic investments aimed at supporting future growth and its ongoing dividend policy, reflects a disciplined and coherent capital allocation strategy.

Talabat said the programme will be funded through existing cash reserves and free cash flow generation. The final number of shares repurchased will depend on market conditions, share price performance, available liquidity, and other relevant factors.

The board has also authorised management to appoint a liquidity provider to strengthen order book depth and enhance trading liquidity for Talabat shares on the exchange.

Separately, shareholders are set to vote at the company’s annual general meeting on April 13 on the approval of a final dividend of $219 million, equivalent to 3.450 fils per share, for the second half of 2025.

If approved, the payout would raise total dividends for 2025 to $421 million, or 6.638 fils per share. Since its initial public offering in December 2024, Talabat has distributed cumulative dividends of $531 million, equivalent to 8.373 fils per share.

Toon Gyssels said the proposed share buyback reflects the company’s belief that its current market valuation does not fully capture the long-term strength of its platform and growth strategy.

“This share buyback programme reflects our confidence in talabat’s future and our belief that the current market valuation and share price do not fully reflect the long-term strength of our platform. The buyback, combined with our dividend policy, underscores our commitment to delivering attractive total returns to shareholders while continuing to invest strategically in the growth of our food, grocery and retail categories,” he said.

Talabat operates an online ordering and delivery platform across nine markets in the Middle East and North Africa, including the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Egypt, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan and Iraq.

Founded in Kuwait in 2004 and headquartered in Dubai, the company serves more than 6.5 million active customers and completed its initial public offering on the Dubai Financial Market in December 2024.