Saudi Aramco said to mandate banks for bond issue

State-run Saudi Arabian Oil Co. (Saudi Aramco) has mandated four banks as financial advisors for its first bond sale, Bloomberg reported on Monday, citing unnamed sources with knowledge with the matter.

HSBC Holdings Plc’s local unit and Riyad Capital were appointed for the riyal-denominated sukuk issue by the end of June. NCB Capital and Alinma Investment Co. are also working on the deal that could be followed by a dollar-bond program.

The potential sukuk issue comes as part of the oil giant’s plans to raise as much as $10 billion this year, the sources said.

All four parties involved declined to comment, Bloomberg said.

Last month, Saudi Aramco had asked banks including HSBC and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. to advise on its planned initial public offering (IPO).

In 2013, Saudi Aramco’s 65 percent owned Sadara Chemical Co. raised SAR 7.5 billion riyals from a bond issue in 2013, while the company’s joint venture with Total SA sold SAR 3.75 billion worth of sukuk in 2011.