Dubai: Emaar Properties PJSC is expected to offer shares in its United Arab Emirates development business at a 10 to 20 per cent premium to the unit’s net asset value, according to three people familiar with the plans.

The lead managers on the initial public offering are estimating Emaar Development LLC’s fair value at between Dh26 billion ($7.1 billion) and Dh33 billion, two of the people said, asking not to be identified because the information isn’t public. A 10 to 20 per cent premium would imply an offer price of Dh6.63 to Dh7.23 a share, according to Bloomberg calculations.

A spokesman for Emaar said the company wouldn’t comment on rumours or speculation.

Emaar Properties, which spearheaded a building boom in the emirate over the past 15 years and built the world’s tallest skyscraper in Dubai, will sell 800 million shares, or 20 per cent of its real-estate development business, starting Nov. 2. The sale will close on Nov. 15 and the company expects to announce final pricing a day later. Shares will be listed on the Dubai Financial Market on Nov. 22.

Net Asset Value

Emaar said Oct. 22 the unit had a net asset value at 24.1 billion dirhams at the end of September, or 6.025 dirhams a share. Damac Properties Dubai Co. PJSC, a competitor to Emaar, trades at a 16 per cent premium to net asset value, according to Bloomberg calculations.

Emaar Development is targeting the distribution of aggregate dividends of no less than $1.7 billion, to be paid over the next three financial years ending Dec. 2020. Annual dividend payments after that are expected to increase further due to lower leverage and higher expected cash flow from operations, it said.

Given its dividend plans, Emaar Development may price at the top end of the range, though the overall price range could move depending on demand, one of the people said.