Fawaz Abdulaziz Alhokair Co. is eyeing small-and medium-sized acquisitions and may consider tapping the bond markets to raise capital in the future, the company's chief financial officer said Monday. “There are many opportunities. We are looking at the region and also outside, including the US, Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries and Africa,” Abdulrahman Moulay, the group chief financial officer (CFO) told reporters on the sidelines of a conference in Dubai. “We expect to close some of the smaller acquisition deals before the end of the year,” he added. Alhokair has 75 franchises in the Middle East and 1,300 stores worldwide. Its franchises include international brands such as Zara, Marks & Spencer's, Gap, Aldo, Monsoon, Accessorize and Topshop. Moulay said the market is benefiting from strong economic growth in the kingdom and the retail sector is facing excellent growth. The company is also looking at various financing options to fund its growth plans.
