Qatar’s Doha Bank Plans Bond Issues, Tier 1 Capital Instruments

Doha Bank, Qatar’s fifth-largest lender by assets, will seek shareholder approval for international bond issues totalling up to $2 billion, it said in a statement on Wednesday.

No single deal would exceed $750 million and the bonds could be issued in major currencies including U.S. and Australian dollars, yen, Swiss francs and sterling. They would carry maturities not exceeding 10 years for senior debt and 30 years for private placements.

The bank also said it would seek shareholder approval to issue Tier 1 capital instruments worth QAR2 billion ($549 million). These would be issued on or before June 30; they would be perpetual and callable after six years.

Both proposals will be presented for approval to an ordinary and extraordinary shareholder meeting on March 4.

The lender reported on Tuesday a 6.1 per cent increase in fourth-quarter net profit to QAR250 million ($68.7 million), according to Reuters calculations, missing analysts’ expectations.