IslamicFinance.de

Capital Intelligence (CI) has affirmed the ratings for Gulf Finance House (GFH) and subsequently withdrawn the ratings at the rated entity's request.
The Outlook for the Foreign Currency Long and Short-Term ratings of BB and B respectively and Financial Strength Rating of BB was 'negative' at the time of withdrawal. The outlook and ratings reflect CI's opinion that GFH's capacity for the timely fulfilment of its financial obligations remains vulnerable to ongoing adverse changes in internal or external circumstances.
GFH commenced operations in October 1999 as an Islamic investment bank operating under a wholesale banking licence granted by the Central Bank of Bahrain. A large share of its business has focused on major infrastructure projects; notably in the real estate sector.

Trading in Gulf Finance House (GFH) shares were suspended on both the Bahrain Stock Exchange and the Kuwait Stock Exchange on Sunday 17 October. The investment bank will be holding its Annual General Meeting (AGM) and an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) on Sunday 31 October.
Shareholders will be asked at the AGM to approve an asset swap transaction between GFH and its Chairman Esam Janahi, whereby Janahi will transfer his entire shareholding in Khaleeji Commercial Bank to GFH in return to receiving GFH’s entire 100 per cent equity interest in Al Areen Leisure and Tourism SPC, in addition to $3 million to be paid either in cash or through GFH treasury shares.
Shareholders will also be asked to give the nod to approve borrowing by GFH through any special purpose vehicle established by GFH or at its request, of up to $500 million in equity linked Murabaha Financing.

Bahrain-based Gulf Finance House (GFH) plans to reduce its capital and raise up to $500 million in fresh funds to plug the holes a regional property crunch cut into its balance sheet.
The Islamic investment house said in August it would hold a shareholder's meeting in October to approve plans to raise up to $300m through a murabaha, an Islamic equity-linked money market instrument.
GFH is one of the Bahraini investment houses that relied on fees charged on investor money raised for private equity and property projects, a market that collapsed when the global financial crisis triggered a regional property crash in 2008.
It posted a $728m loss for 2009 and has since struggled to pay back its debt as it failed to sell down illiquid property assets and find a new business model.
It narrowly escaped default in February when it reached a last-minute deal with lender to roll over a $300m loan and now needs to find fresh fund to finish the property projects it started from Morocco to India.

Gulf Finance House announced that its landmark $300 million development project, Jordan Gate, based in Amman, Jordan is due for completion early 2011 following the signing of a new agreement between Bayan Holding Jordan Gate Company, Alhamad Company, the construction company responsible for delivering the project and Hektar as a new investor. With the signing of the new agreement, the Jordan Gate project is expected to be completed early next year. Jordan Gate is the most extensive and significant infrastructure development in Amman. The project consists of two 43 storey towers, with one of the towers to be transformed into a hotel to be operated by Hilton Hotels and the other tower to provide offices, multi-purpose lounges and halls for meetings, presentations and conferences. A commercial podium connecting the two towers will host shops, entertainment centres, a food court and other services.

Press Release

Gulf Finance House Long-Term Rating Lowered To 'CC'; Outlook Negative; Ratings
Withdrawn At GFH's Request

*Gulf Finance House's liquidity is under immediate and severe stress, and the
institution has not been able to strengthen it, in our view. *We note that GFH has a
large debt repayment coming due in the next few weeks. *We are lowering our
long-term rating on GFH to 'CC' from 'CCC-' and are affirming the 'C' short-term
rating. *We are withdrawing all the ratings on GFH at its request. *The outlook was
negative at the time of withdrawal.

PARIS (Standard & Poor's) July 5, 2010--Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said
today that it has lowered its long-term counterparty credit rating on Bahrain-based
Gulf Finance House to 'CC' from 'CCC-'. At the same time, we affirmed GFH's 'C'
short-term counterparty credit rating. Subsequently, we withdrew all the ratings on
GFH at its request. The outlook was negative at the time of withdrawal.

"The downgrade reflects our expectation that GFH is likely to restructure its debt
soon because of its weakening liquidity and revenue generation. In our view,

Gulf Finance House, the Bahrain-based investment bank, aims to reach an agreement with creditors by early July on renegotiated terms for a $100 million loan as the lender seeks more time to implement its new business plan. The global financial crisis cut liquidity and lending, while Middle East property prices slumped, hurting investors in real estate projects in the region. Chief Executive Officer Ted Pretty said that the bank’s presentation of its restructuring package was “well received” by lenders along with its plan to change its business model to develop Islamic financial services.

The paper analyses the balance sheet and business model of Gulf Finance House and identifies certain pattern to charge fees in their business model and criticises the same.

By Mohammed Khnifer, Aatef Baig, and Frank Winkler
Reading University
May 2010

Press Release

*Bahrain-based Gulf Finance House earlier today completed the partial extension of a
$100 million facility. We consider this as another "distressed exchange" due to
partial extension of initial maturity. *We then reassessed GFH's creditworthiness
and raised the ratings to 'CCC-/C'. *The outlook is negative and reflects our
opinion of GFH's very weak liquidity position, from a rating standpoint, because it
still faces challenges to meet debt repayments coming due in the very near term.

PARIS (Standard & Poor's) March 3, 2010--Standard & Poor's Ratings Services today
said it raised its long- and short-term counterparty credit ratings on Bahrain-based
Gulf Finance House G.S.C. (GFH) to 'CCC-/C' from 'SD/SD' (selective default). The
outlook is negative.

"The rating action follows GFH's completion of the partial extension of maturity of
a $100 million facility," said Standard & Poor's credit analyst Goeksenin Karagoez.

The first tranche of this facility was a $50 million payment due March 3, 2010, with
the remainder due on March 3, 2011. We understand that GFH has obtained consent for

Gulf Finance House plans to raise $250 million through asset sales this quarter, and has made lay-offs to cut costs after a regional real estate boom ended, its acting CEO told Reuters on Tuesday.

Press Release

Bahrain-Based Gulf Finance House Lowered To 'SD/SD' (Selective Default) On Partial Debt Extension

*Bahrain-based Gulf Finance House (GFH) yesterday extended the maturity of $100
million of its $300 million syndicated loan by six months. *Because we consider the
partial debt maturity extension a "distressed exchange", we are downgrading GFH to
'SD/SD' (selective default) from 'CC/C'. *We expect GFH to soon extend the maturity
of another facility (subject to final approval from all syndicate members). Once the
maturity extension is finalized, we plan to reassess GFH's credit standing and
change the ratings accordingly.

PARIS (Standard & Poor's) Feb. 10, 2010--Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said
today it lowered its long- and short-term counterparty credit ratings on
Bahrain-based Gulf Finance House G.S.C. (GFH) to 'SD/SD' (selective default) from
'CC/C'.

"The downgrade to 'SD/SD' follows GFH's completion of the extension of maturity of
$100 million of its $300 million syndicated loan facility due Feb. 10, 2010," said
Standard & Poor's credit analyst Emmanuel Volland.

Press Release

• The improvement in the liquidity position of Bahrain-based Islamic wholesale investment bank Gulf Finance House proved to be more limited, in our view, than we had previously expected.
• We consider the recent unexpected departure of the CEO and the end to talks about a joint venture with Macquarie to be additional challenges to revenue generation.
• We are lowering our long-term rating on GFH to 'B+' from 'BB+' and placing it on CreditWatch with negative implications.
• The negative implications reflect the uncertainties we see about the execution of GFH's measures to improve funding and liquidity.

PARIS (Standard & Poor's) Jan. 14, 2010--Standard & Poor's Ratings Services lowered its long-term counterparty credit rating on Bahrain-based Gulf Finance House G.S.C. (GFH) to 'B+' from 'BB+' and affirmed its 'B' short-term rating. In addition, we placed both the long- and short-term ratings on CreditWatch with negative implications.

Gulf Finance House announced that the Board of Directors has reluctantly accepted Mr. Ahmed Fahour's resignation as a Board Member and Group CEO of the Bank. Mr Fahour has been appointed by the Australian Government as the Managing Director of Australia Post. Dr Janahi announced the departure of Ahmed Fahour and the appointment with immediate effect of Ted Pretty as Acting CEO of GFHGFH

Gulf Finance House (GFH), the leading Middle Eastern Islamic investment bank announced today that the Board has appointed Mr. Ted Pretty as Group Deputy CEO of the Bank.

Vision3, conceived by Gulf Finance House, Abu Dhabi Investment House and Ithmaar Bank signed an MoU with Morocco's largest bank, Attijariwafa, signaling their intention to establish AgriCap Invest, a specialized food and agriculture focused investment institution in the Kingdom of Morocco. The new firm will offer intelligent financial solutions to agricultural initiatives in the Kingdom of Morocco and across North and Sub-Saharan Africa, the Mediterranean and the broader MENA region.

Gulf Finance House plans to launch a GBP 50 mn UK commercial property fund and a USD 50 mn Sukuk fund in the GCC. The USD 50 mn sukuk fund, to launch in the next two weeks pending regulatory approval, would focus on government, quasi-government, or very stable GCC issues, reported Ulf Laessing and Raissa Kasolowsky on Reuters.

Bahrain-based Gulf Finance House is seeking to raise USD 600 mn for energy projects in Libya and Kazakhstan this year.

Abu Dhabi Investment House shifted its direction in 2008 towards the 'real economy', which includes health, agriculture, communications and clean energy sectors. The company increasingly changed its strategy in 2005, 2006 and 2007 from traditional investment, real estate and financial markets methods included the 'Vision 3' alliance between Abu Dhabi Investment House, Gulf Finance House and Ithmaar Bank.

The goal of the alliance is to benefit from the combined expertise in the identification of investment opportunities within the hospitality, infrastructure and agricultural sectors, including InfraCapital, the GGC's first Islamic investment bank focused on infrastructure and AgriCap, a fund given over to the development of numerous agricultural projects. The AED 400 mn Al Joud fund, the new GCC listed equities fund, performed very well.

Until now, the company did not venture into America or European markets and is considering capitalising on distressed assets in these markets.

Gulf Finance House (GFH) has approved a cash dividend of USD 52.56 mn for last year. This is equivalent to 20 % of the par value of the paid-up capital. In addition a further 20 % will be paid in the form of bonus shares. This has been driven by strong end of year profits of USD 291mn.

Morocco has signed a letter of intent with Itmar developpement, Abou Dhabi Investment and Gulf Finance house to develop a USD 1.8 bn, 270 hectar large resort in Essaouria, Morocco at Davos.