Published: 2026-08-16
Amanat Holdings, the Dubai-listed investment company focused on healthcare and education, reported a 46% jump in net profit to AED 153.3 million for the first half of 2026, on revenue that rose 24% to AED 582.5 million. The board declared an interim cash dividend of AED 75 million, equal to 3 fils per share, and unveiled a growth strategy that will deploy about AED 1.5 billion over the next three years into healthcare and education platforms. For anyone watching where Gulf capital is heading, the results published on 2026-08-16 are one more data point in a clear trend: money in the UAE is flowing into non-oil, socially essential sectors, and it is earning strong returns there.
Amanat’s H1 2026 results in numbers
The company’s performance for the six months ended 2026-06-30 improved across every headline metric. EBITDA rose 30% to AED 226.4 million, lifting the EBITDA margin from 37% to 39%. On an adjusted basis, which strips out one-off items, profit grew 72% to AED 153.4 million.
| Indicator | H1 2026 | Change year on year |
|---|---|---|
| Net profit | AED 153.3 million | +46% |
| Revenue | AED 582.5 million | +24% |
| EBITDA | AED 226.4 million | +30% |
| EBITDA margin | 39% | up from 37% |
| Adjusted profit | AED 153.4 million | +72% |
| Interim dividend | AED 75 million (3 fils per share) | declared |
Growth was driven by higher patient volumes in the healthcare vertical and rising student enrolments in education, supported by capacity that Amanat has been adding steadily over the past two years. Chairman Dr. Ali bin Harmal Aldhaheri linked the results to the group’s long-term strategy of building scaled platforms in the two sectors rather than holding scattered minority stakes.
AED 75 million dividend and a three-year payout policy
The interim dividend of AED 75 million translates into 3 fils per share. More important for investors is the framework behind it: Amanat announced a three-year dividend policy targeting a minimum annual payout of 7% of issued share capital, or 7 fils per share, alongside a target return on equity of at least 10%. A listed UAE company committing to a multi-year payout floor is a signal of confidence in recurring cash flow, and it reflects a broader maturing of the Dubai Financial Market, where dividend policies increasingly resemble those of developed-market listed companies. Other UAE names reported strong distributions this season too, as we covered in the recent piece on TAQA’s H1 2026 results and dividend.
Healthcare: Cambridge Health Group scales up
Amanat’s healthcare vertical, consolidated under Cambridge Health Group, delivered the sharpest improvement. Revenue rose 28% to AED 235.3 million, EBITDA grew 58% to AED 62.4 million, and profit multiplied 8.3 times to AED 24.8 million. During the half year Amanat completed the move to 100% ownership of the platform.
Capacity is expanding quickly. Total bed capacity reached 715 beds, including 666 licensed beds, an 18% increase, and management has set a medium-term target of more than 1,000 operational beds. The pipeline spans the Gulf: licensed capacity in Khobar is being expanded by about 50% to 150 beds, a new 70-bed facility in Jeddah is due for completion in the first quarter of 2028, and a new 155-bed integrated post-acute care facility is under development in Riyadh. The model focuses on long-term care and rehabilitation, a segment where demand across the UAE and Saudi Arabia significantly exceeds supply.
Education: Almasar keeps compounding, with a K-12 option on the table
The education vertical, Almasar Education, remains the group’s largest earnings engine. Revenue increased 22% to AED 347.2 million, EBITDA rose 33% to AED 179.9 million, and profit grew 29% to AED 130.2 million. The platform now serves about 28,900 students and beneficiaries, 21% more than a year earlier, including roughly 7,200 students enrolled at Middlesex University Dubai. Around 15 specialist education facilities are in development.
Amanat also disclosed a non-binding memorandum of understanding to explore acquiring a 60% stake in Al Qalam Educational Trading Company, which would take the group into the K-12 schools segment. If completed, the deal would extend Amanat’s education footprint across the full cycle from school age to university and vocational training.
Why this matters for the UAE non-oil economy
Amanat’s report is not just a single company’s good half year. It illustrates three things about the UAE market. First, non-oil sectors such as healthcare and education are generating double-digit growth and near 40% EBITDA margins, returns that attract institutional capital without any hydrocarbon exposure. Second, Dubai-headquartered holding companies are deploying serious money regionally: the AED 1.5 billion three-year program, of which more than AED 500 million is already deployed or committed, follows record foreign direct investment flows into the country, a trend we analysed in our review of the UAE’s record 2025 FDI results. Third, demographics are doing the heavy lifting: a growing, insured population and mandatory schooling create demand that compounds independently of oil prices.
For foreign founders and investors, the practical reading is that the UAE services economy has moved far beyond trading and real estate. Healthcare operators, education providers, medical suppliers, edtech and healthtech companies all sell into sectors where listed local capital is actively building capacity.
What it means for your business plans in the UAE
If Amanat’s numbers push healthcare or education up your priority list, a realistic entry sequence looks like this:
- Choose the operating format: a UAE free zone company for consulting, technology and trading activities, or a mainland licence where regulated on-site services require it.
- Check sector approvals early: clinics, medical products and schools need clearances from bodies such as the Dubai Health Authority, the Department of Health Abu Dhabi or KHDA on top of the trade licence.
- Register the company and licence before negotiating contracts, since incorporation, approvals, visas and banking together typically take one to three months.
- Open a corporate bank account with complete documentation, because healthcare and education counterparties expect onshore UAE banking.
- Budget in AED and structure for corporate tax at 9% above the AED 375,000 profit threshold.
How Atlant Capital can help
Atlant Capital sets up companies in the UAE for founders, investors and international groups, including businesses targeting the healthcare and education value chains. We advise on the choice between free zones and the mainland, handle company registration and licensing end to end, coordinate sector approvals, obtain residence visas for shareholders and staff, and manage corporate bank account opening with UAE banks. If you want your structure ready while sector capital is still accelerating, we can make the setup process predictable in cost and time.
Conclusion
Amanat closed the first half of 2026 with profit up 46% to AED 153.3 million, revenue up 24% to AED 582.5 million, an AED 75 million interim dividend and a commitment to invest about AED 1.5 billion over three years. Healthcare capacity is heading past 1,000 beds, education serves almost 29,000 students, and a K-12 acquisition is under study. It is a compact case study of where UAE capital is going: into regulated, demand-driven, non-oil sectors, and companies that position themselves in those value chains early will meet that capital as partners rather than competitors.
FAQ
What results did Amanat report for H1 2026?
Amanat Holdings reported net profit of AED 153.3 million for the first half of 2026, up 46% year on year, on revenue of AED 582.5 million, up 24%. EBITDA rose 30% to AED 226.4 million and the EBITDA margin reached 39%.
What dividend will Amanat pay shareholders?
The board declared an interim cash dividend of AED 75 million, equal to 3 fils per share. Amanat also adopted a three-year dividend policy targeting a minimum annual payout of 7 fils per share, or 7% of issued share capital, with a target return on equity of at least 10%.
Where will Amanat invest the AED 1.5 billion?
The group plans to deploy about AED 1.5 billion over three years into healthcare and education platforms, with more than AED 500 million already deployed or committed. Projects include expanding Cambridge Health Group beyond 1,000 beds, new facilities in Khobar, Jeddah and Riyadh, and a possible 60% stake in the K-12 operator Al Qalam Educational Trading Company.
What does Amanat’s report signal for businesses entering the UAE?
It confirms that UAE healthcare and education are growing at double-digit rates with strong margins, backed by listed local capital. Operators, suppliers, healthtech and edtech companies can enter through a free zone or mainland company, with sector approvals and banking typically arranged within one to three months.
