Amidst all the doom-and-gloom talk, comes some positive news from Dubai. Emaar Properties, one of the largest real estate developers in the world, reported its highest-ever annual property sales at the company’s Annual General Meeting showing, once again, the strength of Dubai’s booming real estate market.
The AGM saw shareholders approve a 100 percent dividend payout of a whopping AED $2.4 billion. This is in keeping with the December 2024 dividend policy announced by the company. This followed a presentation of the financial performance of the company for 2025 outlining strategic priorities for 2026.
Robust financials and record sales
Emaar recorded property sales of $21.9 billion in 2025, a 16 percent jump year-on-year. Total revenue climbed 40 percent over the previous year to $13.5 billion, while EBITDA and net profit grew 33 percent and 36 percent respectively to $7 billion.
The developer’s revenue backlog from property sales stood at $42.1 billion, providing what executives described as strong visibility for future earnings.
Emaar founder Mohamed Alabbar, said:
“Our 2025 performance reflects the strength of the UAE’s leadership and the clear vision that continues to shape Dubai as one of the world’s most dynamic and trusted destinations for investment and growth,” Alabbar said. “This environment enables companies like Emaar to plan with confidence, innovate, and deliver long-term value.”
Emaar Properties: From local to global
Established in 1997 and trading on the Dubai Financial Market under the ticker EMAAR, Emaar Properties has transformed from a regional developer into a global powerhouse in the real estate sector, with a presence spanning more than a dozen countries. The company is perhaps best recognized as the force behind Downtown Dubai, the iconic mixed-use district popular with residents and tourists alike and featuring the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building on the planet, and the Dubai Mall, a massive shopping hub. Emaar’s portfolio extends across residential and commercial property ventures, retail through Emaar Malls, and hospitality, encompassing a range of hotels and leisure facilities. The company has also made its mark in international markets with projects in India, Egypt, Turkey, Pakistan and the United States.
Dubai’s real estate success story
Dubai’s real estate sector is thriving. Emaar’s impressive performance coincides with a remarkable period for Dubai’s property market, which has seen consistent price increases and a surge in transactions since 2021. The emirate has become a magnet for affluent individuals, foreign investors, and expatriates, attracted by the UAE’s political stability, its tax-free environment, recent residency visa reforms and its status as a global business centre and a logistics destination.
According to data from Dubai’s Land Department, total real estate transactions in the emirate have set successive records in recent years, with both residential and commercial segments seeing strong demand. Luxury and ultra-luxury properties in particular have drawn intense interest from European, Asian and Russian buyers, pushing prices in prime locations to unseen levels since the pre-2008 peak.
The UAE government had actively worked to sustain momentum in the sector through proactive policy initiatives including long-term residency programs such as the Golden Visa, which allows property investors to obtain renewable 10-year residency permits. These reforms have helped shift perception of Dubai from a short-term expat destination to a place where investors and residents are willing to commit long-term capital.
The ongoing conflict with Iran has put a question mark over how the real estate sector will cope with investors fearing stability in the region.
eToro’s market analyst, Josh Gilbert believes owing to its fundamentals, UAE’s real estate market will be able to successfully navigate this period of volatility:
“I don’t think the fundamental things that make the region great and why it attracted so many people there in the first place have changed too much. But ultimately, it comes down to whether it’s a region where capital will still flow to in the future, whether it’s where businesses still want to set up hubs and things like that. Given things like the golden visa, the tax incentives, I don’t think that we’ll stop seeing businesses attracted to the region. But I certainly think it will make them ask questions. And as I say, a question mark isn’t a full stop, but I certainly think there’ll be more questions asked now than there have been before we headed into this year.”
A positive outlook
Emaar’s future looks bright, with plans to keep rolling out new residential and lifestyle projects in 2026. The company also aims to broaden its reach in important international markets and invest more in its operational capacity. The substantial backlog, amounting to roughly three years’ worth of current annual revenue, indicates the company is moving forward at a healthy pace. This is because projects that have already been sold but aren’t yet completed create a steady stream of future revenue. Analysts are optimistic, citing Dubai’s growing population, limited availability in the high-end market, and strong demand from international buyers as key factors likely to keep the market strong in the near future. However, some analysts have raised concerns about potential interest rate changes and the speed at which new supply will enter the market.