Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco) witnessed a staggering week-on-week 100% jump in influencer conversations on Twitter during the fourth week of March 2021, following the announcement of a steep 44% decline in 2020 net profit, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

The global oil giant reported annual earnings of US$49bn for 2020, despite the COVID-19 IMPACT, which heavily weighed on global oil demand. However, Amin H. Nasser, CEO and President of Saudi Aramco, declared dividend of US$75bn for 2020. Saudi Aramco is likely to focus more on improving financial and operational performance as profitability tumbled in 2020.

Smitarani Tripathy, Influencer Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Despite the big slump in profit, the influencers’ sentiment on GlobalData’s Saudi Arabian Oil Company Influencer Platform, showed signs of positive in sentiments on company’s announcement of dividend for 2020. Saudi Aramco still made profit albeit bit lesser while the COVID-19 pandemic roiled global energy market.”

The news about Saudi Aramco’s announcement of net profit and dividend for 2020 received lot of traction from influencers on Twitter. Below are a few most popular tweets captured by GlobalData’s Influencer Platform:

1. Gregg Carlstrom, Middle East Correspondent at The Correspondent:

“Aramco’s net debt-to-equity ratio more than doubled to 55% in 2020 from 26% a year earlier… but despite a sharp decline in profits, it maintained its pledge to declare a $75bn dividend for 2020, most of which goes to the Saudi government.”

https://twitter.com/glcarlstrom/status/1373972695172460544

2. Vandana Hari, Founder of Vanda Insights:

“Saudi Aramco profit slumps 44% after Covid-battered year, but maintains dividend

#Aramco #oil”

Saudi Aramco profit slumps 44% after Covid-battered year, but maintains dividend#Aramco #oil
https://t.co/dD9jILTKJy

— Vandana Hari (@VandanaHari_SG) March 21, 2021

3. Anthony DiPaola, Middle East Correspondent for Bloomberg News:

“World’s biggest #oil company #SaudiAramco sticks to $75 billion dividend pledge even as coronavirus crushed profit; free cash flow won’t cover the payout and $35bln in capex seen below target again this year”

World's biggest #oil company #SaudiAramco sticks to $75 billion dividend pledge even as coronavirus crushed profit; free cash flow won't cover the payout and $35bln in capex seen below target again this year https://t.co/XbAL7oxG6v via @markets by @PaulWallace123 @mideastmatthew

— Anthony DiPaola (@A_DiPaola17) March 21, 2021

4. Guy Burton, Adjunct Professor at Brussels School:

“Saudi Aramco’s 2020 profits plummet on lower crude prices”

https://twitter.com/guyjsburton/status/1373963931983749121