# Emaar Founder Alabbar Puts Sales Backlog at $49 Billion With Collections Holding at 98%

> Emaar founder Mohamed Alabbar said the developer's sales backlog reached $49 billion with collections at 98%, as cancellations fell back below 600 units.

- Published: 2026-10-16T03:32:34+00:00
- Section: Earnings & Results
- Author: News Desk
- URL: https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-10-16/emaar-sales-backlog-collections-alabbar
- Source: [TradingView](https://www.tradingview.com/news/reuters.com,2026-10-16:newsml_ZawbzvN2H:0-alabbar-puts-emaar-s-sales-backlog-at-49bln-collections-at-98/)

## Key takeaways

- Emaar's sales backlog stands at 180 billion UAE dirhams ($49 billion), founder Mohamed Alabbar said at the 9th Sharjah Investment Forum.
- Collections held at 98% while cancellations temporarily doubled to around 1,200 before falling back below 600.
- Emaar's Dubai hotels are running at about 60% occupancy, down from 83% before the war, according to Devdiscourse.

[Emaar](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/0005jec/emaar) Properties founder and Managing Director Mohamed Alabbar said the Dubai developer's sales backlog stands at 180 billion UAE dirhams ($49 billion), with collections at 98% despite regional disruptions. Alabbar gave the figures during a fireside chat at the 9th Sharjah Investment Forum, [TradingView](https://www.tradingview.com/news/reuters.com,2026-10-16:newsml_ZawbzvN2H:0-alabbar-puts-emaar-s-sales-backlog-at-49bln-collections-at-98/) reported.

## Alabbar's Backlog and Cancellation Figures

Emaar typically sells around 4,000 residential units a month with approximately 600 cancellations, Alabbar said. Cancellations temporarily doubled to around 1,200 amid regional uncertainty before falling to fewer than 600, while collections stayed at 98% throughout.

"We had to dip down during the war and after the ceasefire we are still collecting exactly like before the war, and that shows the consumer confidence in this country," Alabbar said. On pricing, he said: "I don't give discounts. We give quality."

Alabbar also pointed to spending trends at Noon, the e-commerce marketplace he founded, saying the numbers were healthy and that people showed no hesitation to consume. Hotel occupancy was running at approximately 60%, he added.

[Khaleej Times](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/uae/uae-mohammed-alabbar-emaar-crisis-will-pass) reported on October 14 that Alabbar said the regional conflict will pass and the region will emerge stronger, citing the UAE's resilience through past crises. He noted cancellations fell below 600 units and backlog reached Dh170 billion, though sales volume and hospitality occupancy remain below pre-crisis levels.

## Emaar's Project Pipeline and Ownership

Emaar is a Dubai-based master-planned community developer operating across residential, retail, hospitality and entertainment, according to akta.pro [company records](https://akta.pro/company-data). The same records show a Dh200 billion ($54.46 billion) urban district announced in June 2026, spanning 4.5 million square metres and designed for approximately 150,000 residents across five zones.

In May 2026, Dubai Holding acquired an additional 22.27% equity stake from ICD for approximately Dh23.9 billion ($6.5 billion), raising its total ownership to 29.73%. Emaar's property sales for 2025 reached AED 80.4 billion, up 16% year on year, with total revenue of AED 49.6 billion, up 40%.

## Earlier Signals on Occupancy and Ratings

Devdiscourse reported on September 21 that Emaar's Dubai hotels were at about 60% occupancy, down from 83% pre-war, with the company expecting a return to pre-war levels within 12 months. The Iran war cut international travel to the region by 14% this year, and Emaar expected a 5% fall in Dubai real estate prices.

The future of trading reported on October 15 that S&P reaffirmed Emaar Properties' BBB+ rating with a stable outlook, citing strong liquidity. The developer reported AED 24.4 billion of S&P-adjusted EBITDA in 2025 and a revenue backlog of AED 165 billion as of June 30, 2026.

## What Alabbar Said About AI

Alabbar described artificial intelligence as a competitive necessity, urging business leaders to develop practical familiarity with the technology. "Those who adapt to AI will be faster, smarter and cheaper. Educate yourself, stay with it and try different things," he said.

## Companies in this story

- [Emaar company profile](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/0005jec/emaar) · website: http://www.emaar.com

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