Salik’s H1 profits drop 8.7% as fines, number of trips decline

Salik Company on Wednesday said its first-half 2026 profits fell 8.7 per cent to Dh704 million as the total number of trips declined 9.5 per cent to 383.8 million.

Dubai’s sole toll gate operator said total revenue dropped 7.5 per cent to Dh1.412 billion, while earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) declined 8.4 per cent to Dh975.6 million.

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Mattar Al Tayer, chairman of Salik, said the first-half results reflect the resilience of Salik’s business model and its ability to deliver sustainable results.

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“These results reflect the efficiency of our operations and our ability to achieve balanced financial outcomes that combine strong revenue levels with industry-leading profitability. In addition, the number of active accounts increased to 2.9 million, highlighting the growing confidence in our services and the continued expansion of our customer base,” he said.

Ibrahim Sultan Al Haddad, CEO of Salik, said the second quarter marked the beginning of a recovery in traffic flows, with a gradual rebound during April and May, culminating in June traffic volumes returning to almost normal levels.

“We are building the next phase of Salik’s growth through the expansion of our digital mobility ecosystem… Our near-term focus is on progressing next-generation EV charging through our partnerships with Schneider Electric and Vcharge, alongside seamless fuel and services payments through Enoc,” he added.

Salik data showed that total chargeable trips reached 278.5 million in H1 2026, a 12.5 per cent year-on-year (YoY) decline compared with H1 2025. Chargeable trips during the peak period (Dh6) totalled 102.9 million, while trips during the off-peak period (Dh4) reached 146.2 million.

Revenue from toll usage fees decreased 11.4 per cent to Dh1.2025 billion in H1 2026, including a 16.5 per cent YoY decline in Q2 2026 to Dh577 million, primarily reflecting lower traffic volumes following the exceptional regional events that began in late February 2026.

Revenue from fines increased 7.5 per cent YoY to Dh144.4 million in H1 2026, with Q2 2026 fines revenue rising 14.2 per cent YoY to Dh75.2 million and contributing 11 per cent of total revenue for the quarter.

Tag activation fees increased 8.1 per cent YoY in H1 2026 to Dh24.8 million, supported by a 10.2 per cent increase in Q2 2026 to Dh12.6 million.

Written by

Waheed Abbas

Waheed Abbas is Assistant Editor, covering real estate, aviation and other business stories that directly affect the lives of UAE consumers. He frequently reports human interest stories, too.