EasyJet's stock soared Monday even as the budget airline just posted a half-year loss of £552 million. Because of the Middle East conflict, predictions indicate jet fuel costs will increase by about 70% compared to last year. Yet a U.S. private equity firm wants to buy the whole company.
Castlelake, a private equity firm that buys companies using money from big investors, has agreed in principle to buy EasyJet for £5.5 billion ($7.3 billion). That works out to $6.90 per share in cash. The offer is the fifth one Castlelake has made - the airline rejected a £4.93 billion bid just last month. Castlelake now has until August 3 to make a firm offer or walk away from the deal.
In a joint statement, EasyJet and Castlelake said the private equity firm "has emphasised its tremendous respect for easyJet and its people" and wants to support the airline's future growth. Castlelake is especially interested in EasyJet's plan to modernize its fleet of planes. The firm called that program "central to the Company's long-term competitiveness, efficiency and sustainability objectives."
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The offer comes at a tough time for the whole airline business. According to a warning issued last month by the International Air Transport Association, global airline profits might shrink by half in 2024 as a result of higher jet fuel prices linked to the conflict in the Middle East.
That's a lot of red ink. But revenues actually grew 12% to reach £4 billion, partly because people are still booking flights despite higher prices.
The airline warned of price rises and slower bookings ahead. Castlelake said it aimed to back "EasyJet's growth and transformation to a stronger, more resilient European airline."
The airline sector is under pressure from multiple directions. EasyJet's half-year loss of £552 million, despite a 12% revenue increase, highlights the razor-thin margins in budget aviation. The airline's fleet modernization plan is aimed at improving fuel efficiency, a critical factor given the rising fuel costs. However, the broader industry outlook remains uncertain, with IATA forecasting a halving of global airline profits in 2024.
Castlelake's pursuit of EasyJet began earlier this year with a lower offer of £4.93 billion, which was quickly dismissed by the airline's board. The improved bid reflects the private equity firm's confidence in EasyJet's turnaround strategy, despite the broader headwinds facing the aviation sector. Analysts have noted that the offer price of $6.90 per share represents a significant premium to EasyJet's trading levels prior to the bid's announcement, contributing to the stock's surge to a new 52-week high.
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