Aviation and Aerospace
M&A Quarterly
Q2 2015
In this edition:
• Aircraft leasing transactions
continue to dominate into Q2
• Airlines moving forward
in experimenting with
alternative fuel
• PE firms active in more than
US$1.3bn worth of M&A activity
in aerospace
A newsletter published by ICF International
in association with Mergermarket
. Aviation & Aerospace M&A Quarterly
Q3 2013
Q2 2015
Contents
3
03
Introduction
05
5
Aerospace Pivots to Commercial and Global Growth
Aircraft
07
7
Airlines Join Forces
09
11
Strategics and Private Equity Vie for Aerospace and Aviation Assets
Aerospace
10
14
Conclusion
Airports
11
17
About ICF Spotlights
Quarterly SH&E
ICF’s aviation of the world’s largest and oldest aviation consultancies,
ICF SH&E, oneconsulting & services practice (previously SH&E) is one
of the doing largest and oldest consultancies dedicated to aviation.
is nowworld’sbusiness as ICF International. ICF’s aviation practice
ICF provides transaction advisory advisory services to clients across
provides strategic and transactionservices and strategic consulting
to clients across the spectrum
the spectrum of air transport. of air transport.
2
Contents
page title
. Aviation and Aerospace M&A Quarterly
Q2 2015
Introduction
ICF International (formerly ICF SH&E) is pleased to present the eighth edition of Aviation and
Aerospace M&A Quarterly published in association with Mergermarket. The publication highlights
activity and trends in aerospace, aircraft, airlines, and airport M&A in Q2 2015.
Top Deals
Merger and acquisitions activity across the aerospace,
aircraft, airlines, and airports sectors remained robust
in the second quarter. A number of significant and,
in some cases, long-awaited deals took place, with
no fewer than 13 transactions involving private
equity firms.
In the airline sector, the big privatization news was
that the Portuguese Government, after years of trying
and a previous unsuccessful attempt, finally agreed
to sell 61% of national carrier TAP Portugal. The Atlantic
Gateway consortium, led by David Neeleman, founder
of Brazilian airline Azul and the America’s JetBlue
Airways, outbid Avianca Holdings owner German
Efromovich, with an agreement to acquire the stake
for around US$390m.
In China, privately-held Hainan Airlines paid
US$3.86bn for a 48.21% stake in sister carrier Tianjin
Airlines, which it funded through a share issue.
Both airlines are subsidiaries of HNA Group.
One notable Q2 deal in the aircraft space saw
American International Group (AIG) sell most of its 46%
stake in the listed Netherlands-based aircraft company
AerCap for nearly US$4bn.
The shares in AerCap were
acquired as part of a 2014 transaction in which AIG sold
its lessor ILFC to AerCap. In other developments, Russia’s
United Aircraft Corporation signed a deal with China
to create a leasing company that will promote the sale
of Sukhoi Superjet 100 passenger planes in China and
Southeast Asia.
On the aerospace side, US-based aircraft components
provider TransDigm Group signed a definitive agreement
to acquire the aerospace business of Pexco from Odyssey
Investment Partners for US$496m in cash. TransDigm
was attracted by Pexco’s commercial aftermarket
activities, where it sees revenue contributions growing
from 35% to 60% over the next five years.
Meanwhile, Sabre Corporation hit the headlines
for the second quarter running – this time for
an acquisition, following its Q1 sale of Travelocity
to Expedia.
Sabre agreed to acquire the rest of AsiaPacific global distribution system (GDS) Abacus
International for US$411m. The company previously
held a 35% stake in Abacus.
In the airports space, divestitures played a large role
in the second quarter. Abertis, a Spanish construction
company, exited the airports sector altogether after
selling its stakes in Montego Bay Airport (Jamaica) and
Santiago Airport (Chile), while AirMedia of China sold a
75% interest in its airport advertising unit for US$342m.
Q1 2015 Aviation, Aerospace, and Airports
M&A Activity
Q2 2015 Aviation, Aerospace, and Airports
M&A Activity
Volume
22
33
4
Aviation
Aerospace
Airports
3
Introduction
Value US$m
758
5,055
1,097
Volume
41
40
11
Value US$m
14,307
4,401
1,111
.
Aviation and Aerospace M&A Quarterly
Q2 2015
Elsewhere, the Far East Region Development Fund
and Asian partners agreed to build to build a new
terminal at Russia’s Khabarovsk Airport.
With the exception of the Russia-China leasing
partnership outlined in Top Deals, the majority of
inter-continental deals were between North America
and Europe, and North America and the Asia-Pacific,
excluding China.
Regional Trends
In terms of volume, North American firms were the most
active buyers in Q2 with 21 deals, while European firms
were the most active sellers with 28 deals.
By deal value, however, China dominated both the
buyer and seller markets, participating in transactions
worth more than US$8bn and US$5bn, respectively.
China and North America were the only regions to see
a positive inflow of purchases, while Europe saw the
largest outflow at more than US$700m.
4
Introduction
Private Equity Trends
Q2 saw significant interest from private equity firms
across several sectors, a trend that has been growing
over recent quarters. Private equity firms were involved
in 13 transactions during the quarter.
North American private equity firms led in their
acquisitions through their involvement in over US$1bn
worth of deals with both North American and European
businesses. European private equity firms came second,
but only accounted for a quarter of the value of the
private equity deals carried out by North American firms.
“Q2 saw huge interest from private
equity firms across all sectors,
a trend that has been growing
over recent quarters.”
. Aviation and Aerospace M&A Quarterly
Q2 2015
Aircraft
No Let-up in Leasing Activity
Aircraft leasing transactions have dominated this section of our newsletter for the last several
quarters, and Q2 is no exception.
When Netherlands-based leasing company AerCap
acquired Los Angeles-based lessor ILFC from the US
insurance company American International Group (AIG)
in May 2014, AIG in turn acquired a 46% stake in AerCap.
In a larger than planned second quarter public offering,
AIG raised approximately US$3.7bn through the sale
of 71.2 million shares, reducing its stake in AerCap
to approximately 5%.
The deal follows on from a flurry of multi-billion
dollar transactions between aircraft leasing companies
in previous quarters, reflecting the continuing strength
of this sector of the market.
Leasing activity also spread to China in the second
quarter when the country signed a deal with Russia’s
United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) to form a leasing
company based in Xixian, with the specific purpose
of marketing the Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft in Asia.
SSJ100 sales outside Russia have been
disappointing and this is very much a strategic
move aimed at boosting foreign sales of the aircraft.
The leasing company has agreed to purchase up
to 100 Superjets over the next three years, valued
at US$3bn, to place with operators throughout
China and Southeast Asia. This represents more
than double the number of SSJ100s currently
in service globally.
Japan was also active on the aircraft leasing front,
with Japanese Operating Lease with Call Option
(JOLCO) specialist Financial Products Group (FPG)
taking an additional 50% stake in Ireland-based
aircraft asset manager Amentum Capital, for a total
shareholding of 75%.
JOL and JOLCO financing has been growing
in popularity in recent years, as airlines look to finance
their assets with a more diverse set of options. Since
2014, Amentum has closed several JOL transactions
with FPG, and the Japanese company says its expanded
partnership with the Dublin-based lessor will result
in a significant upscaling of JOL arranging activities.
5
Aircraft
“Leasing activity also spread
to China in the second quarter
when the country signed a deal with
Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation
(UAC) to form a leasing company
based in Xixian.”
Key Takeaways
• Aircraft leasing continued to be big business
in Q2 with AIG raising US$3.7bn from its sale of
approximately 40% of Netherlands-based AerCap,
and Japan’s Financial Products Group taking an
additional 50% stake in Ireland’s Amentum Capital
• China and Russia agreed to establish a leasing
venture aimed at boosting Sukhoi Superjet 100
placements in Asia
. Aviation and Aerospace M&A Quarterly
Q2 2015
Q2 2015 Highlighted Aircraft Transactions
Announced
Date
Target Company
Bidder Company
6/3/2015
AerCap Holdings
American International Group
5/9/2015
new leasing company
Russian-Chinese Investment Fund, United
Aircraft Corporation, the Xi’an New Area
Administrative Committee, and New
Century International Leasing
5/28/2015
CTC Aviation Group
L-3 Communications
4/7/2015
Solar Ship
KuangChi Science
4/23/2015
AirIT
Amadeus
N/A
5/13/2015
Amentum Capital
Financial Products Group (FPG)
N/A
* JV valued by assets to be leased and not actual deal value
6
Aircraft
Deal Value
US$(m)
3,700
3,000*
220
14
. Aviation and Aerospace M&A Quarterly
Q2 2015
Airlines
Azul Sees Blue Skies Ahead
Brazilian carrier Azul was at the center of two significant airline M&A transactions in the
second quarter.
The airline’s founder, David Neeleman – who also
founded New York-based JetBlue Airways – led a
consortium which won the race to assume control of
loss-making Portuguese flag carrier TAP Portugal. The
Atlantic Gateway consortium – which also includes the
owner of Portuguese bus company Barraqueiro Group,
Humberto Pedrosa – outbid Avianca Holdings owner
German Efromovich, to acquire a 61% stake in TAP from
Portugal’s government for US$390m. The long-awaited
privatization of TAP will see the carrier strengthening its
Lisbon hub and increasing connectivity between Europe
and Brazil. The new majority owners plan to launch eight
to 10 new routes to Brazil, along with 10 US routes.
Earlier in the quarter, Spain’s Globalia pulled out
of the TAP privatization race, citing high levels of debt
at the Portuguese carrier.
In addition to making an investment in Q2, Azul
also attracted United Airlines as an investor.
The US
carrier acquired a 5% stake in Azul for US$100m as part
of a long-term strategic partnership. The two airlines
plan to codeshare on flights between North and South
America, and expand their joint loyalty program.
Until recently, Azul was the only Brazilian carrier
without affiliation with either a global alliance or a US
airline partnership. The deal also plugs a gap for United,
which opened when TAM left the Star alliance for
oneworld in 2014.
“In addition to making
an investment in Q2, Azul
also attracted United Airlines
as an investor.
The US carrier
acquired a 5% stake in Azul for
US$100m as part of a long-term
strategic partnership.”
7
Airlines
United Makes Alternative Fuel Investment
Airlines have been talking about, and experimenting
with, alternative fuels for several years, but the
issue has always been how to scale up volumes
to commercially viable levels and bring down the
cost. United Airlines put its money where its mouth
is in Q2 when it made a US$30m equity investment
in Fulcrum BioEnergy.
Fulcrum converts municipal waste into renewable
jet fuel, which it says will provide a greater than
80% reduction in lifecycle carbon dioxide emissions
when compared to kerosene. In addition to the
equity investment, United has agreed with Fulcrum
to jointly establish five projects close to the carrier’s
hubs to produce up to 180 million gallons of fuel per
year.
United has also agreed to purchase at least 90
million gallons of the fuel annually for a minimum
of 10 years, at a price that is competitive with
traditional jet fuel.
On announcing the initiative, United executive
vice president and general counsel, Brett Hart, said that
in addition to being better for the environment, the
investment is “a smart move for our company as biofuels
have the potential to hedge against future oil price
volatility and carbon regulations.”
United is not the first carrier to enter into
an agreement with an alternative fuels producer, but
it is the first US carrier to make an equity investment
in one. On the other side of the Atlantic, British Airways
previously made a long-term commitment to buy fuel
converted from household waste by Solena Fuels.
The producer plans to open its first jet fuel facility
to the east of London in 2017, the same year that
Fulcrum expects its first plant to become operational.
Air Ambulance Deals Continue Momentum
Following on from two significant transactions in the
air ambulance space in Q1, California-based REACH Air
Medical Services announced its intention in the second
. Aviation & Aerospace M&A Quarterly
Q2 2015
quarter to acquire Summit Air Ambulance from private
equity group Texas Next Capital for an undisclosed sum.
REACH says the deal will enable it to expand its
operations into Colorado, Nevada and Montana. Summit
operates a fleet of eight Agusta helicopters and Pilatus
PC-12 single-engined turboprops from six bases
in Nevada and Montana and a single base in Colorado.
The transaction follows the US$2bn acquisition
in Q1 of Texas-headquartered air ambulance service
provider Air Medical by investment firm KKR from
affiliates of Bain Capital and Brockway Moran & Partners.
China Takes to the Seas With Harbour Air
China’s Zongshen Group acquired a 49% stake
in Canadian seaplane operator Harbour Air for almost
US$40m, with an agreement to buy the remaining
stake within five years. Zongshen plans to export
the seaplane commuter business to major cities
throughout China.
China recently opened the door to low-altitude
commercial flights, making seaplane travel a viable
option for many coastal cities. Harbour Air describes
itself as the world’s largest seaplane airline, operating
60,000 flights a year.
The company says that 75%
of voting shares will remain in Canadian hands.
L-3 Boosts Pilot-Training Presence
L-3 Communications solidified its position in the
increasingly competitive aircraft simulator and
pilot training market in Q2 with its acquisition
of UK-based training company CTC Aviation Group
for £143m (US$220m).
The company will be known as L-3 CTC following
the acquisition. The addition of CTC expands L-3’s
Commercial Aviation Training business, which also
includes flight-training and simulation arm L-3 Link UK.
L-3 Link UK and L-3 CTC will retain their individual brands.
Key Takeaways
• The Portuguese Government finally sold off 61%
of flag carrier TAP Portugal for US$390m
• United Airlines acquired a 5% stake in Brazil’s Azul for
US$100m, and also made a US$30m equity investment
in alternative fuels company Fulcrum BioEnergy
• China’s Zongshen Group acquired 49% of Canadian
seaplane operator Harbour Air for US$40m
8
Airlines
L-3 describes CTC as a high-margin business with
expected sales for the years ending December 31,
2015 and 2016 of US$86m and US$95m, respectively.
The flight training and simulator market has become
increasingly crowded over the last several years.
A number of providers are vying for their share of
a market seen as having significant growth potential
as airlines around the world seek to train enough
pilots to operate their rapidly-expanding growing
aircraft fleets.
Travel Technology Deals Keep Momentum
Travel technology provider Sabre Corporation remained
in the headlines in Q2, but this time as a buyer rather
than a seller. In the previous quarter, Sabre sold its
Travelocity division to online travel agency giant
Expedia for US$280m in cash, and its Lastminute.com
unit to Bravofly Rumbo Group for US$120m.
But the US$400m raised through these transactions
did not stay in Sabre’s pockets for long.
In May the firm
announced that it had entered an agreement to acquire
the rest of Asia-Pacific global distribution system Abacus
International for US$411m.
Airlines and Private Equity
Alvest was not the only airport ground support business
divested by LBO France in Q2. The private equity firm
also sold air cargo and ground handling company
Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) to Platinum Equity for
US$335m. LBO France had acquired WFS in 2006 from
French construction group Vinci.
WFS has a presence
at over 140 airports and serves 300 airlines globally.
• L-3 acquired pilot training firm CTC Aviation
for US$220m
• Sabre Corporation kept momentum going in the
travel technology arena with its US$411m purchase
of the remainder of Abacus International
. Aviation and Aerospace M&A Quarterly
Q2 2015
Q2 2015 Highlighted Airlines Transactions
Announced
Date
Target Company
Bidder Company
4/13/2015
Tianjin Airlines
Hainan Airlines
6/19/2015
Xiamen Airlines
Xiamen C&D Corporation
359
4/27/2015
Worldwide Flight Services
Platinum Equity
335
4/22/2015
Skymark
Integral Corp+ ANA Holdings
151
6/26/2015
Azul Brazilian Airlines
United
100
6/9/2015
Aer Lingus
IAG
76
4/13/2015
Harbour Air
Zongshen Group
40
6/30/2015
Fulcrum BioEnergy, Inc
United
30
4/20/2015
Zest Airways
AirAsia Philippines
16
6/24/2015
Panima
Servair
14
6/22/2015
Blue Dart Aviation
Blue Dart Express
8
4/17/2015
Proffice aviation division
OSM Group
6
9
Airlines
Deal Value
US$(m)
3,860
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. Aviation and Aerospace M&A Quarterly
Q2 2015
Aerospace
Engine Alliances
The second quarter saw the signing of two joint venture agreements between aircraft engine
original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and specialist suppliers, to develop next-generation
engine technology.
Rolls-Royce joined forces with Germany’s LiebherrAerospace to develop the power gearbox for the
UK-based manufacturer’s proposed UltraFan engine.
The high-bypass turbofan is being developed to power
aircraft of the future. Under the 50/50 joint venture,
the components will initially be produced in Germany
at Liebherr-Aerospace’s Friedrichshafen and Biberach
an der Riss facilities.
Meanwhile, GE Aviation and aerospace control
system solutions provider Woodward Inc announced
a 50/50 joint venture to develop fuel systems for
the former’s large commercial aircraft engine lines.
Woodward will be the preferred supplier to the joint
venture, which will design, develop, source, supply
and service the fuel system for the GE90, GEnx, GE9X
engines, as well as for all future large commercial
engines developed by GE Aviation.
Under the terms of the agreement, which is expected
to close at the end of the year, Woodward will receive
US$250m in cash. GE Aviation says the joint venture is
in line with its strategy to ensure a stable supply chain
as production volume continues to increase. GE’s large
commercial engine production rates have more than
doubled in the last five years.
TransDigm Spending Spree Continues
Hot on the heels of its Q1 purchase of Telair Cargo
Group from aerospace and defense company AAR for
US$725m, TransDigm Group agreed to acquire Pexco
Aerospace from private equity firm Odyssey Investment
Partners for US$496m in Q2.
TransDigm produces highly-engineered components
for use on commercial and military aircraft, while Pexco
manufactures extruded plastic interior parts for the
aerospace industry.
TransDigm has a firm eye on Pexco’s
growing aftermarket business, which today represents
35% of its revenue. “We expect that percentage to
grow to close to 60% over the next five years as the
11
Aerospace
Boeing 787 and Boeing Sky Interior of [the] 737 become
and increasing share of the installed fleet,” TransDigm
chairman and chief executive W. Nicholas Howley said
on announcing the acquisition in April.
This acquisition is the latest in a string of transactions
which have seen TransDigm investing around US$1.3bn
since the beginning of 2015.
The company made
another acquisition on the last day of Q1, in the form
of Germany’s Franke Aquarotter, which it bought for
US$75m in cash. The German firm, which will now be
called Adams Rite Aerospace, manufactures proprietary
faucets and related products for commercial aircraft
such as the Airbus A320, A330 and A380. Like Pexco,
it too has a growing aftermarket business.
Private Equity Has Active Quarter
Private equity firms were involved in more than
US$1.3bn worth of M&A activity in the aerospace sector
in the second quarter.
This included the US$496m
TransDigm-Pexco deal outlined above, which saw
private equity firm Odyssey Investment Partners
offloading the aerospace plastics company less than
three years after acquiring it.
The second quarter also saw LBO France agree to sell
airport ground support equipment company Alvest
to fellow French private equity firm Sagard for US$300m.
As the new owner, Sagard aims to expand Alvest’s
presence in emerging markets, increase penetration
of the military equipment segment and invest heavily
in research and development.
Another private equity acquisition in the aerospace
sector saw Veritas Capital purchase US-based
aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul provider
StandardAero from Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE)
for an undisclosed amount.
The sale leaves DAE without any overseas
subsidiaries. The company says it will now focus
on its home market, with plans to “aggressively”
. Aviation & Aerospace M&A Quarterly
Q2 2015
expand its aircraft leasing unit, DAE Capital. DAE added
StandardAero to its portfolio in 2007.
Meanwhile, in a private equity exit in Q2,
Greenbriar Equity sold Align Aerospace to China’s
AVIC International. California-based Align distributes
fasteners to aerospace original equipment
manufacturers. AVIC chairman Wu Guangquan says
the company plans to “grow Align’s relevance with
its current customers in parallel with expanding the
business globally, especially in the China market.”
Another private equity deal saw AE Industrial
Partners (AEI) acquire Kellstrom Commercial Aerospace
from Inverness Management for an undisclosed sum.
Kellstrom provides aftermarket parts, repairs, logistics
and supply chain management solutions to the
aerospace industry.
On announcing the deal, Kellstrom chief operating
officer Oscar E.
Torres described the acquisition as
“particularly timely”, with strong demand expected
in the aerospace aftermarket and MRO segment, “driven
by increased consumption of aftermarket parts and the
growing installed base of aircraft.”
Key Takeaways
• Rolls-Royce and GE Aviation both entered into joint
venture deals to support development of future
engines, the former with Liebherr-Aerospace and the
latter with Woodward Inc
• TransDigm Group agreed to acquire Pexco Aerospace
from private equity firm Odyssey Investment Partners
for US$496m
12
Aerospace
KuangChi Science Puts Faith in the Sun
Hong Kong-based Kuangchi Science Limited made good
on its Q4 promise to invest in Canadian hybrid cargo
aircraft manufacturer Solar Ship. The Chinese company
signed a letter of intent in the fourth quarter to acquire
up to 54.42% of Solar Ship. In Q2, KuangChi agreed to
purchase a 32.58% shareholding in the Toronto-based
firm for C$17m (US$14m), with an option to increase
this to 54.42% in October 2016 for an additional C$25m.
Solar Ship is developing an aircraft that flies using
solar electric power, aerodynamic lift and buoyant gas,
which KuangChi is keen to market in mainland China
and Hong Kong.
• Private equity firms were involved in more than
US$1.3bn worth of aerospace M&A transactions
in Q2
• Greenbriar Equity sold Align Aerospace to China’s
AVIC International
.
Aviation and Aerospace M&A Quarterly
Q2 2015
Q2 2015 Highlighted Aerospace Transactions
Announced
Date
Target Company
Bidder Company
5/1/2015
Pexco
TransDigm
496
6/1/2015
Zodiac Aerospace
Fonds Strategique de Participations (FSP)
382
4/21/2015
Alvest
Sagard
300
GE Aviation, Woodward*
250
5/20/2015
Deal Value
US$(m)
5/28/2015
Shimtech Industries
Inflexion, Auction Industries
217
5/24/2015
Zhihui Haipai, Jiangsu Jiecheng
Aerospace Communications Holdings
202
5/8/2015
Global Tubes
AMETEK
200
6/18/2015
Elbe Flugzeugwerke
ST Aerospace
111
5/8/2015
TRaC Global
Element Materials Technology
70
5/11/2015
Xi'an Jiaye Aviation Technology
Anhui Shenjian New Materials
69
5/12/2015
Chengdu Dekun Aviation Equipment
Chengdu Leejun Industrial
60
6/8/2015
Cognex (Surface Inspection
Systems Division)
AMETEK
60
4/14/2015
Hunter Technology
Sparton
55
4/1/2015
Hartzell Aerospace
ITT Corp
53
5/15/2015
Euravia Engineering & Supply
Magellan Aerospace
47
6/19/2015
Rafaut
ACE Management
34
Hindustan Aeronautics, Turbomeca*
31
6/17/2015
4/10/2015
2d3
Boeing
25
4/8/2015
Aero-com IT
China TransInfo Technology
14
6/9/2015
Tecnickrome Aeronautique
Sumitomo Precision Products
12
6/19/2015
Spherea
Puissance Plus
12
5/15/2015
Cauquil
Simair
10
4/1/2015
Align Aerospace
AVIC International
N/A
4/6/2015
PHS/MWA Aviation Services
Wencor Group
N/A
4/13/2015
Kellstrom
AE Industrial Partners, LLC
N/A
Rolls-Royce, Leibherr-Aerospace*
N/A
6/10/2015
* Joint venture
13
Aerospace
. Aviation and Aerospace M&A Quarterly
Q2 2015
Airports
Airport Deal Momentum
Spanish construction group Abertis exited the airport sector in the second quarter after divesting
its two remaining interests in the industry, while a sale was also apparent in China’s airport
advertising space.
Abertis Exits the Airport Business
Spanish construction group Abertis exited the airport
sector in the second quarter with the sale of its interests
in Jamaica’s Montego Bay Airport and Santiago Airport
in Chile. Abertis reached an agreement in April with
Mexico’s Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico (GAP)
to sell its entire stake in Desarrollo de Concesiones
Aeroportuarios (DCA) for a total of €177m (US$192m).
DCA owns a 74.5% stake in Montego Bay
concessionary MBJ and a 14.77% stake in SCL, which
currently operates Santiago Airport. Santiago was the
subject of Q1’s biggest airport deal, when the Nuevo
Pudahuel consortium won a 20-year concession to
operate and develop the airport from October 2015.
With the disposal of these stakes, Abertis will no
longer hold any airport assets in its portfolio. Its exit
from the airport business began in 2013 with the sale
of Cardiff and Belfast airports in the UK, and Stockholm
Skavsta in Sweden, as well as well as an airport terminal
concession at Orlando Sanford Airport in the USA and
a stake in Luton Airport in the UK.
In December 2014,
Abertis disposed of its stake in GAP – the company
to which it has now sold its DCA stake.
Closure also came to an Asia-Pacific airport deal
covered in the Q1 edition of this report. In the second
quarter, Malaysia Airports completed the sale of its 10%
stake in Delhi International Airport to Indian operator
GMR Airports for just shy of US$80m. GMR’s shareholding
in Delhi Airport stands at 64%, following this transaction.
China Sells Stake in Airport Advertising Group
China’s AirMedia Group sold 75% of its airport
advertizing unit, AM Advertising, to Chinese private
equity firm Longde Wenchuang Fund for US$342m.
AM Advertising provides billboard and digital television
advertising inside and outside airports across China.
AirMedia Group divested the unit in line with its
strategy to focus on building up its in-flight Wi-Fi
14
Airports
“Another deal on the airport
advertising side saw Thailand’s
VGI Global Media agree to a acquire
a 30% stake in LED advance,
which manages various airport
advertising platforms.”
business.
The company has obtained concession rights
to install and operate Wi-Fi systems on aircraft operated
by Hainan Airlines Group.
Another deal on the airport advertising side saw
Thailand’s VGI Global Media agree to acquire up to
a 30% stake in LED Advance, which manages various
airport advertising platforms. These include 32 LED
screens at 13 airports throughout Thailand.
VGI says it will inject the necessary financial
resources to raise LED Advance’s capital to finance
a plan to expand its out-of-home media solution
network, particularly in the aviation sector.
New Airport Developments for Russia
Far East Region Development Fund, through a joint
venture with Asian partners, agreed in the second
quarter to build a new passenger terminal at
Khabarovsk Airport in eastern Russia. The development
program aims to more than double the airport’s
capacity to 4.7 million passengers a year from the
current two million.
The project was initiated by South Korea’s Incheon
International Airport Corporation, Daewoo Engineering
and Assmann Beraten + Plannen.
The Fund describes
Khabarovsk as “the administrative capital of the Far East”
and says it “vitally requires a world-standard, modern
airport.” It will enter into the project – the value of which
has not been disclosed – under the terms of guaranteed
. Aviation & Aerospace M&A Quarterly
Q2 2015
repayment, with its required rate of return set “below
the current market level.”
Elsewhere in Russia, Turkey’s Limak Construction
and local partner Marashtroy won a US238m contract
to build a new airport at Rostov, in preparation for the
2018 FIFA World Cup. The new airport will initially have
capacity for five million passengers a year, with the
potential to expand to eight million in the future.
The airport’s design by UK-based Twelve Architects
was approved in late 2014. The project is being funded
by Airports of Regions, part of Russia’s Renova Group.
On the Horizon
While the 2nd quarter have been relatively quiet
in terms of airport transactions closing there has been
quite a lot of momentum toward new deals that will
occur in the next 12 months:
• Brazil announced the selection of 4 new airports to be
concessioned and has opened the process to prepare
for tenders
• In the Kansai airport privatization, the Japanese
government has selected the– Orix/Vinci consortium
to progress to the second round and try to negotiate
a deal
• The Limak consortium who won the new Istanbul
airport project has announced selection of Incheon/
Copenhagen Airports to be its operator for the
new airport
• The Philippines government has a shortlist to bid on the
privatization of 5 regional airports – in two bid packages
• Denver International Airport has shortlisted 4 bidding
group for the redevelopment and operation of the
“Great Hall” project
• With the help of the ICF, St Lucia has relaunched the
tender for Hewanorra International Airport
Key Takeaways
• China’s AirMedia Group stepped away from the
airport advertising business to focus on its in-flight
Wi-Fi activities
• Russia had an active quarter with an agreement for
a new passenger terminal at Khabarovsk, and the
15
Airports
awarding of a US$238m contract to Turkey’s Limak
Construction for a new airport at Rostov
• Spain’s Abertis ended its involvement in airports
with the sale of its interests in Jamaica and Chile
to Mexico’s GAP for US$192m
. Aviation and Aerospace M&A Quarterly
Q2 2015
Q2 2015 Highlighted Airports Transactions
Announced
Date
Bidder Company
6/15/2015
AirMedia Group (Advertising group)
Longde Wenchuang Fund
342
6/21/2015
*
Target Company
Rostov Airport
Limak, Marashstroy
238
4/17/2015
Montego Bay and Santiago
de Chile airports
Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico (GAP)
191
5/25/2015
Delhi International Airport
GMR Airports
80
6/21/2015
Era Group
Krasnoyarsk GES
74
4/24/2015
Lubeck Airport
China PR Group
28
4/8/2015
AirMedia Group (Advertising group)
Shenzhen Liantronics
24
5/11/2015
LED Advance
VGI Global Media
4/3/2015
TWC Aviation
Landmark Aviation
N/A
4/1/2015
Khabarovsk Airport
Far East Region Development Fund
/ Asian partners
N/A
4/8/2015
Era FBO
Landmark Aviation
N/A
4/29/2015
Gestair FBO
Sky Valet
N/A
* Completed with the support of ICF International
16
Airports
Deal Value
US$(m)
5
. Aviation & Aerospace M&A Quarterly
Q2 2015
Quarterly Spotlights
How Changes in Global Capitalism Are Shaping Business Aircraft Demand
– Kevin Michaels
It is conventional wisdom that
corporate profits are a leading indicator
of business aircraft demand. So here’s
a conundrum: corporate profits have
more than doubled since the depths
of the Great Recession in 2008, yet
light and medium business jet sales are less than half
of pre-recession levels. During the same timeframe,
large business jet sales powered ahead and are 25%
greater than pre-recession levels. Why the bifurcation?
One answer to this conundrum may lie in the recent
research by French Economist Thomas Piketty.
In his
controversial best seller, Capital in the Twenty-first
Century, he argues that the rate of return on capital
is persistently greater than the rate of economic growth
(R>G). Given the fact that the super-wealthy earn the
majority of their income from capital and the nonwealthy earn most of their income from wages, which
is generally linked to economic growth, wealth
inequality has grown, and will increase in the future.
Wealth inequality is observed in every geographic
region, and has become the major political issue
of the 2010s in Europe and North America. In their
recent World Wealth Report, Capgemini and RBC Wealth
Management concluded that the investable wealth
of High Net Wealth Individuals (HNWIs) grew by nearly
14% in 2013 to reach a staggering $56.6 trillion.
Since
2008, the number of HNWIs has increased 60% globally.
The majority of large business jet sales are to high
net wealth individuals (HNWI), either through direct
sales, or indirectly through fleet operators or shell
corporations. While corporate flight departments and
governments also buy large cabin aircraft, my sense
is that HNWIs underpin 60% or more of sales for this
aircraft class. Industry guru Richard Aboulafia notes that
the “upper half” of business jet sales – which includes
Global 5000, Falcon 2000, G450 and larger aircraft –
reached $15.7 Billion in 2014, up 25% from 2008.
Large
business jet sales powered through the Great Recession
with barely a hiccup, and today comprise three-quarters
of all business aircraft sales. While the introduction
of sexy new models like the G650 and Falcon 7X
17
Quarterly Spotlights
undoubtedly stimulated demand, it’s clear that the
rise of the key customer group - HNWIs - underpinned
steady market growth.
What a contrast with smaller business jets. During the
same timeframe, sales of the “Lower Half” fell from $12.15
Billion to $5.5 Billion.
Customers for these aircraft include
corporate flight departments, owner-operators, and fleet
operators. Business jets are viewed as productivity tools,
rather than status symbols. They are often part of a firm’s
capital expenditure (CAPEX) budget, and must compete
for investment dollars versus other potential investments
like new plants and machinery.
Despite the fact that corporate profits have doubled
since the abyss of 2008 and are 33% higher than prerecession levels, capital expenditure budgets are stuck
in the mud.
There are many potential explanations
for this, including weakness in Europe, the exit of
Hawker Beechcraft, and comparisons to a bubble
year (2008), but I believe a critical and overlooked
factor is that corporate profits are used increasingly
for stock buybacks and dividends rather than capital
expenditures. In a recent Harvard Business Review
article, Will Lazanick demonstrated that over the last
decade, a staggering 54% of profits for the publiclytraded S&P500 firms were used to buy back their own
stock, and dividends absorbed another 37% of their
Value of Global Business Jet Sales and Number
of HNWIs
180
Index (2008 -100)
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
2008
Global HNWIs
2009
2010
2011
2012
Bizjet Sales “Upper Half”
Source: TealGroup, Capgemini & RBCWealth Management
Aircraft index based on value of business jet sales
2013
2014
Bizjet Sales “Lower Half”
. Aviation & Aerospace M&A Quarterly
Q2 2015
“Drill, baby, drill!” At a time when U.S.
gasoline prices topped $4 per gallon
and the American electorate was facing
the biggest financial crisis since the
Great Depression, that spirited slogan
chanted during the 2008 Republican
National Convention was aimed at creating a wedge
issue during the Presidential campaign; more domestic
drilling and less regulation would reduce dependence
on foreign oil and boost the economy.
Fast forward seven short years, and the changes
in U.S. energy production have been nothing short
of revolutionary. As the Energy Information
Administration (EIA) recently noted, U.S. oil production
increased at its fastest pace in more than 100 years
in 2014, and is pumping more than 9 million barrels
per day.
The U.S recently surpassed Russia as the world’s
largest natural gas producer, accounting for roughly
one-fifth of global production in 2014.
So what caused this American energy revolution?
The magic elixir was twofold: first and most importantly,
the development of breakthrough technologies such
as horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing (aka
fracking); second, good old American entrepreneurship,
risk-taking, and private sector capital deployment.
While I’m sure the Obama administration would like
18
Quarterly Spotlights
Global Airline Profitability
30
$25B
20
$ Billions
Globalization 2.0: Is cheap energy the new
cheap labor? – Jonathan Berger
to take credit, all they had to do was get out of the way
– and they were more than happy to oblige.
The global financial and geopolitical ramifications
of America’s energy revolution cannot be overstated.
In fact, one can argue that we are now entering
an entirely new economic cycle. Whereas Globalization
1.0 can be characterized as labor cost arbitrage that
induced many industries to shift both manufacturing
and aftermarket services to low-cost labor regions,
Globalization 2.0 could bring tectonic shifts in where
companies choose to locate. This time, however, energy
cost arbitrage will be the primary driver.
While the U.S.
isn’t immune to an oil shock courtesy of continued
unrest in the Middle East, the U.S. is far better prepared
for the effects of a disruption than at any other time
in the past few decades.
What are the consequences of this new economical
world order? For starters, we already see energyintensive businesses such as aviation, petro-chemical,
aluminum, and steel are reaping the benefits. The fuel
bill for an airline is typically in the range of 30%-40%
of total costs.
Not surprisingly, with jet fuel prices down
10
0
-10
-20
-30
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014F 2015F
Source: IATA Central Forecast Dec 2014
North American Airline Profitability
15
$13.2B
10
$ Billions
earnings. In other words, just 9% of corporate earnings
was available for CAPEX or employee wage increases.
Going back to Thomas Piketty, and his equation R>G.
It’s clear that in 2015, the lion’s share of corporate profits
are going to major shareholders and HNWIs – the very
customers for large cabin aircraft. And escalating returns
on capital (R) is underpinning much of the demand
for this buying group.
Meanwhile, demand for smaller
aircraft is correlated with CAPEX, which is receiving
a diminishing portion of economic growth, or “G,”
at a time when economic growth has stagnated.
If this hypothesis is correct, it means that the
dramatic shift to large business jets (and corresponding
demise in smaller jets) is structural in nature and not
likely to change in the near future. And the chief culprit
for this phenomenon is the changing nature of global
capitalism itself. Call it “Piketty’s Revenge.”
5
0
-5
-10
-15
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014F 2015F
Source: IATA Central Forecast Dec 2014
.
Aviation & Aerospace M&A Quarterly
Q2 2015
over 40% in 2015, North American airlines are reporting
record quarterly earnings.
And it’s not only aircraft operators that are
experiencing record profits. Thanks to low-interest
rates and the staggering demand growth for air travel
in the emerging markets, aircraft OEM order books
are at all-time highs. This bodes well not only for the
large airframe manufacturers, but also for the plethora
of tier 1 and 2 aerostructure, engine, systems, and
component suppliers.
As for geopolitics, those nations whose economies
are dependent on high energy prices will suffer most.
Should oil and gas prices remain depressed, expect
to see further strife in countries such as Russia and
Venezuela. On a positive note, cheap energy has
provided the U.S.
with the additional leverage required
to forge a framework agreement to limit potential
nuclear capabilities in Iran and has laid the groundwork
for improved relations with Cuba now that Venezuela
can no longer afford to subsidize the Castro regime.
outsourced to the lowest cost provider. As Globalization
1.0 played out over the past two decades, specific
aviation and aerospace industry clusters developed.
For example, India specialized in software testing and
development, Russia in design engineering, Mexico
in manufacturing, and China created its own aircraft
OEM (COMAC) to compete with the mighty Boeing and
Airbus duopoly.
For the last 15 years, my consulting firm, ICF
International, has been closely monitoring aerospace
industry investments. Clearly, if one follows the
money trail, Globalization 1.0 was a boon for emerging
market economies.
Globalization 1.0
For the past two decades, the driving force behind
globalization was the gap in the price of labor between
the developed world and the emerging markets.
Further enabling this labor cost arbitrage were several
significant events: the end of the Cold War, emergence
of the internet, proliferation of free trade agreements
such as NAFTA, advanced global communication
systems, and China’s economic boom.
The outcome of Globalization 1.0 was the strategic
dismantling of traditional supply chain structures for
many large corporations.
Labor intensive jobs were
Globalization 2.0
However, over time, emerging markets, well…emerge.
The comparative labor advantage leveraged so
effectively by the “BRIC” nations (i.e. Brazil, Russia, India,
and China) has been slowly eroding. Between 2006
and 2011, Asian wages rose 5.7% per year, compared
with 0.4% in the developed economies.
Moreover,
commercial aircraft maintenance labor rates in the
U.S. and Asia continue to converge. Compounding
this impact, productivity continues to grow rapidly
in the developed world as companies deploy new
technologies in automation, robotics, and additive
manufacturing.
This loss of competitive advantage has
significantly changed the calculus for how and where
capital is being deployed. In fact, the U.S. now enjoys
a significant energy cost advantage over its two historic
manufacturing competitors – Germany and Japan.
Historically, U.S.
natural gas prices have tended to
be lower than Germany’s and Japan’s, but the differential
Major Aerospace Manufacturing Investments*
2000 – 2003
Major Aerospace Engineering Investments*
2004 - 2007
EU Total: 6
12
8
EU Total: 10
10
6
8
6
4
4
2
2
0
Mexico
USA
China
Brazil
Japan
Russia
South
Africa
Belgium
0
Russia
Source: IATA Central Forecast Dec 2014
BRIC = Brazil, Russia, India, China
* Includes joint ventures and organic investments for over 180 OEMs and service providers; excludes acquisitions
19
Quarterly Spotlights
India
USA
China
Brazil
Germany Mexico Singapore
. Aviation & Aerospace M&A Quarterly
Q2 2015
has exploded in favor of the U.S. over the past few years
– over 40% less than Germany and one-fourth of Japan’s.
Not surprisingly, investments for energyintensive products have begun to migrate to the U.S.
For example, BASF, the German chemicals company,
is said to be allocating a quarter of its $25 billion dollar
investment budget over five years to the U.S. and
has announced plans to build a $1.68 billion dollar
propylene site on the Gulf Coast. Natural gas will
provide not only the energy, but also the chemical
raw materials.
In addition, the Austrian steel company
Voestalpine is building a $600 million facility in Texas.
It will use natural gas to power its huge furnaces.
And late last year, the aerospace aluminum giant Alcoa
opened the world’s largest aluminum-lithium plant
in Lafayette, Indiana.
Consequently, the Southeastern U.S. has emerged
as a magnet for aviation-related investments with the
big three aircraft manufacturers opening new major
final assembly facilities in Charleston (Boeing), Mobile
(Airbus) and Florida (Embraer). As ICF International
research indicates, the U.S.
is clearly the current location
of choice for aviation and aerospace capital deployment.
As with Globalization 1.0, there are of course
numerous other factors at play helping to fuel
Globalization 2.0 other than low energy costs, including
state and local tax incentives and Right-to-Work laws
that limit/prohibit union security agreements.
No one knows for sure how long energy costs will
remain low. Given the recent constitutional amendment
in Mexico to allow foreign investment in its painfully
inefficient energy sector, as well as the possible lifting
of sanctions in Iran, the potential for further oversupply of oil & gas is real. This portends very well for
the commercial aviation sector whose business plans
assume oil prices at approximately $100 per barrel.
And for any energy-intensive business looking for the
ideal location to set up shop, the U.S.
is well positioned
to be the primary beneficiary of Globalization 2.0.
Perhaps cheap energy is indeed the new cheap labor.
20
Quarterly Spotlights
Average Widebody Airframe Heavy Maintenance
3rd Party Labor Rates In North America vs. Asia
(USD per Man-Hour)
$60
$50
$40
$30
$20
$10
$0
1993
1998
North America
2003
2008
Mature Asian MROs
2013
2018
Emerging Asian MROs
Source: ICF International
Major Aerospace Manufacturing Investments*
2012 - 2013
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
USA
China
Mexico
Brazil
Canada Germany India
Japan Morocco Thailand
Source: ICF International
* Includes joint ventures and organic investments for over 180 OEMs and service providers;
excludes acquisitions
. Aviation and Aerospace M&A Quarterly
Q2 2015
About ICF
ICF’s Aviation Consulting and Services business was
founded as SH&E in 1963 and grew into one of the world’s
largest consulting firm specializing in aviation. In 2007,
SH&E was acquired by ICF, and subsequently acquired the
leading aerospace consultancy AeroStrategy in 2011.
Today, ICF’s aviation professionals now operate from
full-service offices in Ann Arbor, New York, Boston, London,
Beijing, and Singapore. Our staff of approximately 100
professionals encompasses expertise in all disciplines
of the industry, and the firm has provided consulting,
strategic planning, and technical services to airlines, leasing
companies, government agencies, airframe and engine
manufacturers, corporate flight departments, heads-of-state
flight departments, and financial institutions. ICF brings
clients solutions through four specialized practices, which
collaborate together and with clients to address business
challenges: Aerospace & MRO, Aircraft, Airlines, and Airports.
In addition, ICF’s aviation professionals provides expert
buy-side and sell-side commercial and operational due
diligence services to corporate clients, private equity
firms, and other institutional investors with respect to
investments across the entirety of the aviation ecosystem.
A more complete description of ICF’s aviation
experience and capabilities can be seen by visiting
our web site, www.icfi.com/aviation
ICF International
ICF International (NASDAQ:ICFI) provides professional
services and technology solutions that deliver beneficial
impact in areas critical to the world’s future.
ICF is fluent
in the language of change, whether driven by markets,
technology, or policy. Since 1969, we have combined
a passion for our work with deep industry expertise to
tackle our clients’ most important challenges. We partner
with clients around the globe—advising, executing,
innovating—to help them define and achieve success.
Our more than 5,000 employees serve government and
commercial clients from more than 70 offices worldwide.
Contact:
Eliot Lees
Head of Transaction Advisory –
Aviation & Aerospace
ICF International
100 Cambridgepark Drive, Suite 501
Cambridge, MA, 02140 USA
Eliot.Lees@icfi.com | +1 617 218 3540
ICF International has more than 70 locations worldwide, including offices in:
The Americas
New York
630 Third Avenue, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10017 USA
Tel: +1 212 656 9200
Washington
9300 Lee Highway
Fairfax, VA 22031 USA
Tel: +1 703 934 3000
Europe, Middle East, Africa
London
6th Floor, Watling House
33 Cannon Street, London
United Kingdom
EC4M 5SB
Tel: +44 20 7242 9333
Asia-Pacific
Beijing
China Overseas Plaza
Tower 2, Suite 2001, 8 Guanghua
Dongli Chaoyang, Beijing, 100020
China
北京æœé˜³åŒºå…‰åŽä¸œé‡Œ8å·ä¸æµ·å¹¿åœº2å·
楼2001,邮编 100020
T ç”µè¯ +86 10 65628305
Boston
100 Cambridgepark Drive, Suite 501
Cambridge, MA 02140, USA
Tel: +1 617 218 3500
Hong Kong
19/F, Heng Shan Centre, 145 Queen’s
Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 2868 6980
Ann Arbor
101 North Main Street, Suite 400
Ann Arbor, MI 48104 USA
Tel: +1 734 786 5276
Singapore
314 Tanglin Road # 01-05
Phoenix Park Office Campus
Singapore 247977
Tel: +65 6884 4951
21
About ICF International
.
Transaction Advisory
Aviation & Aerospace
Mergers & Acquisitions • Privatizations • Divestitures • Start-ups
• Joint Ventures • Strategic Alliances
ICF advised Rexnord on its
acquisition of Micro Precision
ICF advised IDB on the Concessions
Privatization by Aerodom of
Seven Airports in the Dominican Republic
ICF advised Kidd & Company on its
acquisition of Imaginetics
ICF advised Goldner Hawn Johnson &
Morrison in support of its recapitalization
of Universal Turbine Parts
ICF advised Blue Point Capital on its
acquisition of Selmet
ICF advised the Belgian Government in
support of the Privatization of Brussels
International Airport Company (BIAC)
ICF advised Newcastle International
Airport in support of its successful
refinacing transaction
ICF advised the Trustee for Hawaiian
Airlines in support of its successful
emergence from Chapter 11 bankruptcy
ICF advised the IFC on Caribbean Airlines’
acquisition of Air Jamaica
ICF advised LDC in support of its
acquisition of AIM Group
ICF advised DAE in support of its
acquirsition of StandardAero
ICF advised Inflexion for its acquisition
of CTC Aviation Group
ICF advised IS Private Equity &
HSBC for the acquisition of Havas
ICF advised Bravia Capital Partners
and HNA Group for their acquisition
of Allco Aviation
ICF advised Sciens Capital in support of its
investment in Apollo Aviation Group
ICF advised the IFC in support of
providing equity financing
to Kenya Airways
ICF advised the IFC for its provision of
debt financing to TAM
ICF advised the IFC in support of its
privatization of Medina airport
New York | Boston | Ann Arbor | London | Beijing | Hong Kong | Singapore
. Aviation & Aerospace M&A Quarterly
Q2 2015
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23
page title
.