NWS Holdings, Chow Tai Fook Enterprises agree to sell aircraft leasing business
- Transaction values Goshawk Aviation at US$6.7 billion
- Combination of SMBC Aviation Capital and Goshawk Aviation would create world’s second-biggest aircraft lessor
Hong Kong’s NWS Holdings and Chow Tai Fook Enterprises have agreed to sell Dublin-based aircraft leasing company Goshawk Aviation to SMBC Aviation Capital in a deal valuing the company at US$6.7 billion.
The transaction will create the second-biggest aircraft lessor globally and the largest Japanese-owned lessor. SMBC is owned by a consortium that includes Japan’s Sumitomo Corporation and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Corporation.
“Goshawk is a high-quality business with assets and people that complement our own,” Peter Barrett, the chief executive of SMBC Aviation, said in a statement. “The combined business will continue to have a disciplined focus on young, liquid, most-in-demand narrowbody aircraft with one of the most environmentally friendly portfolios of any major leasing company.”
The combined company, which will be based in Dublin, will have a portfolio of 709 owned or managed aircraft, with an additional US$13 billion on order from Airbus and Boeing for 261 narrowbody aircraft.
Planes owned by Goshawk that are located in Russia are excluded from the deal, SMBC said. It was unclear how many of Goshawk’s aircraft are located in Russia.
