BIZCHINA / Center
US$930m likely for China Eastern stake
(Bloomberg)
Updated: 2007-05-30 08:47
Singapore Airlines Ltd and parent Temasek Holdings Pte may pay about $930
million for a stake in China Eastern Airlines Corp to expand the
carrier's reach in China, according to sources.
Singapore Airlines would invest about $600 million and Temasek about $330
million for a combined stake of about 24 percent, said the sources who
did not want to be identified before the terms of the deal are finalized
and approved by the regulators.
A man watches a China Eastern plane taxi at Shanghai's Hongqiao Airport.
Singapore Airlines Ltd and parent Temasek Holdings Pte may pay about $930
million for a stake in China Eastern. [Bloomberg]
The deal would give Singapore Airlines, Asia's most profitable carrier,
more access to a market forecast to grow fivefold by 2025. And China
Eastern, the mainland's only listed carrier to make a loss last year, may
reduce debt and gain a partner to help fend off competition from Cathay
Pacific Airways Ltd and Air China Ltd in Shanghai, its home market.
"China Eastern is potentially a goldmine for Singapore Airlines," said
Greg Kuhnert, who manages about $1 billion in Asian equities, including
Singapore Airlines shares, at Investec Asset Management in London. "The
Chinese airline industry has one of the highest growth rates worldwide."
Chinese carriers flew 160 million passengers last year, 15 percent more
than a year earlier, according to the General Administration of Civil
Aviation. China's economy has grown at least 10 percent in each of the
past four years, making travel affordable to more people.
China Eastern has a market value of $4.89 billion, meaning a 24 percent
stake would be valued at about $1.17 billion.
A deal may be announced this week, according to the sources, ending at
least 10 months of talks.
Singapore Airlines spokesman Stephen Forshaw, Temasek spokeswoman Lim
Siow Joo and China Eastern board secretary Luo Zhuping all declined to
comment.
Related readings:
Singapore Airlines may buy 25% stake of China Eastern
China Eastern Airlines looks for investors
Temasek eyes more investment in China
A deal would help Singapore Airlines, which made a record S$2.12 billion
($1.4 billion) profit last fiscal year, build on its 104 flights a week
to Chinese cities. It would also complement the carrier's cargo
operations.
"The air cargo side of the business offers significant opportunities,"
Kuhnert said.
China Eastern's loss widened to 3.31 billion yuan in 2006 from 467
million yuan a year earlier. The carrier has 205 planes and 35,000
employees.
A stake in China Eastern may help Singapore Airlines compete with Cathay
Pacific in the North Asian market.
(For more biz stories, please visit Industry Updates)
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