The Canadian firm Bombardier has announced today of a further shrink the once mighty global company with the sale of its transportation division to concentrate exclusively on business aviation.
Ther firm had previously held preliminary talks with a number of parties regarding the sale of core assets and divisions but confirmed the move on Tuesday 18th February. “Today marks an exciting new chapter for Bombardier. Going forward, we will focus all our capital, energy and resources on accelerating growth and driving margin expansion in our market-leading $7.0 billion business aircraft franchise. With a stronger balance sheet after the completion of this transaction, an industry-leading portfolio of products, a strong backlog, and a rapidly growing aftermarket business, we will compete in this market from a position of strength,” said Alain Bellemare, President and Chief Executive Officer, Bombardier Inc.
The financially stretched Bombardier has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Alstom SA and the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (“la Caisse”) for the sale of its Transportation business to Alstom for an enterprise value of $8.2 billion / €7.45 billion. Although, after the deduction of debt-like items and transferred liabilities, including pension obligations, its more like $6.4 billion approximately. Bombardier intends to direct these proceeds towards debt paydown and will evaluate the most efficient debt reduction strategies.
“Selling the rail business will allow us to reshape and redefine our capital structure. Adding a substantial amount of cash to the balance sheet, and removing la Caisse preferred equity in Transportation, will change the game for Bombardier,” continued Bellemare. “Including expected proceeds from previously announced transactions, Bombardier would have between $6.5 and $7.0 billion of pro forma1 cash on hand, putting the Company on a brand-new footing to address its $9.3 billion of debt.”
“We are confident that the sale of our rail business to Alstom is the right action for all stakeholders. As a company, their mission to provide the world’s most efficient mobility solutions, their commitment to technology and their focus on sustainability will serve our customers well. They also appreciate and value our technology and capabilities. Above all, they recognize our talented and passionate employees and the great work they have done,” Bellemare stated.
Recommended for you...
