Airbus decreases stake in Dassault Aviation

Airbus Group in an off-market block trade has sold to Dassault Aviation a total of 810,072 Dassault Aviation shares at a price of € 980 per share, representing a total amount of around € 794 million pre transaction costs.

“This transaction marks an important step in our stated intentions to monetise our stake in Dassault Aviation,” said Marwan Lahoud, Airbus Group Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer.

The French State has agreed to waive its rights under the shareholder agreement with Airbus Group, which provides in particular a right of first offer to its benefit, for this block trade, which represents approximately 8 percent of Dassault Aviation’s share capital.

After this transaction, Airbus Group will hold 38.32 percent of Dassault Aviation’s share capital and associated voting rights and then following the cancellation by Dassault Aviation of 9 percent of treasury shares, Airbus Group will own 42.11 percent of the Dassault shares with associated voting rights. In this context, Airbus Group will solicit from the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) an exemption to the requirement to launch a public offer.

Further to today’s block trade, Airbus Group has provided a best efforts commitment until 30 June 2015 to sell up to 10 percent of Dassault Aviation’s share capital, subject to market conditions. This additional transaction should take place in the form of an accelerated book-building through either one or several placements. Airbus Group will have the ability to increase the size of the placements beyond this 10 percent of Dassault Aviation’s share capital.

Dassault Aviation has committed to support the implementation of these efforts and will place an order on 50 percent of the size of such placements, within a global limit of 5 percent of Dassault Aviation’s share capital, at a maximum price of € 980 per share. Airbus Group has committed to serve Dassault Aviation with 50 percent of the shares sold and within the same global limit of 5 percent of Dassault Aviation’s share capital, at the price of the relevant placement. Should the placement price be higher than € 980, the price of the Dassault Aviation shares sold at the same time to Dassault Aviation would be capped thereat while the price of the shares sold to third parties would remain the same.

Source and image: Airbus Group