Thomas Cook
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Thomas Cook
It was announced yesterday that KarstadtQuelle AG has brought the 50% that Lufthansa owned in Thomas Cook AG, for €800 million.
The same time Lufthansa is increasing it's share in the airline Condor to 24.9%, which KarstadtQuelle can buy back in two years.
This might now make Thomas Cook the favourite in the sale of parts of the First Choice group.
The same time Lufthansa is increasing it's share in the airline Condor to 24.9%, which KarstadtQuelle can buy back in two years.
This might now make Thomas Cook the favourite in the sale of parts of the First Choice group.
Not really a new owner since KarstadtQuelle already own the other 50%. I believe that Thomas Cook own Condor hence Lufthansa used to own 50% of that too, but will now only have 24.9%. Lufthansa is set to acquire Condor's 50 % stake in Sun Express.
Thomas Cook UK MD is now CEO of Thomas Cook AG. First Choice may not be the only target.
Thomas Cook UK MD is now CEO of Thomas Cook AG. First Choice may not be the only target.
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beardy
Yes you are correct, l should have said New Controller of Thomas Cook as they used to share ownership.
Condor was owned by both companies and still is for at least two more years.
Lufthansa currently owns 10% of Condor, but had a very large say on the running of the airlines in the group.
Now that the airlines can get on with what is best for them and not what is best for Lufthansa.
Yes you are correct, l should have said New Controller of Thomas Cook as they used to share ownership.
Condor was owned by both companies and still is for at least two more years.
Lufthansa currently owns 10% of Condor, but had a very large say on the running of the airlines in the group.
Now that the airlines can get on with what is best for them and not what is best for Lufthansa.
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And according to SKY, the new company is going to be 10% larger than you would expect!
"Thomas Cook will own 62% of the new company while MyTravel's shareholders will own the remaining 48%."
The rest of the holiday package industry had better watch out.
Mind you, if they bought First Choice, then their shareholders could have the other 35% of the company!
"Thomas Cook will own 62% of the new company while MyTravel's shareholders will own the remaining 48%."
The rest of the holiday package industry had better watch out.
Mind you, if they bought First Choice, then their shareholders could have the other 35% of the company!
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The BBC's article makes a little more sense:
here it is
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6353023.stm
here it is
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6353023.stm
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MERGER OF MYTRAVEL GROUP PLC AND THOMAS COOK AG TO CREATE A LEADING INTERNATIONAL LEISURE TRAVEL COMPANY.
The boards of MyTravel and KarstadtQuelle are pleased to announce that they have agreed the terms of a recommended merger of MyTravel and Thomas Cook. The parent company of the Enlarged Group will be named Thomas Cook Group plc, headquartered in the UK and listed in London. The Merger is expected to create significant value for shareholders.
- The Enlarged Group will have leading positions in the UK & Ireland, Germany, Scandinavia, Benelux, France and Canada. The Enlarged Group will also benefit from a portfolio of excellent brands, an experienced management team with a proven track record and a diverse geographic spread, which together will provide a strong platform for growth.
- MyTravel and Thomas Cook believe that the annualised pre-tax cost benefits arising from a combination of the businesses will be at least £75 million per annum once the full benefits of the Merger are realised.
- The terms of the Merger will result in the Enlarged Group being 52 per cent. owned by KarstadtQuelle and 48 per cent. owned by the shareholders of MyTravel (calculated on a fully diluted basis).
- The Enlarged Group will be led by a board drawn from MyTravel, Thomas Cook and KarstadtQuelle, complemented by additional independent non-executive directors. The audit, remuneration and nomination committees will be chaired by independent non-executive directors. The Board will be independent of KarstadtQuelle and will include a strong and experienced executive management team.
- The Enlarged Group will be chaired by Thomas Middelhoff, CEO of KarstadtQuelle and Chairman of Thomas Cook, deputy chaired by Michael Beckett, Chairman of MyTravel, and managed on an interim basis by Joint Chief Executives Peter McHugh, Chief Executive of MyTravel, and Manny Fontenla-Novoa, Chief Executive of Thomas Cook.
- The Merger will be effected through the acquisition by NewCo of both MyTravel and Thomas Cook (MyTravel by means of a scheme of arrangement). It is expected that the Merger will be completed by June 2007.
- The Merger is conditional on the approval of MyTravel Shareholders. Shareholder approval will be sought at the Court Meeting and the Extraordinary General Meeting to be convened in due course. The directors of MyTravel intend unanimously to recommend to MyTravel Shareholders that they vote in favour of the Merger, as they intend to do in relation to their own shareholdings.
- In addition, the Merger is conditional on, among other things, competition clearances and completion of the transaction between KarstadtQuelle and Lufthansa pursuant to which KarstadtQuelle has agreed to acquire the 50 per cent. of Thomas Cook which it does not already own, which is itself conditional only on EU anti-trust clearance and the approval of Lufthansa's Supervisory Board.
- As a result of agreeing the Merger, MyTravel and KarstadtQuelle have agreed not to pursue any competing transaction.
Commenting on today's announcement, Michael Beckett, Chairman of MyTravel said:
"This transaction gives MyTravel shareholders the opportunity to participate in the significant value creation being offered by industry consolidation. Thomas Cook is a household name and the joining of the two groups will create an even stronger force in this highly competitive market. The Enlarged Group, which will be based in the UK and listed in London, will benefit from a strong and independent board and an experienced executive team. The new team is committed to realising significant benefits for the shareholders of the Enlarged Group".
Thomas Middelhoff, CEO of KarstadtQuelle and Chairman of Thomas Cook said:
"We are delighted to see the merger of two such well established industry players which we are sure will achieve significant value creation for us as shareholders from this geographically diverse portfolio of companies. We look forward to being a long-term, committed investor in the Enlarged Group.
The Thomas Cook team is looking forward to building and growing the Enlarged Group together with the MyTravel team. The combined organisations will offer customers unrivalled choice and quality for their holiday and leisure time in all of the markets in which we operate."
This summary should be read in conjunction with the full terms of the following announcement. Appendix II contains definitions of certain terms used in this summary and the following announcement.
A meeting for analysts and investors will be held today at 9.00am for 9.30am at The Lincoln Centre, 18 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 3ED.
The boards of MyTravel and KarstadtQuelle are pleased to announce that they have agreed the terms of a recommended merger of MyTravel and Thomas Cook. The parent company of the Enlarged Group will be named Thomas Cook Group plc, headquartered in the UK and listed in London. The Merger is expected to create significant value for shareholders.
- The Enlarged Group will have leading positions in the UK & Ireland, Germany, Scandinavia, Benelux, France and Canada. The Enlarged Group will also benefit from a portfolio of excellent brands, an experienced management team with a proven track record and a diverse geographic spread, which together will provide a strong platform for growth.
- MyTravel and Thomas Cook believe that the annualised pre-tax cost benefits arising from a combination of the businesses will be at least £75 million per annum once the full benefits of the Merger are realised.
- The terms of the Merger will result in the Enlarged Group being 52 per cent. owned by KarstadtQuelle and 48 per cent. owned by the shareholders of MyTravel (calculated on a fully diluted basis).
- The Enlarged Group will be led by a board drawn from MyTravel, Thomas Cook and KarstadtQuelle, complemented by additional independent non-executive directors. The audit, remuneration and nomination committees will be chaired by independent non-executive directors. The Board will be independent of KarstadtQuelle and will include a strong and experienced executive management team.
- The Enlarged Group will be chaired by Thomas Middelhoff, CEO of KarstadtQuelle and Chairman of Thomas Cook, deputy chaired by Michael Beckett, Chairman of MyTravel, and managed on an interim basis by Joint Chief Executives Peter McHugh, Chief Executive of MyTravel, and Manny Fontenla-Novoa, Chief Executive of Thomas Cook.
- The Merger will be effected through the acquisition by NewCo of both MyTravel and Thomas Cook (MyTravel by means of a scheme of arrangement). It is expected that the Merger will be completed by June 2007.
- The Merger is conditional on the approval of MyTravel Shareholders. Shareholder approval will be sought at the Court Meeting and the Extraordinary General Meeting to be convened in due course. The directors of MyTravel intend unanimously to recommend to MyTravel Shareholders that they vote in favour of the Merger, as they intend to do in relation to their own shareholdings.
- In addition, the Merger is conditional on, among other things, competition clearances and completion of the transaction between KarstadtQuelle and Lufthansa pursuant to which KarstadtQuelle has agreed to acquire the 50 per cent. of Thomas Cook which it does not already own, which is itself conditional only on EU anti-trust clearance and the approval of Lufthansa's Supervisory Board.
- As a result of agreeing the Merger, MyTravel and KarstadtQuelle have agreed not to pursue any competing transaction.
Commenting on today's announcement, Michael Beckett, Chairman of MyTravel said:
"This transaction gives MyTravel shareholders the opportunity to participate in the significant value creation being offered by industry consolidation. Thomas Cook is a household name and the joining of the two groups will create an even stronger force in this highly competitive market. The Enlarged Group, which will be based in the UK and listed in London, will benefit from a strong and independent board and an experienced executive team. The new team is committed to realising significant benefits for the shareholders of the Enlarged Group".
Thomas Middelhoff, CEO of KarstadtQuelle and Chairman of Thomas Cook said:
"We are delighted to see the merger of two such well established industry players which we are sure will achieve significant value creation for us as shareholders from this geographically diverse portfolio of companies. We look forward to being a long-term, committed investor in the Enlarged Group.
The Thomas Cook team is looking forward to building and growing the Enlarged Group together with the MyTravel team. The combined organisations will offer customers unrivalled choice and quality for their holiday and leisure time in all of the markets in which we operate."
This summary should be read in conjunction with the full terms of the following announcement. Appendix II contains definitions of certain terms used in this summary and the following announcement.
A meeting for analysts and investors will be held today at 9.00am for 9.30am at The Lincoln Centre, 18 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 3ED.
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More Accurately .....
Thomas Cook buys MyTravel !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Monday, February 12, 2007
By Tom Williams
Thomas Cook has bought MyTravel in a surprise 11th-hour deal which ends months of wrangling between Cook, MyTravel and First Choice and will create the UK’s biggest mainstream tour operator.
The Cook-MyTravel deal was signed in the early hours of this morning as Cook negotiations with First Choice over the sale of First Choice’s Mainstream Holidays division were still ongoing. Cook group chief executive Manny Fontenla-Novoa is thought to have called First Choice chief executive Peter Long shortly afterwards to inform him of the decision.
Under the terms of the deal Cook AG’s parent company KarstadtQuelle will get 52% of a new UK-based company listed on the London stock exchange. MyTravel shareholders will have 48% of the new company, which would be called Thomas Cook PLC.
KarstadtQuelle CEO and Cook chairman Thomas Middelhoff will chair the new group, while MyTravel chairman Michael Beckett will be deputy chairman. MyTravel chief executive Peter Mchugh will be joint chief executive with Fontenla-Novoa on an interim basis.
The merger will be completed by June of this year and will bring together MyTravel brands such as Airtours, shop chain Going Places and Direct Holidays with Cook brands, Thomas Cook Signature and Neilson.
MyTravel and Thomas Cook expect to save at least £75 million in costs each year once the merger is complete. Early indications are that this will involve job losses.
The move comes nearly three weeks after Thomas Cook denied it was considering a takeover of MyTravel. The group had insisted that it had not indicated at a City lunch that a deal with MyTravel was on the cards (TTG January 26).
Thomas Cook buys MyTravel !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Monday, February 12, 2007
By Tom Williams
Thomas Cook has bought MyTravel in a surprise 11th-hour deal which ends months of wrangling between Cook, MyTravel and First Choice and will create the UK’s biggest mainstream tour operator.
The Cook-MyTravel deal was signed in the early hours of this morning as Cook negotiations with First Choice over the sale of First Choice’s Mainstream Holidays division were still ongoing. Cook group chief executive Manny Fontenla-Novoa is thought to have called First Choice chief executive Peter Long shortly afterwards to inform him of the decision.
Under the terms of the deal Cook AG’s parent company KarstadtQuelle will get 52% of a new UK-based company listed on the London stock exchange. MyTravel shareholders will have 48% of the new company, which would be called Thomas Cook PLC.
KarstadtQuelle CEO and Cook chairman Thomas Middelhoff will chair the new group, while MyTravel chairman Michael Beckett will be deputy chairman. MyTravel chief executive Peter Mchugh will be joint chief executive with Fontenla-Novoa on an interim basis.
The merger will be completed by June of this year and will bring together MyTravel brands such as Airtours, shop chain Going Places and Direct Holidays with Cook brands, Thomas Cook Signature and Neilson.
MyTravel and Thomas Cook expect to save at least £75 million in costs each year once the merger is complete. Early indications are that this will involve job losses.
The move comes nearly three weeks after Thomas Cook denied it was considering a takeover of MyTravel. The group had insisted that it had not indicated at a City lunch that a deal with MyTravel was on the cards (TTG January 26).
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To me, this merger makes sense on many different levels, and we've known for some time that the next round of industry consolidation between the package holiday companies was just around the corner. Keeping the Thomas Cook brand for both the airline, the tour operators (does this mean the end of the Airtours brand?) and the holiday shops was obvious given the well-known and respected brand of "Thomas Cook" compared to the fairly unknown moniker MyTravel. We should see a more healthy airline, operating fuller planes, getting rid of needless overlap etc. though it'll be interesting to see where planes will be based for S08, what the fleet with look like etc.
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NOT FOR RELEASE, DISTRIBUTION OR PUBLICATION IN OR INTO AUSTRALIA,
CANADA, JAPAN OR THE UNITED STATES OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE IT IS UNLAWFUL TO DO SO
Might be worth removing the link to the mytravel.pdf document don't you think?
CANADA, JAPAN OR THE UNITED STATES OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE IT IS UNLAWFUL TO DO SO
Might be worth removing the link to the mytravel.pdf document don't you think?
They become Last Choice, I guess.