OAT is put up for sale.
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: UK
Posts: 1,608
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
No actually a very good idea of what VC companies 'do' thanks. 'VC' companies don't 'do' anything specifically, they 'are' investors that will look to make the company seem as profitable as possible in as short a time as possible and then either go public or sell it on for a big profit. And how the hell is training cyclical? Now that OATs training is USA/UK split is isnt at all cyclical nor seasonal.
If you are interested in what they actually do...see this: http://www.kkr.com/news/speeches/02-21-06.html
Headline : Oxford Aviation Training for sale at estimated GBP 70m-80m - report
Main body : Oxford Aviation Training, the pilot-training group owned by UK-listed BBA, has been put on the market, according to a Mail on Sunday report. The unattributed article said PricewaterhouseCoopers advisers have been retained to assess potential buyers for the business, which is estimated to be worth GBP 70m-80m (EUR 103m-118m). Private-equity houses have shown significant interest, the report said.
The four-decades old company comprises two residential centres at Phoenix Goodyear Airport, Arizona, and at Oxford Airport, the item noted.
Source : Mail on Sunday
Grade : Rumoured
Alert : UK M&A Alert
Last edited by Re-Heat; 2nd Apr 2007 at 17:52.
Join Date: May 2003
Location: uk
Posts: 713
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Of course it will. There will be uncertainty in the organisation, staff may start to jump ship irrationally and this will have an impact. The official word will be no change but it will all depend on what the new owner wants to do.
More often than no the "law of unintended consequences" comes into play.
Mind you I can see why BBA want shot of it. It has no real place in their group.
More often than no the "law of unintended consequences" comes into play.
Mind you I can see why BBA want shot of it. It has no real place in their group.
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: ¯\(°_o)/¯
Posts: 61
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think it may have an affect on people wanting to join, because it will make them think twice as to why its up for sale, and therefore look at other, more reliable schools to join.
Also another factor to considor even though the training standed most probably wont drop - would Airline relationships change?
shocking to hear ( if its True) that some of the OAT staff found out by reading the papers!!
27
Also another factor to considor even though the training standed most probably wont drop - would Airline relationships change?
shocking to hear ( if its True) that some of the OAT staff found out by reading the papers!!
27
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: UK
Posts: 1,608
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
shocking to hear ( if its True) that some of the OAT staff found out by reading the papers!!
I expect the future for OAT will be very bright indeed, since so much investment has been made into the business in the recent past, and there would be little value in the company if it were instead broken up.
Hovering AND talking
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Propping up bars in the Lands of D H Lawrence and Bishop Bonner
Age: 59
Posts: 5,705
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Standard procedure in any company sale; the owner has to be able to consider their options in secrecy.
True that some businesses may want to carry out negotiations in secret but, in that case, the press should not be allowed to find out (and, indeed, most staff). However, if there is any danger that information gets leaked, every business I have ever worked has informed the staff. The last thing you want is a jittery workforce when trying to sell a business.
Cheers
Whirls
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Under bar stool
Posts: 320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It has been bought and sold before and kept going. BBA got stung when they bought it previous owners and petticoat laughed all way to bank. He went to midlands then came back to sort it out at request of BBA when they realised how they had been sold a turkey not a golden goose.
Join Date: Dec 1997
Location: Suffolk UK
Posts: 4,927
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Companies are bought and sold all the time; it's one of the primary ways for private company owners to make money from their investment. OAT is not at all unusual in this respect; it is a small to medium-sized business that's probably at or near the top of its cycle and is earning good returns with excellent prospects if the industry continues to expand at or near its current rate. Despite some of the regular negative reports you'll read here, OAT does have a good reputation as a business and will almost certainly attract the attention of investors looking for good returns in an expanding industry.
As for asset-stripping, I would be very surprised if OAT has any significant assets. Its aircraft and premises will all be leased, and are thus not OAT's property, and it will have few other assets beyond its reputation. Thus there is nothing for a predatory investor to strip. Whether there is any cause for concern for future students will entirely depend on the nature, empathy and expertise of the new owners.
Scroggs
As for asset-stripping, I would be very surprised if OAT has any significant assets. Its aircraft and premises will all be leased, and are thus not OAT's property, and it will have few other assets beyond its reputation. Thus there is nothing for a predatory investor to strip. Whether there is any cause for concern for future students will entirely depend on the nature, empathy and expertise of the new owners.
Scroggs
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Weedon
Posts: 82
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well done Scroggs. At least a reasonable assesment of the situation that might put the OAT students mind at ease. As a regular visitor to OAT I can confirm that there is not any excitement in the ranks.
Why do it if it's not fun?
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Bournemouth
Posts: 4,779
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
As for asset-stripping, I would be very surprised if OAT has any significant assets. Its aircraft and premises will all be leased, and are thus not OAT's property
I have absolutely no idea if this is true or not, or what implications it might be. Does anyone know who owns the airport at the moment? Because if it is owned by anyone other than OAT, that would immediately put a stop to this facet of the rumour, and make Scrogg's comment seem far more likely.
FFF
--------------
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Somewhere near the CPT beacon...
Posts: 47
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
"Oxford Airport has been owned and operated by BBA Group plc "
Found that through Google...
Not so overly positive, but then I guess it depends if BBA are selling that as part of the OAT package...
Found that through Google...
Not so overly positive, but then I guess it depends if BBA are selling that as part of the OAT package...
Join Date: May 2007
Location: South Coast
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Prepare to be surprised Scroggs.
I went through OAT several years ago and they/now BBA own all the real estate, all the airfield and all the aircraft.
In addition they own all the aircraft used in the USA.
As usual Scroggs is very anti OAT and is talking his usual biased rubbish.
I was very pleased with OAT when I went through and have no doubt they are still as professional as they always were.
Any company that is owned by a larger group will be at risk of sale/takeover. I suspect that BBA are selling OAT because they believe OAT is in very good shape and will at this time realise a maximum profit for BBA. This should in no way effect the future of OAT, and may even increase any investment required.
I'm still in the industry (grounded unfortunatly, but in contact with the recruiters). The airlines are still recruiting hard from OAT, and will continue to do so for the future.
I went through OAT several years ago and they/now BBA own all the real estate, all the airfield and all the aircraft.
In addition they own all the aircraft used in the USA.
As usual Scroggs is very anti OAT and is talking his usual biased rubbish.
I was very pleased with OAT when I went through and have no doubt they are still as professional as they always were.
Any company that is owned by a larger group will be at risk of sale/takeover. I suspect that BBA are selling OAT because they believe OAT is in very good shape and will at this time realise a maximum profit for BBA. This should in no way effect the future of OAT, and may even increase any investment required.
I'm still in the industry (grounded unfortunatly, but in contact with the recruiters). The airlines are still recruiting hard from OAT, and will continue to do so for the future.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: everywhere
Posts: 620
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You numb nut i'd say Scroggs was on the side of OAT in his comment. The fact that they own the airport and aircraft etc. makes the idea of a sale to some private equity firm a darn site worse.
