Air Lease (AL) announced that it has received the final regulatory approval in relation to the closure of its previously announced merger agreement, wherein Air Lease is set to be purchased by a Dublin, Ireland-based new holding company.
Shares of the new holding company are held (directly or indirectly) by Sumitomo Corporation, SMBC Aviation Capital Limited and investment vehicles affiliated with Apollo-managed funds and Brookfield.
The deal is anticipated to be completed on or about April 8, 2026, subject to the satisfaction of the remaining closing conditions set forth in the merger agreement and discussed in detail in the definitive proxy statement filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission by Air Lease on Nov. 4, 2025.
Air Lease will be renamed Sumisho Air Lease Corporation post deal-closure.
Per the aforesaid merger agreement, Air Lease shareholders should receive $65 per share of Class A common stock in cash at the closure of the deal (without interest and subject to any applicable withholding taxes). Further, each share of 4.65% Fixed-Rate Reset Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series B, 4.125% Fixed-Rate Reset Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series C, and 6.00% Fixed-Rate Reset Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series D, of Air Lease issued and outstanding immediately prior to the effective time of the merger shall remain outstanding as preferred stock of the surviving corporation.
Zacks Rank & Other Stocks to Consider
Air Lease currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
Investors interested in the Transportation sector may also consider C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. (CHRW) and SkyWest, Inc. (SKYW), both carrying a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
C.H. Robinson has an expected earnings growth rate of 15.91% for the current year. The company has an impressive earnings surprise history. Its earnings outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, delivering an average beat of 10.83%. Shares of CHRW have risen 57.5% in the past year.
SkyWest, founded in 1972, is based in St. George and operates regional jets for major U.S. airlines. SKYW is the holding company for SkyWest Airlines, SkyWest Charter and SkyWest Leasing, an aircraft leasing company.
SKYW has an impressive earnings surprise track record, having surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the last four quarters (missed the mark in the remaining quarter). The average beat was 12.75%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings has been revised upward by 3.16% over the past 60 days. For 2026, SKYW’s earnings are expected to improve 10.34% year over year.
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C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. (CHRW): Free Stock Analysis Report
Air Lease Corporation (AL): Free Stock Analysis Report
SkyWest, Inc. (SKYW): Free Stock Analysis Report
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).