EasyJet lures takeover interest as investors spot a bargain

By Raechel Thankam Job and Ankita Bora

June 2 (Reuters) - British budget airline easyJet has caught the eye of U.S. investment firm Castlelake for a possible takeover.

While easyJet has called the timing "highly opportunistic", analysts say its low valuation, slots at key airports and stable fleet make it a prime takeover target as it has struggled to boost its market capitalisation since the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Few people can resist a bargain," said Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at trading platform IG.

SHARES UNDERPERFORM RIVALS

The British carrier's shares have underperformed peers like Ryanair, making it attractive to potential suitors.

"EasyJet has 'looked cheap' for some time," Deutsche Bank analyst Jaime Rowbotham wrote in a note, adding that possible attractions could be its airline fleet, room to boost margins and efficiency, and the airport slots it commands.

"This latest bid speculation will likely see a boost again to the easyJet share price."

HOLIDAY BUSINESS BOOMS

A successful holiday business and an efficient Airbus fleet have bolstered results, despite the airline's struggle to grow passenger numbers from its position between low-cost and traditional rivals like British Airways operator AIG.

EasyJet also has no direct exposure to the Middle East, where flights have been disrupted by the three-month-old Iran war.

Bank of America analysts said Castlelake's strategic plan was unclear, but the airline's fleet could be of interest. They estimated a takeover at a price of £6.50 per easyJet share.

Monday's high of £4.50 per share valued easyJet at about £3.4 billion. The stock is still down about 15% for the year.

EasyJet has drawn deal speculation for years with slots at airport hubs in London, Paris and Geneva making it an interesting takeover target for larger players looking to expand their footprint, despite competition challenges to any deal.

'FEW PEOPLE CAN RESIST A BARGAIN'

Jet fuel costs have spiked since the start of the Iran war in late February, hitting the wider sector. However, longer-term easyJet had been reining in fuel costs since a pandemic-driven spike, while revenue per available seat km has risen.

Barclays analyst Andrew Lobbenberg cautioned that demand in the short-haul leisure market in Europe has been significantly affected by the conflict, and said easyJet's fairly low margins mean tough external factors hit profits quite hard.

Lobbenberg added that while easyJet is Europe's worst-performing airline stock this year, its assets including its fleet, slots and holiday business, were undervalued. He estimated them to be worth over £11 per share.

($1 = 0.7445 pounds)

(Reporting by Raechel Thankam Job, Ankita Bora and Yadarisa Shabong in Bengaluru; Writing by Pushkala Aripaka; Editing by Adam Jourdan and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)