• HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works
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    2 days ago

    Up until 2019 Westjet was employee-owned.

    Now …

    WestJet Airlines Ltd. is operated by WestJet Group, a private company, incorporated and domiciled in Canada, which since December 2019 has been owned by Toronto-based private equity firm Onex Corporation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WestJet

    PE once again proving it is shit.

      • HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works
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        2 days ago

        From 2 different sources

        Shareholders of WestJet Airlines on Tuesday voted in favor of its deal to be acquired by billionaire Gerry Schwartz’s private equity firm Onex Corp for C$3.5 billion.

        More than 92.5% of the votes cast at the special meeting were in favor of the proposed deal, the company said in a statement.

        The C$31 per share deal, announced in May, received a green light from Canada’s transport minister last month.

        WestJet has reported a decline in net profit for each of the last three years, hurt by rising fuel costs, pressure on ticket prices and other problems.

        https://www.reuters.com/article/business/westjet-shareholders-approve-private-equity-buyout-idUSKCN1UI2UA/

        On May 13, 2019, WestJet announced that it had accepted an offer from Onex Corporation to purchase the company, a $5-billion deal that would require shareholder approval (in July) and regulatory approval. The offer was for $31 a share, substantially higher than the closing price of approximately $18 at the close of trading on the previous business day.

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WestJet

        Seems they were losing money and the offer was too good to pass up.