AirAsia considers fundraising and JV options to ride out pandemic

Budget carrier AirAsia Group Bhd is evaluating proposals for raising capital to strengthen its equity base and liquidity, the company said in a statement Thursday.

AirAsia said it has been presented with proposals from investment bankers, lenders and potential investors to help the airline "weather the storm" caused by the new coronavirus pandemic.

It also has ongoing deliberations with a number of parties for joint-ventures and collaborations that may result in additional investments in specific segments of the group's business, it said in the bourse filing.

The airline said it may soon reach a decision on the proposals and amount to be raised.

"Any decision made will take into account the company's business needs and the interests of the company, its shareholders and other stakeholders," it said.

The airline made the statement in response to a report by local newspaper The Star citing sources saying AirAsia was in talks to sell a 10 percent stake to South Korea's SK Holdings through a private placement.

SK Holdings, the third-largest Korean conglomerate with businesses spanning memory chips to energy, and AirAsia have been locked in negotiations for the past few months and SK sees a stake purchase as an opportunistic acquisition, said one source aware of the matter.

The source said AirAsia had been pitching to get an investor outside the aviation sector.

- Reuters

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