Word: trumps
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Despite all the girding for an assault, the airline industry was rocked last week when a raider finally surfaced. It was New York City tycoon Donald Trump, who announced that he was offering $120 a share, or $7.5 billion, to take over the giant carrier...
...size of Trump's bid drew gasps as well, since it was the most ever offered for an airline and was almost 50% higher than the price of AMR shares just before the bid. But the airline industry is in the grip of takeover fever. After fending off bids from Los Angeles oilman Marvin Davis, the management and employees of No. 2-ranked United in Chicago are attempting to take their company private for an estimated $6.7 billion. And last June an investor group led by Los Angeles financier Alfred Checchi paid $3.6 billion for No. 4-ranked Northwest Airlines...
...While Trump's grandstanding is becoming a self-parody, his financial clout is undeniable. The King of the Deal already owns the prestigious Plaza Hotel in Manhattan and two hotel-casinos in Atlantic City. Last May he paid floundering Eastern Airlines $365 million for its East Coast shuttle service, renamed it the Trump Shuttle, and now controls at least 40% of the market, in contrast to 26% when he took over. Trump has made huge killings by buying stakes in companies and leading other investors to believe he had an interest in a buyout, only to sell out after...
...invented the frequent-flyer program and instituted the first supersaver fares. To cut labor costs, Crandall introduced a two-tier wage system under which younger hires were paid less than veteran workers. "Crandall won't give up easily," says an industry hand. "He sees American as his company. Trump's bid is a slap in his face...
American's best defense seems likely to be an attack on the amount of debt needed to finance a takeover attempt. Trump, whose personal fortune is estimated at between $1 billion and $3 billion, has offered to put $1 billion of his own money into the deal. The rest would come from bank loans. Trump may get the money, but politicians and air-safety experts have alleged that highly leveraged carriers might be tempted to skimp on safety measures to maintain profits. AMR released a statement last week saying it "continues to believe that excess levels of debt...