Air Lease (NYSE: AL) has announced that its class A common stockholders have approved a merger agreement with Sumitomo Corporation, SMBC Aviation Capital, Apollo, and Brookfield. The agreement, dated September 1, 2025, involves the acquisition of Air Lease by a new holding company named Sumisho Air Lease Corporation DAC, based in Dublin, Ireland. The shares of this new holding company will be held by Sumitomo Corporation, SMBC Aviation Capital Limited, and investment vehicles affiliated with Apollo managed funds and Brookfield.
Upon the closing of the transaction, Air Lease will be renamed Sumisho Air Lease Corporation. As per the terms of the merger agreement, at the closing of the transaction, Air Lease class A common stockholders will receive $65.00 in cash for each share of class A common stock held immediately prior to the effective time of the merger.
Notably, holders of approximately 80.7% of the shares of class A common stock outstanding as of the close of business on November 3, 2025, voted in favor of the approval and adoption of the merger agreement.
Moreover, John L. Plueger, Chief Executive Officer and President of Air Lease, expressed the company's pleasure with the results of the special meeting and thanked the stockholders for their support, marking a major milestone for Air Lease. The transaction is anticipated to close in the first half of 2026, subject to the satisfaction of the closing conditions set forth in the merger agreement. As a result of these announcements, the company's shares have moved 0.07% on the market, and are now trading at a price of $64.145. For the full picture, make sure to review AIR LEASE CORP's 8-K report.
