FL Group kjøper seg videre opp i easyJet

[CK]

Icelanders raise stake in Easyjet
(Source : Telegraph, August 10, 2005)

The parent company of Icelandair has acquired another 1.14% of Easyjet, raising its stake in the airline to 13.01%. The latest purchase by FL Group prompted further market talk of a potential bid. Easyjet shares jumped Monday when the news of the purchase leaked into the market. Asked about the company's intentions, FL spokesman Gudjon Arngrimsson said: 'I really can't comment at all. We view this as a good investment.' Easyjet declined to comment, though industry observers pointed out that FL could only mount a bid if it convinced the family of Easyjet founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou to support it. He owns 16.6% of the stock, while his brother and sister each own just over 12%, giving them an effective 40% blocking stake. FL has met Haji-Ioannou once, but not recently. Haji-Ioannou would be expected to want at least the 310p a share at which he floated Easyjet in Nov 2000.
Full Story: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml;jsessionid=LMPTDF5DJPBWTQFIQMGCM54AVCBQ UJVC?xml=/money/2005/08/10/cneasy10.xml