AENA values itself at EUR30bn ahead of privatisation moves
AENA - Aeropuertos Espanoles y Navegacion Aerea - the government-controlled Spanish airports operator has reportedly valued itself at EUR30 billion as it leads up to a partial privatisation. The Spanish Government is studying various options to privatise 49% of the company, as it struggles to pay down national debt. The government is reportedly due to approach investment banks to advise on the sale.
AENA has already commenced some privatisation measures, launching the sell-off of 13 air traffic control towers at the end of 2010. The sell-off followed closely on the heels of strikes by Spanish air traffic controllers.
Shares in Spanish airports and infrastructure company Abertis were up 2.9% on Friday. The company completed the sale of 40 million shares in Italian infrastructure and construction company Atlantia, raising EUR626 million and resulting in a capital gain of EUR151 million. The 6.7% stake was sold via a private placement to institutional investors in the US and Canada, as well as infrastructure funds and Italian and European investors, according to a Bloomberg report. Shares in Ferrovial were slightly lower, down 0.2%.
Elsewhere, shares in GVK Infrastructure were down 2.5% on Friday while fellow Indian airport operator, GMR Infrastructure, saw its shares close 2% lower.
Selected airport daily share price movements (% change): 14-Jan-2011
