KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia has announced to Bursa Malaysia that it has no knowledge of it being taken private.
However, the low-cost carrier confirmed that it is in discussions with certain bankers to partially finance the buy-back of AirAsia shares.
"Referring to yesterday's wire and media reports stating that the company will be taken private, the company would like to state that it has no knowledge of privatisation.
"We were first made aware of the privatisation rumour since it surfaced in August this year with the company shares being actively traded.”
This was just prior to the company announcing its proposal for a share buy-back of up to ten percent on September 18, 2015.
The company confirms that it is in discussions with certain bankers to partially finance the buy-back of these AirAsia shares.
The circular to the shareholders is currently being drafted in preparation for the upcoming Extraordinary General Meeting tentatively to be held in November this year where shareholders’ approval will be sought for the proposed share buy-back.
Reuters reported yesterday that founders of Asia’s number one budget carrier AirAsia Bhd are sounding out investors to take the company private in a management-led buyout, after its shares took a beating this year following a critical research report, people familiar with the matter said.