{"id":139260,"title":"EasyJet Agrees £5.7 Billion Apollo Takeover as Castlelake Withdraws","publisher":"Share Talk","author":"sharetalk","published":"2026-08-06T14:57:01+00:00","modified":"2026-08-06T14:57:01+00:00","canonical_url":"https://www.share-talk.com/easyjet-agrees-5-7-billion-apollo-takeover-as-castlelake-withdraws/","markdown_url":"https://www.share-talk.com/easyjet-agrees-5-7-billion-apollo-takeover-as-castlelake-withdraws.md","json_url":"https://www.share-talk.com/easyjet-agrees-5-7-billion-apollo-takeover-as-castlelake-withdraws.json","category":"Automobiles, Parts & Engineering","categories":["Automobiles, Parts & Engineering","Blogs","Technology","Technology, Media & Telecoms"],"tags":["Castlelake","Easyjet","easyJet PLC","European airline","EZJ","Malaysia Airlines","Mark Breen","Minneapolis","Peter Bellew","Ryanair"],"featured_image":"https://i0.wp.com/www.share-talk.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/easyJet-PLC-23-JULY-26.jpg?fit=2000%2C1500&quality=89&ssl=1","format":"news","language":"en-GB","content":"[EasyJet (LON: EZJ)](https://www.google.com/search?q=easyjet+share+price&sca_esv=8b7e6ad4158f78fa&rlz=1C1VDKB_en-GBGB993GB993&sxsrf=APpeQnt44akddT47WJNKJFF1HIyL7u0MwQ%3A1786027117941&ei=bZx0arqJOeC0hbIPrdPsOQ&biw=1368&bih=777&oq=EASYJET+share+price&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiE0VBU1lKRVQgc2hhcmUgcHJpY2UqAggAMgsQABiABBixAxiDATIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAEMgUQABiABDIFEAAYgAQyBhAAGAcYHjIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAEMgsQABiABBixAxiDATIFEAAYgARImCJQAFiDE3AAeAGQAQCYAZQBoAHbBqoBAzAuN7gBAcgBAPgBAZgCB6AClgfCAhAQABiABBiKBRhDGLEDGIMBwgIHEAAYgAQYDZgDAJIHAzAuN6AH4iyyBwMwLje4B5YHwgcHMC4xLjUuMcgHLIAIAQ&sclient=gws-wiz-serp) is set to be acquired by US private equity group **Apollo** for **£5.7 billion** after rival bidder **Castlelake** withdrew from the takeover battle.\n\nThe airline has accepted Apollo’s offer of **£7.15 per share**, with the deal also receiving support from major shareholders, including founder **Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou**.\n\nCastlelake confirmed it would not submit a revised proposal after EasyJet extended the deadline for a potential counterbid, leaving Apollo as the sole remaining bidder.\n\nThe decision brings an end to a prolonged bidding contest for the London-listed budget airline. Castlelake initially approached EasyJet in May after rising fuel prices and concerns surrounding the Iran conflict pushed the company’s shares below £4.\n\nAfter several earlier proposals were rejected, Castlelake agreed a deal valuing EasyJet at around **£5.2 billion**. However, that agreement was displaced when Apollo returned with the higher £5.7 billion offer.\n\nThe takeover interest has pushed EasyJet shares to their highest level since the pandemic, although the stock remains more than 50% below its peak reached over a decade ago.\n\nSir Stelios founded EasyJet in 1995 and listed the airline on the London Stock Exchange in 2000. He and his family continue to hold a stake of approximately **15%**.\n\nCompletion of the Apollo transaction would result in EasyJet leaving the London stock market and becoming a privately owned company."}