SOUTHLAKE, Texas and AMSTERDAM, Dec. 16, 2014 – Sabre Corporation (NASDAQ:SABR) and Bravofly Rumbo Group (SIX: BRG) announced today that Bravofly Rumbo Group has made a binding offer to acquire lastminute.com.
Acceptance of the offer is subject to the completion of employee information and consultation processes, following which closure would be expected to occur in Q1 2015. In August, Sabre announced it was exploring strategic options for lastminute.com to support its strategy to increase focus and investment in its core technology businesses; Travel Network, Airline Solutions and Hospitality Solutions. Sabre is the largest provider of services to the global consumer online travel sector and handles over a third of the world’s travel agency transactions. The potential acquisition is part of Bravofly Rumbo Group’s growth plans to select and integrate valuable assets, and would represent a significant step forward in the Group’s long-term strategy to help people get the best travel experience. Under the terms of the offer, Bravofly Rumbo Group would acquire all of lastminute.com’s principal global operations located in the UK, France, Germany, Spain and Italy, reaching an expected combined Gross Travel Value of nearly € 2.5 billion and revenues of € 260 million. The value of the potential transaction for Sabre is approximately US $120 million, resulting primarily from the transfer of commercial liabilities and additionally the value of an expanded long-term commercial agreement, in which Bravofly Rumbo Group’s brands and lastminute.com would continue to use the Sabre global distribution system. The transaction would not have a material effect on Bravofly Rumbo Group’s net cash position. Fabio Cannavale, Chairman of Bravofly Rumbo Group, comments: “lastminute.com is the perfect fit for Bravofly Rumbo Group. Its business complements and expands our offering in Europe and, with its strong presence in the hotel and vacation sector, diversifies our product revenue streams. We believe in the value and strength of lastminute.com’s iconic brand, which is recognized by more than 90 percent of European consumers.” Sabre was advised by Houlihan Lokey, an international advisory-focused investment bank.# # #
About Sabre Sabre Corporation (NASDAQ: SABR) is a leading technology provider to the global travel and tourism industry. Sabre’s software, data, mobile and distribution solutions are used by hundreds of airlines and thousands of hotel properties to manage critical operations, such as passenger and guest reservations, revenue management, and flight, network and crew management. Sabre® also operates a leading global travel marketplace, processing over $100 billion of estimated travel spend in 2013 by connecting travel suppliers to their most valued customers, the business traveler. Headquartered in Southlake, Texas, USA, Sabre operates offices in approximately 60 countries around the world. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Any statements in this release that are not historical or current facts are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements convey Sabre’s current expectations or forecasts of future events. Forward-looking statements, including the acceptance of the offer described herein, the closing of any proposed transaction, and any effects of the proposed transaction, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Certain of these risks and uncertainties include the employee information and consultation processes and obtaining required regulatory approvals, as well as the risks and uncertainties described in the “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” sections of Sabre’s prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act of 1933 on April 17, 2014 and its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and any of Sabre’s other applicable filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Unless required by law, Sabre undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect circumstances or events after the date of this press release. About Bravofly Rumbo Group Bravofly Rumbo Group is an online travel agency, or OTA, with a strong presence in Europe. Its web and mobile platforms enable consumers to easily search for, compare and book flights with both traditional airlines and low cost carriers, as well as hotel accommodation, package holidays, cruises, rental cars and other travel-related products and services. The Group traces its roots to 2004, with the launch of Volagratis, a pioneer search engine for low cost flights in the Italian market. Today it operates websites in 15 languages and localized for more than 35 countries. Its core markets are Italy, Spain and France. The Bravofly Rumbo Group is strengthening its position in other European markets and expanding to untapped markets in selected Asian Pacific and Latin American countries. The Group operates under a number of key brands, including Bravofly, Rumbo, Volagratis, Jetcost, Crocierissime and Bravoavia. With more than 4.5 million passengers handled per year, Bravofly Rumbo Group complements its online offer with customer service support in 13 languages. Some of the information contained in this press release contains forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. Bravofly Rumbo Group undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements.