This easyJet story is getting more interesting now because Castlelake is clearly not backing off . On June 22,2026,US investment firm Castlelake publicly came out with £4.7 billion takeover proposal,and honestly,it feels like pressure has now shifted from boardroom to shareholders .
This is not first attempt ah. Castlelake has already made two previous offers,and both were rejected by easyJet's board . Now this third proposal is all-cash offer of 625p per share,valuing easyJet at just over £4.7 billion.
And this time,Castlelake seems to be trying direct route with shareholders instead of waiting for board to soften . That itself says lot about how stuck talks may have become behind scenes .
But easyJet's board is not sounding impressed at all . They called proposal opportunistic and said it undervalues easyJet's potential . Their line was pretty sharp: "The board believes that third proposal represents an opportunistic attempt to acquire easyJet 'on the cheap' and that it is therefore not in the best interests of easyJet shareholders,"
Few things standing out in this takeover fight:
- Third proposal announced — Castlelake aims for public engagement with shareholders.
- Shareholder sentiment crucial — EasyJet's board urges shareholders to reject the offer .
- EU compliance strategy — Castlelake partners with EU investors for regulatory adherence.
At same time,easyJet's share price story is also adding drama here . Stock had lost about a fifth of its value since beginning of year before seeing recent surge because of takeover speculation . So obviously,Castlelake is seeing timing,but board is seeing lowball move .
Another important part is EU ownership rule . European airlines must be majority-owned by EU investors,and this requirement continues even post-Brexit . Castlelake is trying to handle that by partnering with Peter Bellew,a former chief operating officer at easyJet,and Mark Breen,CEO of Oneiros Aerospace.
Castlelake is also saying its offer gives clear,deliverable solution to meet all applicable regulatory requirements . But board still looks skeptical,and now whole thing depends heavily on how shareholders react as deadline for response comes closer.
And tbh,this is where things get uncomfortable for easyJet investors . Do they trust board's belief that company is worth more,or do they look at £4.7 billion cash offer and think maybe this is chance sitting in front of them…
