24/09/2024
Avolta leverages regional economic slow-down to fast-track APAC strategy: enters into deal to acquire Free Duty, funded by cash on balance sheet with no impact to the deleveraging commitments
Avolta (AVOL: SIX), leading global travel experience player across retail and F&B, has entered into a deal to acquire 100% of Free Duty from NWS Holdings Limited (0659. HK), a conglomerate with a diversified portfolio of market-leading businesses predominantly in Hong Kong and the Mainland. The deal would see Avolta’s positioning significantly strengthened in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region, gaining access to 150 million travelers and increasing regional sales by CHF 250 million. The acquisition of Free Duty, a leading border travel retail operator in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area, would lead towards an early delivery of Avolta’s Destination 2027 strategy in APAC, generating accelerated revenue growth at attractive margins. The closing of the transaction is subject to customary conditions precedent.
