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Merger Agreement
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2025
Business Combination, Asset Acquisition, Transaction between Entities under Common Control, and Joint Venture Formation [Abstract]  
Merger Agreement Merger Agreement
On September 1, 2025, the Company entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”), with Sumisho Air Lease Corporation Designated Activity Company (formerly known as Gladiatora Designated Activity Company), an Irish private limited company (“Parent”) and Takeoff Merger Sub Inc., a Delaware corporation and an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Parent (“Merger Sub”), pursuant to which, among other things and subject to the conditions contained in the Merger Agreement, Merger Sub will merge with and into the Company, with the Company surviving as an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Parent (the “Merger”). Parent is a new holding company owned by Sumitomo Corporation, a Japanese corporation, SMBC Aviation Capital Limited, a company incorporated with limited liability in Ireland, affiliates of Apollo Capital Management, L.P. and affiliates of Brookfield Asset Management Ltd.

Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, subject to the conditions set forth therein, at the effective time of the Merger (the “Effective Time”), each issued and outstanding share of Class A common stock of the Company (the “Common Stock”) (other than (i) any Dissenting Shares (as defined in the Merger Agreement) and (ii) shares to be canceled or converted into shares of the surviving company pursuant to the Merger Agreement), will be converted into the right to receive $65.00 in cash, without interest. Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, at the Effective Time, each share of 4.65% Fixed-Rate Reset Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series B (“Series B Preferred Stock”), 4.125% Fixed-Rate Reset Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series C (“Series C Preferred Stock”) and 6.00% Fixed-Rate Reset Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series D (“Series D Preferred Stock”) of the Company issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time will remain outstanding and will be deemed to be a share of preferred stock of the surviving corporation with the same rights, powers, privileges and voting powers, and restrictions and limitations thereof applicable to such series of preferred stock.

Consummation of the Merger is subject to customary closing conditions, including without limitation, (i) the adoption and approval of the Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby by the affirmative votes of holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Common Stock at a meeting of the Company’s stockholders, (ii) the expiration or termination of the waiting period applicable to the Merger and the other transactions contemplated thereby (including the Orderbook Transfer (as defined in the Merger Agreement)) under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended and under certain non-U.S. antitrust and competition laws, and the receipt of approval of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States under the Defense Production Act and under certain non-U.S. investment laws, (iii) the absence of any applicable law, judgment, or other legal restraint or prohibition or binding order or determination by any governmental entity (“Legal Restraint”) that prevents, makes illegal or prohibits the consummation of the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, (iv) the accuracy of each party’s representations and warranties (subject to certain qualifications), (v) each party’s performance in all material respects of its obligations under the Merger Agreement and (vi) the absence of a Company Material Adverse Effect (as defined in the Merger Agreement) after the date of the Merger Agreement. As described in more detail in “Part II — Item 1. Legal Proceedings”, a lawsuit related to the Merger was filed on October 30, 2025 by a purported Class A common stockholder, however, the plaintiff filed a notice for voluntary dismissal of its claim without prejudice on November 3, 2025.

The Merger Agreement includes customary representations, warranties and covenants of the Company, Parent, and Merger Sub. Among other things, the Company has agreed to customary covenants regarding the operation of the business of the Company and its subsidiaries prior to the Effective Time. The Company is permitted to pay regular quarterly cash dividends up to $0.22 per share of Common Stock, $11.625 per share of Series B Preferred Stock, $10.3125 per share of Series C Preferred Stock, and $15.00 per share of Series D Preferred Stock (which amounts in respect of the Series B Preferred Stock, Series C Preferred Stock and Series D Preferred Stock may be adjusted in accordance with the dividend reset provisions contained in the relevant certificates of designation) pursuant to the Merger Agreement.
The Merger Agreement contains specified termination rights for each of the parties. Upon termination of the agreement under certain conditions, including with respect to the Company’s entry into an agreement with respect to a qualifying “Superior Proposal” (as defined in the Merger Agreement), the Company must pay Parent a $225.0 million termination fee. Parent must pay to the Company a $350.0 million termination fee if either Parent or the Company terminates the Merger Agreement in certain circumstances where the Merger Agreement is terminated due to failure to obtain a required regulatory approval by the End Date (as defined in the Merger Agreement) or due to a Legal Restraint related to a failure to obtain a required regulatory approval.
The Company currently anticipates that the Merger will close in the first half of calendar year 2026, subject to the satisfaction of the remaining customary closing conditions.