News

Saga backer prepares to sell remaining stake in over-50s specialist

The private equity backers of Saga were last night reported to be finalising plans to sell the rest of their stake in the over-50s insurance and travel group.


Acromas, whose owners Charterhouse Capital, CVC and Permira, floated Saga at 185p a share in May 2014, was looking to offload its remaining 31.5% stake to institutional investors, the Times reported.


Saga’s shares have risen almost 9% since the initial public offering, closing at 201½p last night, off 1¼p, before word of the placing emerged.


At that price the placing, which is Acromas’s fifth since the 
IPO, would value its 352.7 million shares at about £710 million.


Acromas’s move to exit its investment comes after Saga posted a 55% rise in annual pre-tax profits to £176.2 million on Tuesday amid a strong demand for its cruises, holidays and house and motor insurance.


Saga announced a full-year dividend of 7.2p per share.


Acromas confirmed this morning that it had sold its 352 million shares – approximately 32% of Saga – at a price of 195p per share.


Andrew Goodsell, non-executive chairman of the company, agreed to purchase 2.5 million of the shares.

Share article

View Comments

Jacobs Media is honoured to be the recipient of the 2020 Queen's Award for Enterprise.

The highest official awards for UK businesses since being established by royal warrant in 1965. Read more.