Within a week of publishing his industry analysis of China’s recent purchase of some US general aviation companies, consulting firm BRiFO President Brian Foley now finds himself charting a new and wholly different course of action on that topic: Trying to organize a counter-offer for Cirrus Aircraft to the recent bid by China Aviation Industry General Aircraft (CAIGA or AVIC) for the Duluth, Minn.-based GA manufacturer.
“Cirrus is an American success story that started in a humble dairy barn, introduced important new technologies and rocketed to market leadership,” Foley said. “So it’s not surprising that our US aviation community would take an interest in this pending sale. But what surprised me was the speed, passion and near-unanimity of the feedback we received. I didn’t talk to anyone who wanted to see Cirrus shipped overseas. People want this company to be owned and operated on American soil, period.”
Foley began to see there could be an alternative solution: “Since our aviation community wants Cirrus to stay, might there not be some like-minded American investors who’d be willing to provide the means? My knowledge and involvement with the aviation investment community put me in the ideal position to facilitate this.”
In addition to running his own general aviation consultancy, Foley noted he is affiliated as a licensed securities representative with New York investment bank John W. Loofbourrow Associates, Inc., who could potentially coordinate and represent investors.
While no single US investor apparently bid on Cirrus initially, Foley believes that better marketing of the offer and directing it toward a pool of investors could make the difference. He is already at the stage of reaching out to the primary owners to see if they’d accept a serious counter-offer in the coming weeks and to request the necessary backup materials needed to inform potential investors. “Assuming this falls into place, we’re confident we can identify and combine enough qualified investors who value Cirrus’ promise as a distinctively American company,” Foley said.
Cirrus Aircraft was established in 1984 and was owned by its founders until 2001, when a 58% share was sold to the Bahraini firm of Crescent Capital, now known as Arcapita, for a reported $100 million.
Though details of Cirrus’ pending sale to China were not made public, Foley expects the selling price to be in the $200-million plus range. “We hope to gain cooperation and organize a bid,” he said. “And we may well have the time to do that because the China deal still requires some pretty complicated government approvals. The aviation community’s telling us it’s time to restore and keep Cirrus here as an American treasure. I’m in a good position to try, at least, to make that happen.”
Brian Foley Associates is involved in GA industry analysis and forecasting, market research, strategic planning, new product evaluation and transaction support. The firm was formed in 2006 by Foley, a former executive at a major business jet manufacturer for over 20 years. For more information: BRiFO.com
What I would like to know is. If an aircraft builder has such a good product why in the world are they trying to sell the company in the first place? Shouldn’t they just build enough airplanes to meet the demand? If they in such demand why sell to somebody else when they could reap the profits themselves. Are they tired of running the company? Hire someone to do that job for God sake and get on with building airplanes. Also if this company’s airplanes are so good and in such demand why couldn’t they find investors locally, (in the USA), to invest in the company? Just doesn’t make sense to me to go hunting investors off shore to begin with. Lets keep the technology and jobs here at home. We have given enough of both of those things to China and India that we stand a good chance of loosing the ability to make anything anymore. Just my opinion for what it is worth.