Dubai Aerospace to buy Macquarie AirFinance in $7 billion deal
By Roshan Thomas and Hadeel Al Sayegh
Feb 26 (Reuters) - Dubai Aerospace Enterprise said on Thursday it will buy aircraft leasing firm Macquarie AirFinance for an enterprise value of about $7 billion, creating a combined fleet of 1,029 planes and one of the world's biggest lessors.
The sale, which followed a competitive bidding process, underscores strong investor appetite for aircraft assets as Boeing BA.N and Airbus AIR.PA struggle to ramp up production to meet airline demand.
The global aircraft leasing market is dominated by AerCap Holdings N.V. AER.N and SMBC Aviation Capital, both based in Ireland.
The Macquarie AirFinance deal would lift DAE into the top tier, analysts said.
"(It) ... fast tracks Dubai Aerospace Enterprise to the forefront of global aircraft leasing," said Tim Waterer, chief market analyst at KCM Trade, adding that the deal also diversifies the Dubai state-owned lessor's customer base and increases exposure to newer aircraft, even as supply constraints at major manufacturers persist.
The combined fleet will serve 191 airlines in 79 countries, with narrowbody jets accounting for about 70% of the portfolio, DAE said.
The acquisition, which adds 37 airline customers including carriers in seven countries where DAE has no presence, will be funded through a mix of debt and equity.
DAE CEO Firoz Tarapore said the deal would create a "bigger, stronger, more diversified and well-capitalised" company, adding that the combined entity's scale would support more competitive pricing and a broader customer offering.
DAE is owned by the Investment Corporation of Dubai, the main investment arm for the government of the emirate. The company acquired Dublin-based AWAS, the world's tenth biggest aircraft lessor, in 2017.
Macquarie AirFinance is owned by Australia's diversified investment service provider Macquarie Group MQG.AX.
The deal has been approved by DAE's board and is subject to regulatory approvals, DAE said in a statement.
It is expected to close in the second half of 2026.
Related Articles
Has Beating Expectations Become the Norm? Nvidia Delivers Strong Q4 Results Again, but Market Remains Cautious?
TradingKey - Nvidia (NVDA) reported fourth-quarter results on Wednesday that beat expectations across the board, with its core data center business revenue surging 75% year-over-year to become the primary growth engine.
Circle Stock Price Outlook: Will Circle Internet Group Rebound in 2026?
TradingKey - Circle Internet Group (CRCL) saw its stock price experience a roller coaster ride since its 2025 IPO debut at $31 a share. Those early fireworks faded, and the shares now sit roughly 75% below their June peak, though they’re still more than double the IPO level. Outside of that first-mo
Nvidia Q4 Earnings: Market Fears Competition, but NVDA Moat is Beyond CUDA
All eyes are on Nvidia this week, as the company reports its 2026Q4 earnings.
Nvidia Q4 Earnings Preview: AI-Driven Growth Versus Market Expectations
TradingKey - NVIDIA (NVDA) is set to release its fourth quarter fiscal year 2026 earnings report after the market close on February 25, ET. As the world undergoes a period of rapid AI technological advancement, market debates over a capital expenditure bubble have intensified. In this context, NVIDIA’s results serve not only as a test of its business performance but also as a core bellwether for the sustainability of the global AI boom.
