EasyJet shares jump amid potential takeover by US company

EasyJet shares are currently up some 17% after the airline confirmed that US investment firm Castlelake is considering a possible offer for the company.

Castlelake announced on May 29 that it was in the early stages of looking at a potential bid for the low-cost airline. Castlelake reportedly owns 2.1% of easyJet shares.

In a statement published on the London Stock Exchange website on June 1, easyJet said that it “will consider any proposal, should one be made”, while adding that no discussions had taken place and no formal offer had been received.

The airline described the timing of the interest as “highly opportunistic”, saying its share price had been temporarily depressed by the ongoing situation in the Middle East, which has affected customer confidence and pushed up jet fuel prices.

EasyJet shares had lost around 23% of their value since the start of the year before news of the possible takeover emerged. However, easyJet said there were “considerable regulatory, financial and other execution challenges” linked to any potential takeover. 

Any deal could face complications under EU ownership rules which require airlines operating in the region to remain majority-owned and controlled by EU nationals.

Under UK takeover rules, Castlelake has until 17:00 on June 26 to either make a formal offer or announce that it does not intend to proceed.

EasyJet made losses for the six months to March 2026 of €638 million, compared with €456 million during the same period a year earlier. EasyJet has previously said that higher fuel costs alone added around €29 million to this figure.

Despite this, easyJet said it remains in a “position of strength”, pointing to a net cash position, strong customer satisfaction and high employee engagement. It also said it remains focused on its medium-term target of delivering more than £1 billion (€1.15 billion) annual pre tax profit.