JetBlue is going hostile in its bid for Spirit Airlines and asking Spirit shareholders to reject a proposed $2.9 billion acquisition by Frontier Airlines.
JetBlue is going straight to shareholders of the Florida airline in hopes of pushing its board to the negotiating table. Shares of Spirit jumped 17% before the opening bell Monday.
Spirit has rejectedJetBlue’s $3.6 billion offer for the Florida budget carrier twice already, saying antitrust regulators are unlikely to approve an offer from the New York City airline because of its alliancewith American Airlines in the Northeast. The Justice Department is suing to block that deal.
Shareholders of Spirit are scheduledto vote June 10 on the Frontier bid favored by the Spirit board.
JetBlue said Monday that Frontier’s offer is high risk and low value. It made its initial buyout bidfor Spirit on April 5, offering $33 per share in cash.
JetBlue is offering $30 a share in cash in its tender offer, but would be open to paying its initial offer price of $33 a share if the board at Spirit enters talks and provides data that JetBlue has requested, the company said. JetBlue said the tender price reflected what JetBlue called Spirit’s unwillingness to share necessary information.
