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📍 Dublin, Ireland — Sumitomo Corporation, alongside its aircraft leasing subsidiary SMBC Aviation Capital and investment firms Apollo and Brookfield, has reached a definitive agreement to acquire Air Lease Corporation (ALC), a leading player in the global aircraft leasing industry.
Under the terms of the all-cash transaction, ALC shareholders will receive $65 per share, valuing the equity portion of the deal at $7.4 billion. Including the assumption of ALC’s outstanding debt, the total enterprise value of the acquisition stands at approximately $28.2 billion.
To facilitate the transaction, the consortium has established a new Irish entity, Sumisho Air Lease Corporation (Ireland) DAC, which is expected to secure an investment-grade rating from major credit agencies. Financing for the deal is being provided by a banking syndicate including SMBC, Citi, and Goldman Sachs, contributing $12.1 billion in capital.
Following board approval, ALC will be rebranded as Sumisho Air Lease. Its entire aircraft order book—valued at $17 billion—will be transferred to SMBC Aviation Capital, significantly expanding the latter’s global fleet and positioning it among the top aircraft lessors worldwide.
Sumitomo’s Takao Kusaka and SMBC Aviation Capital’s Peter Barrett emphasized that the acquisition enhances scale, operational efficiency, and market competitiveness. The move comes amid growing demand for modern, fuel-efficient aircraft and continued consolidation in the aviation leasing sector.
Founded in 2010 by industry pioneer Steven Udvar-Házy, ALC has grown to manage a fleet of approximately 500 aircraft. Udvar-Házy, who previously founded International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC), retired from his executive role in March 2025, marking the end of an era in aviation finance.
