Disposal
September 18 2003 - 3:04AM
UK Regulatory
RNS Number:8957P
Stagecoach Group PLC
18 September 2003
18 September 2003
Stagecoach Group sells Coach USA Texas taxi operations
Stagecoach Group is pleased to announce the sale of its Coach USA taxi
operations in Texas to private investment group Texas Taxi Inc for a gross
consideration of US$28million.
The Texas operations, which cover Houston, San Antonio and Austin, are the
largest of Coach USA's taxi businesses. The Texas business has around 350
employees and operates a total of 2100 cars.
The transaction is broadly in line with the expected book value of the net
assets at completion and will not result in a material gain or loss on disposal
in the consolidated accounts of Stagecoach Group plc. Sales proceeds will
initially be used to reduce the Group's outstanding debt.
The sale, which is part of Stagecoach Group's strategy to refocus its US
business on the North East and North Central regions, brings the gross
consideration for disposals to date to around US$300million.
Brian Souter, Stagecoach Group Chief Executive, said: "We are now in the final
phase of the delivery of our North American sales programme.
"We are making good progress in negotiations for the sale of our remaining taxi
operations in Florida, San Diego, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh and Denver, and are
continuing to pursue opportunities for the disposal of the Canadian region."
Stagecoach Group is also pleased to announce that the sale of the South Central
and West Regions of Coach USA to an affiliate of Kohlberg & Co. LLC, which was
previously announced on 6 June 2003, has now been completed.
ENDS
Enquiries to:
Martin Griffiths, Group Finance Director, Stagecoach Group, 01738 642015
Steven Stewart, Corporate Communications, Stagecoach Group, 01738 442111 or
07764 774680
John Kiely, Smithfield Financial, 020 7360 4900
Note to Editors:
*Stagecoach Group is a leading international transportation company, with
operations in the UK, the USA, and New Zealand.
*Stagecoach Group has previously announced the sale of the Transit, New
England, and South East, regions, along with the disposal of taxi operations
in Kansas City, Long Island and Indianapolis.
*Texas Taxi Inc is a Texas-based private investment group.
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
END
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