Effective Sunday (July 31, 2016), Fraport AG Frankfurt Airport Services Worldwide (Fraport AG) and its consortium partners reached an agreement to sell a portion of their shares in Thalita Trading Ltd. to Qatar Investment Authority. As a result, Fraport AG will reduce its equity share in Thalita Trading Ltd. from 35.5 percent to 25 percent. In addition, a subsidiary of Fraport AG will sell loans provided to Thalita Trading Ltd. Thalita Trading Ltd. is the parent company of Northern Capital Gateway LLC, which holds the concession to operate Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg, Russia. Due to the sale by consortium partner Copelouzos Group, Qatar Investment Authority will acquire a total stake of 24.99 percent in the airport operating consortium, while Fraport AG will remain the lead operator following this transaction. The transaction is subject to the approval of the Russian government and the senior project finance lenders. Currently, Fraport AG expects that these approvals will be granted and that the transaction closing will take place during the second half of 2016. Based on the current book values Fraport AG expects the total transaction to generate a gain between 30 million euros and 40 million Euros, which will fully impact the Group EBITDA, EBIT, and EBT in the 2016 business year and will positively influence the Group result.
