30 Best CEOs of the Year 2020 30 Best CEOs of the Year 2020 | Page 48

Aircastle Limited– Creating opportunity
by vanquishing complexity
A
n aircraft operating firm
permits airlines to use,
operate, and maintain the
aircraft. Nowadays, a lot of the
aircraft that fly in the sky are
leased, rather than owned. With
the leasing business booming,
Aircastle Limited is one such
firm that acquires, leases, and sells
commercial jet aircraft to airlines
throughout the world. The company
employs a balanced approach to
investment and capitalization,
factoring in industry cyclicality and
other global and regional market
dynamics. The firm mainly focuses
on a long-term investment horizon.
Its business is managed by a team
of aviation professionals with
extensive industry experience.
Through servicing offices in
the United States, Ireland and
Singapore, they provide their airline
customers with an exceptional
level of service and the investors
with global coverage and local
market knowledge. Aircastle
Limited acquires leases and sells
commercial jet aircraft to airlines
throughout the world. As of
48
“ Aircastle
has focused
on providing
our
investors
with a
steady
return on
investment
through
regular
dividends.”
September 30, 2019, the firm has
owned and managed on behalf of
their joint ventures 277 aircraft
leased to 87 lessees located in 48
countries. Since August 8, 2006,
Aircastle has been traded on the
New York Stock Exchange under the
ticker symbol AYR. On November 6,
2019, Aircastle reached a merger
agreement with Marubeni and
Mizuho Leasing
Track Record
Aircastle has focused on providing
investors a steady return on
investment through regular
dividends. Since inception through
September 30, 2019, they have
paid over $925 million in aggregate
dividends – additionally since 2011.
The company’s fleet has grown
from 129 to 277 of owned and
managed aircraft. During 2018, the
firm dramatically improved the
credit profile of the company, with
recent rating upgrades to BBB-
by Standard & Poor’s and Fitch
Ratings, in addition to Moody’s
Investors Service rating upgrade to
Baa3.