Malaysia’s Capital A, the parent company of budget airline AirAsia, has completed its 1 billion ringgit ($226 million) private placement, Reuters reported on Monday.
The move strengthens its efforts to exit its PN17 classification—Malaysia’s designation for financially distressed firms—after the airline group suffered significant losses due to pandemic-related travel restrictions.
CEO Tony Fernandes confirmed the completion of the placement on Monday but declined to provide further details about the investors involved.
The placement follows reports that Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund had been preparing a $100 million investment in AirAsia, with additional discussions ongoing with investors from Singapore and Japan.
The fresh capital injection brings Capital A closer to its goal of restructuring operations and maintaining its stock exchange listing.
Regulatory approvals secured
Capital A has been actively working to restructure its business and improve its financial position after being classified as a PN17 company.
Last Friday, Malaysia’s stock exchange approved its plan to exit the status, which Fernandes expects to be fully completed by May.
To achieve this, the company needs to obtain shareholder approval, secure Malaysia’s high court’s endorsement of its capital reduction plan, and demonstrate two consecutive profitable quarters.
The first step in Capital A’s restructuring plan involves selling its AirAsia aviation business to long-haul affiliate AirAsia X.
This move, announced a year ago, is designed to consolidate short- and long-haul operations under a single AirAsia brand, streamlining the business for better efficiency.
Capital A intends to retain an 18% stake in the resulting airline group while shifting its focus towards its non-aviation businesses, such as logistics firm Teleport and aircraft maintenance unit Asia Digital Engineering.
Profits signal recovery
Despite the challenges faced by the aviation industry, Capital A has reported signs of financial recovery.
Fernandes stated that the company posted a profitable fourth quarter and is on track to remain in the black for the first quarter of this year. If the positive momentum continues, it will meet the profitability requirement for exiting PN17 status.
The completion of the private placement adds further stability to Capital A’s financial outlook, ensuring sufficient liquidity as it navigates the regulatory approval process.
The company is betting on its diversified business model, which includes logistics and digital engineering services, to drive sustainable growth beyond its core airline operations.
Investor confidence grows
The reported interest from Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund and investors from Singapore and Japan highlights growing confidence in AirAsia’s long-term prospects.
While the airline sector faced severe turbulence during the pandemic, the resurgence in global travel demand has helped budget carriers like AirAsia regain lost ground.
Founded in 2001 with just two aircraft, AirAsia has since expanded into one of Asia’s largest budget airlines.
With the ongoing restructuring and fresh capital secured, the company aims to position itself for sustained profitability and growth.
The upcoming shareholder vote and regulatory approvals will be key in determining whether Capital A successfully exits PN17 status and moves forward with its new business strategy.
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