Itochu to buy 50% of US aircraft lessor Aviation Capital from Tokyo Century

Tokyo Century

03/08/2026 09:34

TOKYO, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Japanese trading house Itochu 8001.T will buy 50% of U.S. aircraft leasing business Aviation Capital Group (ACG) from Tokyo Century 8439.T for $1.946 billion, it said on Monday, expanding its aviation operations on expectations of continued growth in the leasing market.
     
Itochu said the deal will also give it a role in the management of ACG, which is wholly owned by a Tokyo Century subsidiary.
Itochu leases more than 90 aircraft and engines to airlines worldwide.
Itochu has identified aviation as a key growth area and expects the acquisition to accelerate the expansion of related businesses and establish aviation as a new earnings pillar, Chief Financial Officer Hiroyuki Naka told a news conference.
The company aims to boost profit from its aviation-related business to 50 billion yen ($319 million) within five years, from an expected 16 billion yen in its 2026 financial year, Naka said.
The deal is scheduled to complete in the third quarter of the current financial year.
($1 = 156.7300 yen)

(Reporting by Yuka Obayashi
Editing by David Goodman)
((Yuka.Obayashi@thomsonreuters.com; +813-4520-1265;))