American Express announces plans to create new joint venture for business travel

American Express Company (NYSE: AXP) today announced plans to create a joint venture designed to accelerate the transformation of its Global Business Travel (GBT) division.

American Express is in ongoing discussions with regards to a proposed joint venture in which it would share the ownership of the joint venture with an investor group led by Certares, a firm headed by senior management with significant experience in the travel industry. It is expected that GBT's operations, business relationships and other assets would be held and operated by the joint venture entity. The joint venture transaction is expected to create greater investment capacity for GBT to further enhance its suite of products and services, attract new customers and grow internationally to deliver additional value to customers.

As presently contemplated, American Express would maintain a 50% ownership stake in the joint venture, which would continue to operate under the American Express Global Business Travel brand, while an investor group led by Certares would own the remaining 50% interest. The investor group would invest a sum in the range of $700 million to $1 billion, which would be used by the joint venture to grow the GBT business. Subject to the execution of definitive agreements and receipt of requisite regulatory and other approvals, the transaction would be expected to close in the second quarter of 2014, at which time American Express would expect to recognise a gain.

It is also anticipated that GBT employees would transition to the new structure, which, upon closing, would be managed by a board of directors that would include representatives appointed by American Express and the investor group, as well as selected independent directors. As the parties work towards completion of the transaction, the GBT management team will remain in place and will focus on serving the needs of GBT's business customers. American Express also expects to execute comprehensive commercial agreements to provide uninterrupted service and close co-ordination for mutual customers of GBT and American Express' other business units.

"We've been making strong progress in our efforts to transform our corporate travel business," said Stephen J Squeri, Group President, Global Corporate Services, American Express. "The first phase of this transformation, announced earlier this year, has been focused on reducing the cost structure within GBT through our technology and infrastructure advances. The joint venture we plan to form represents the next phase of the transformation, which is aimed at accelerating the growth of this business through additional investments that would be used to develop new products, services and capabilities that we expect will help us meet the evolving needs of our current customers, attract new ones, and continue to build our international business. We anticipate that the expansion of our business travel offerings will not only help us grow GBT, but would also provide additional value to our corporate payments customers, which would help us accelerate growth in that business as well. We believe this structure will provide superior opportunities for delivering customer benefits, retaining world-class talent and achieving long-term success."

Travel has been an integral part of American Express for more than 100 years, and maintaining a strong presence in the business travel industry is of strategic value to the company. GBT has operations and network partners in 138 countries worldwide and offers a comprehensive network, service dependability and deep insight to customers representing more than $19 billion in corporate travel spend. The new joint venture would be positioned to utilise its own funds to invest in the business, while still maintaining, and benefiting from, the customer benefits of a link to American Express' other business units, such as Global Corporate Payments, which issues the American Express Corporate Card and provides business-to-business payment solutions.

American Express' consumer travel business, which provides card members and other consumers with travel benefits and services, would not be part of the proposed transaction.