SPAC deal helps unlock value

Article Excerpt

AMERICAN EXPRESS CO. $162 is a buy. The famed payment card issuer (New York symbol AXP; Fiannce sector; Shares outstanding: 774.6 million; Market cap: $125.5 million; Dividend yield: 1.1%; Takeover Target Rating: Medium; www.americanexpress.com.com) also owns 50% of American Express Global Business Travel, a firm that provides specialized travel and related services (such as organizing conferences and managing expenses) to businesses. A group of private investors acquired the other 50% in 2014. The company now plans to merge this business with Apollo Strategic Growth Capital (New York symbol APSG), a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) backed by private equity firm Apollo Global Management Inc. (New York symbol APO). The combined company will change its name to Global Business Travel Group, Inc. and trade on the New York exchange under the “GBTG” symbol. Amex and its partners expect to complete the transaction in the first half of 2022. The company has not yet said how much of the combined company it would own after the merger. However,…