Latam Airlines US shares up 2.9% after $456 million offering

Latam Airlines Group SA’s American depositary shares climbed 2.9% in their return to the US market after a group of shareholders raised $456 million in a sale of American depositary shares.

The Santiago-based airline’s ADS closed at $24.70 each on Thursday in New York, a day after the shareholders sold 19 million ADS for $24 apiece. Each ADS represents 2,000 of Latam’s common shares, which trade on the Chilean Stock Exchange. 

Latam’s US ADS have traded over the counter since the company was delisted from the New York Stock Exchange in 2020 following its filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, according to its prospectus with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The company, which has a joint venture agreement with Delta Air Lines Inc., won court approval to exit bankruptcy in 2022.

The airline transported about 77 million passengers in the 12 months to March 31, the prospectus shows. Its fleet consists of 258 narrowbody aircraft from the Airbus A320 family for regional flying, and 58 widebody aircraft — Boeing’s 787, 777 and 767 models — for long-haul international flights.

In the three months ending on June 30, Latam had about $144 million of net income on $3 billion of total operating revenue, versus $144 million of net income on $2.7 billion of revenue a year earlier, the prospectus shows.

The offering was led by Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Barclays Plc and JPMorgan Chase & Co. Latam’s ADS are trading on the NYSE under the symbol LTM.