Expedia nearing deal to sell stake to Silver Lake and Apollo: WSJ

(Reuters) – Online travel services company Expedia Group Inc is in advanced talks to sell a stake to private-equity firms Silver Lake Partners and Apollo Global Management Inc for about $1 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.

Expedia’s shares rose more than 6% in extended trading. The company’s shares have fallen about 47% so far this year as global travel restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic ground the travel and tourism industry to a virtual halt.

The company is expected to give board representation to the investors as part of the deal, which could be announced this week, the Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

However, the talks could still collapse and Expedia could opt to raise funds in a public-debt offering instead, the report added.

Expedia and Silver Lake declined to comment, while Apollo did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.

(Reporting by Uday Sampath in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta)