If US Airways buys Delta, what would happen to my stock?

Question

This is a low-finance question: I bougt Delta when it was @ .46. I didn't buy a lot, but I've about doubled my purchase. If I sell it now, the transaction fees will eat up my earnings, but if the US Airways deal goes thru, what happens to my Delta stock?

Answer 1

It'll rise to epic proportions

Answer 2

I can only tell you what happened when EDS bought SDRC.

Basically, EDS tendered an offer at twenty-something a share for SDRC stock. They then set up brokerage accounts at some third-party clearinghouse that handled all of the individual stockholders.

I sent my stock certificates to the clearinghouse, and about 2 weeks later got a check for the full amount of the offer.

Whatever the offer is, don't expect Delta do do anything after they accept it (but before the transaction is complete). Nobody is going to pay more for stocks that they can't trade and can only sell to the new owner for the tender price.

Answer 3

None of the answers are correct that I have seen so far. I know this because I work in mergers and aquisitions. The board of directors for both compaines will agree to stock options. One recent aquisition, of Hudson United Bank to TD Bank North, for example, had the option to stay on HUBCO and purchase until the date the aquisition was final. I had another recently that sold off all their stock before the aquisition because it would not have been profitable to carry over low value stock.

Just because there is a possible merger it does not mean it will be more valuble. You are discussing the airline industry which is very high risk.

Answer 4

Typically the company being bought goes up in value after a purchase is announced. So once its guaranteed to happen you may want to sell. Otherwise you will be offered X amount of U.S. Airways for your Y amount of Delta. And personally I wouldn't want to own any U.S. Airways right now.

Answer 5

You might want to call your broker or dig a little deeper in the merger deal details. I had shares in a VOIP company that sold out--yippee!--but they only sold out their technology and book of business, the company itself remained, and that was where my shares were, in a worthless shell. What is more, this was a going-concern, not a bankruptcy. Some tin mine in Nevada bought the shell. In the process there was a terrible reverse split and instead of several thousand shares, I've got 8 and it is worth about 80 cents at recent bidding.

A friend had one who went bankrupt and his interest didn't carry forward, the reissued stock went to debtors.

You will want to watch bankruptcy buy outs like a hawk. This one will probably come out okay for you, but sometimes the legalese will kill you.

Answer 6

if you own airline stock after the 9-11 crash i would say that you are already a risk taker so the projected drop in value shouldn't bother you

the stock ( if they merge ) will be replaced with stock in the new company - if they are purchased and the company is retired then you will get matching value in US Airways stock ( or a stock buy-out at the selling price )

Answer 7

Any time a company buys another public company there is an exchange of stock based on the saleprice.. You receive a number of shares in the new company based on that price. Any difference left over below the stock price is refunded in cash.

Answer 8

Whether US Airways buys Delta or not, Delta's current stock is going to zero.

Delta is in bankruptcy. US Air has proposed to buy Delta after it emerges from bankruptcy.
http://www.usairways.com/awa/content/operations/merger/general/faqs_emp.aspx

So US Air's proposal effectively is to the current creditors of Delta, who will own the entirety of the company when it emerges from bankruptcy, and not the current equity owners.

The current equity owners will hold nothing because the current shares will be cancelled regardless.

Delta plans to files its reorganization plan next month, and plans to emerge from bankruptcy in mid 2007.
http://www.delta.com/about_delta/deltas_restructuring/index.html

Answer 9

Your share price is likely to go up though by what percentage i can't tell. remember the board of delta would have its shareholders in mind and wouldn't sell it at a loss.also, it's likely you would receive an offer to sell your shares at a specific price each from US airways so just stay calm.

Answer 10

The common thinking is that your stock will rise.