Willis Lease Finance Corp Completes Acquisition of Aircraft Portfolio

What Happened

• Willis Lease Finance Corporation (WLFC) announced it completed the previously disclosed acquisition on August 24, 2026 of WNG II Aircraft Leasing (Cayman) Ltd and WNG Aircraft Management 3, LLC from WNG sellers. The target group holds a portfolio of 12 commercial aircraft and 13 spare aircraft engines.
• The Purchase and Sale Agreement was dated July 10, 2026 and amended August 24, 2026. The Adjusted Purchase Price at closing was approximately $262.9 million after contractual adjustments; the net cash paid at closing reflected further deductions and reimbursements including release of a previously funded $10.0 million deposit, a $1,517,200 nine‑month holdback for pre‑closing leakage, payoff of the Targets’ existing credit facility, and reimbursement of certain prepaid vendor costs. WLFC issued a press release on August 25, 2026 announcing the closing.

Key Details

• Closing date: August 24, 2026; Purchase Agreement: July 10, 2026 (amended Aug 24, 2026).
• Portfolio acquired: 12 commercial aircraft and 13 spare engines.
• Adjusted Purchase Price at closing: approximately $262,900,000 (base price was $379,300,000 before adjustments).
• Transaction mechanics: $10,000,000 previously funded deposit (released to sellers at closing), $1,517,200 holdback for nine months, payoff of target companies’ indebtedness, and reimbursement of certain prepaid vendor costs; WLFC plans to allocate 10 of the acquired engines and 6 of the acquired aircraft to subsidiaries of joint ventures or managed investment vehicles.

Why It Matters

• The acquisition increases WLFC’s owned fleet and spare-engine inventory, which may affect future lease revenue and operational capacity as the company places assets with its joint ventures and managed vehicles.
• The cash and balance-sheet impact is material given the roughly $262.9 million adjusted purchase price plus the payoff of the Targets’ debt; investors should watch WLFC’s upcoming quarterly filings for detailed accounting, financing disclosure and any impact on leverage.
• Full Purchase Agreement details will be filed as an exhibit to WLFC’s Form 10-Q for the quarter ending September 30, 2026, and the company issued a press release on August 25, 2026 summarizing the closing.