Orbitz Worldwide (OWW) Placed on CreditWatch Positive by S&P Amid Expedia (EXPE) Deal

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said today placed its ratings on Orbitz Worldwide Inc. (NYSE: OWW), including the 'B+' corporate credit rating, on CreditWatch with positive implications.

The CreditWatch placement follows Orbitz's announcement that it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Expedia Inc. Expedia will pay $12 per share for an enterprise value of about $1.6 billion. The transaction is subject to Orbitz's shareholder and regulatory approvals. "Given the consolidation that has taken place in the online travel agency market, the U.S. government will likely take a closer look at the transaction,"said Standard & Poor's credit analyst Jeanne Shoesmith. "However, we expect that the transaction will likely receive regulatory approval and that it will
likely close in the second half of 2015." With this acquisition, Expedia will obtain several well-known brands, including Orbitz, CheapTickets, ebookers, and HotelClub. Expedia plans to fund the transaction with a combination of cash and debt issuance.

When the acquisition closes, we will raise our ratings on Orbitz to match the rating on Expedia, at 'BBB-'. We expect that Orbitz's outstanding debt will be repaid when the transaction is completed.

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