Textron Said To Be Among The Potential Suitors

Beechcraft Corporation, which emerged from bankruptcy earlier this year, is said to be for sale again, and the parent company of Cessna and Bell Helicopter is reported to be among the suitors.

Bloomberg News reports that Credit Suisse Group AG is shopping the company, gauging potential interest in the Wichita planemaker. Among those said to be possible buyers is Textron.

Teal Group analyst Richard Afoulafia said that the company could be quite attractive, given its market position selling military trainers and "the world's most popular turboprop aircraft."

Textron CEO Scott Donnely said last year when the Chinese were making a play for then-Hawker Beechcraft that the company could be a good fit if the price was right. The twin turboprop King Air would be a nice compliment to Cessna's family of corporate jets and the single-engine Caravan line, according to analyst Brian Foley. The King Air is Beechcraft's most profitable airplane since the divestiture of the company’s line of jets.

GAMA reports that sales of multi-engine turboprop aircraft such as the King Air have jumped 71 percent in the first half of 2013 compared to 2012. Foley says that segment of the market "has already turned the corner" compared to business jets, which are still lagging in sales.

FMI: www.beechcraft.com, www.textron.com