Orient Express raises $138 mn from share sale

US-listed Orient Express Hotels, in which Tata group's Indian Hotels has over 9 per cent stake, has raised $138 million from the sale of 12 million fresh shares.

The gross proceeds of the share sale along with the underwriters portion amounted to $138 million, Orient Express Hotels said in a regulatory filing to the US Security and Exchange Commission.

"Orient Express Hotels Ltd received net proceeds of approximately $131 million, after deducting underwriting discounts and estimated offering expenses," the filing added.

The said offering was for 12 million class A shares along with the underwriters portion of 1.8 million, which was exercised in full, bringing the total shares sold to 13.8 million at a price of $10 per share for gross proceeds of $138 million.

Deutsche Bank Securities and Barclays Capital acted as joint book-running managers and underwriters for the offering.

The net proceeds of the issue would be utilised to part- finance two of the luxury hotel chain operator's acquisitions and for other corporate purposes, Orient Express had earlier said.

Orient Express has two-class share system. The 'A' type shares have minimal voting rights, while 'B' shares, controlled by several members of the Orient Express board, have super voting rights, giving them power to stop changes.