Deal Timeline

Plotted by close date where disclosed, otherwise announcement. Select any marker to jump to the deal entry.

The Acquisition Playbook.

Three patterns run through Sabre's acquisitions — what it looks for, how it pays, and how it folds in what it buys.

01
Acquisition criteria
Consolidating global distribution: Sabre bought out its 35%-owned Abacus joint v...
Consolidating global distribution: Sabre bought out its 35%-owned Abacus joint venture for $411M to take full control of the leading Asia-Pacific GDS and lock in long-term airline distribution agreements.
Abacus InternationalTrust GroupAirpas AviationRadixxConferma (Conferma Limited)
02
Capital deployment
Building adjacent SaaS verticals across the travel stack - hospitality reservati...
Building adjacent SaaS verticals across the travel stack - hospitality reservations (Trust Group), airline commercial planning (Airpas), low-cost-carrier retailing (Radixx) and travel virtual payments (Conferma).
Abacus InternationalTrust GroupAirpas AviationRadixxConferma (Conferma Limited)
03
Integration approach
Growth-by-acquisition constrained by antitrust: the $360M Farelogix bid was bloc...
Growth-by-acquisition constrained by antitrust: the $360M Farelogix bid was blocked by the U.S. DOJ and opposed by the U.K. CMA, and Sabre terminated it in May 2020.
Abacus InternationalTrust GroupAirpas AviationRadixxConferma (Conferma Limited)

The Full Deal Book

6 acquisitions — each with the deal value, financing structure, target revenue, and executive commentary where disclosed.

01 Abacus International $411M
Announced Jul 2015 Closed Jul 2015

Sabre bought out its long-standing Asia-Pacific joint venture, acquiring the remaining ~65% of Abacus International (it already owned 35%) to take full ownership of the leading global distribution system in the fast-growing Asia-Pacific region, together with new long-term distribution agreements with the 11 Asian airlines that had co-owned Abacus.

Sabre, which previously owned 35% of Abacus, acquired the remaining portion for net cash consideration of $411 million.
02 Trust Group $156M
Disclosed in 8-K

Sabre acquired the Trust Group, a central reservations, revenue management and hotel marketing provider, expanding Sabre Hospitality Solutions' customer base by more than 30% and deepening its presence in EMEA and Asia Pacific.

In January 2016, we completed the acquisition of the Trust Group, a central reservations, revenue management and hotel marketing provider... The net cash consideration for the Trust Group was $156 million.
03 Airpas Aviation $9M
Disclosed in 8-K

Sabre acquired Airpas Aviation, a software and consultancy company offering route profitability and cost management solutions, integrating it into its Airline and Hospitality Solutions segment to strengthen airline commercial-planning tools.

In April 2016, we completed the acquisition of Airpas Aviation, a software provider and consultancy company which offers route profitability and cost management software solutions... for net cash consideration of $9 million.
04 Radixx $110M
Announced Oct 2019 Closed Oct 2019

Sabre acquired Radixx, a leading airline retailing software provider focused on low-cost carriers, using cash on hand, and integrated it into its Airline Solutions segment to broaden its passenger service system reach among LCCs.

On October 15, 2019, we acquired Radixx, a leading airline retailing software provider for $110 million, utilizing cash on hand.
05 Conferma (Conferma Limited) $65M
Disclosed in 8-K

Sabre exercised a call option to acquire all outstanding stock of Conferma Limited, a virtual payments technology company, taking full ownership of a pre-existing investment to expand its technology position in the travel-industry payments ecosystem. USD 65 million net cash (plus $11 million loan conversion).

In August 2022, we completed the acquisition of Conferma Limited ("Conferma"), a virtual payments technology company... for net cash of $65 million and the conversion of a pre-existing loan into share capital of $11 million.
06 Farelogix, Inc. $360M
Announced Nov 2018 Closed Nov 2018

Sabre agreed in November 2018 to buy Farelogix, an airline IT and distribution innovator, for $360 million, but the U.S. Department of Justice sued to block the deal and the U.K. Competition and Markets Authority opposed it; Sabre and Farelogix agreed to terminate the acquisition effective May 1, 2020. Value excluded from the aggregate total. USD 360 million (announced; deal blocked and terminated).

We announced on November 14, 2018 that we have entered into an agreement to purchase Farelogix, a travel industry innovator in the airline information technology and distribution landscape for $360 million... Effective May 1, 2020, Sabre and Farelogix agreed to terminate the acquisition agreement.

More Acquirer Playbooks

See how VectorShift works for your firm

Request Demo