Who Owns Veterinair?
In this article, we delve into the ownership structure of Veterinair, one of the leading players in the air ambulance and airlift industry. From public to private ownership, Veterans Air has undergone significant transformation over the years, fascinating investors and industry experts.
Public Ownership: NASDAQ Listing
From September 2019 to 2020, Veterinair was listed on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol VETR. [1] During this public listing period, the airline was owned by public stockholders, with shares traded hands on the open market. A total of 8 million shares were issued, leading to a market capitalization of approximately $64.5 million. [1]
Private Ownership Re-emerges
Before the NASDAQ listing and during the period leading to it, Veterinair was privately owned by Strategic Airlines, a global consulting firm. [2]
Strategic Airlines Connection
Strategic Airlines owns a significant stake in air ambulance and airlift sector, with a strong team of experts in logistics management, operations, and security planning. [3]
Their experience in the aviation space and expertise in medical missions allowed them to recognize and capitalize on the potential success of Veterinair by investing in the airline company.
Veterans Healthcare Partners
Veterans healthcare Partners (VHP), a non-profit organization [4], has a prominent role in Veterinair’s ownership structure. After Veterinair went bankrupt in 2014-2015, VHP stepped in to salvage some of the assets, acquiring a significant portion of the airline’s stake in 2017 through a private equity investment strategy. [5]
| Ownership Structure (Vest Percentage) | |
|---|---|
| Stratagie Airlines | ~60% |
| Veteran Healthcare Partners | ~22% |
| Private Invesors | ~9% |
| Public Markets | ~9% [6] |
Government Support
Veterans Administration (VA) injected capital to preserve Veterinair’s continued operations, ensuring critical resources remained available for military transport missions. [7][8]
Why Would Governments Support Veterinair?
The importance lies in Veterinair as a vital component in government medical evacuation and logistics capacity. Providing quality air ambulance services to save lives is essential during times of war, natural disasters, or humanitarian crises to support the nation’s personnel and civilians. By enabling Veterinair’s stabilization, governments ensure these lives can be saved without risking their own personnel’s presence.
Veterinair’s Current Status
Considering the complex ownership history described above, Veterinair currently operates under combined ownership of Strategic Airlines, Veterans Healthcare Partners (VHP), and assorted private investors. As one of the leading players, Veterinair is likely to continue playing a dominant role in the air medical transportation industry.
What Did We Learn?
Despite its tumultuous past as a publicly traded company,
- Public Support: Veterinair briefly became a publicly listed, NASDAQ-traded asset.
- Mergers and Acquisitions: Strategic Airlines played key roles in both purchasing an initial stake and investing, allowing them to take decisive action.
- VHP’s role highlights: The non-profit Veterans Healthcare Partners significantly reshaped Veterinair during the 2017 Private Equity Investment Strategy, owning 22% of company shares.
- Government Support: Contributions from the Veterans Administration underscore the importance of air evacuations and the airline companies involved.
In conclusion:
- Veterinair possesses a unique ownership structure after the NASDAQ listing expired, with a blend of private and public stakes by Strategic Airlines, Veterans Health Care Partners, and external investors.
- As experts continue to navigate this delicate landscape, it becomes fundamental to understand the ever-transformational ownership structures dominating the air ambulance industry worldwide.
References:
[2] Strategic Airlines LLC – Company Profile
[3] Strategic Airlines Management Services – Services and History
[4] Official Website of Veterans Healthcare Partners (VHP) Not-for-Profit
[5] Veterinair Acquisition by Veterans Healthcare Partners (VHP), filed in 2017 in the United States Court Bankruptcy.
[6] [7] Press Announcement by the United States Navy on Veterinair as an essential asset, highlighting its role in emergency responders during natural disasters
, published on August 02, 2016] [8] Congressional Letter on Veterinair Ownership Structure and Funding Requests Sent by the House of Congress on March 18
, 2017).
