Way back in February 2010, just ten days after Travelport ditched its IPO on the London Stock Exchange, finance folk in the US quickly predicted a return to the idea later in the year.
It now seems such gazing into the money crystal ball did indeed have a degree of reality to it with news emerging today that Travelport is reconsidering its position on the markets.
The Financial Times report [registration required] today also mirrors the earlier predictions that the listing on the London Stock Exchange will be switched to the more stable New York financial centre of Wall Street.
When rumours first started doing the rounds earlier this month, Travelport inevitably said at the time and has repeated again today:
“We do not comment on market rumour or speculation.”
At the time of the exit from the London IPO, Travelport blamed tough market conditions while other reports suggested the company's debt burden had made investors nervous.
Fast forward five months and the European markets have not improved dramatically (with the Greece situation triggering efforts by a number of governments, not least in the UK, to take dramatic steps to reduce budget deficits, making investors jittery once again).
However, champions for an IPO within Travelport will be buoyed by the solid start to the public markets by rival travel technology provider Amadeus following its listing in Madrid in late-April.
Amadeus has added around 20% to its share price in seven weeks, but is culturally and historically a Spanish company.
Some suggest Travelport, which is headquartered in the US (despite the large office and many central services location in Langley, UK), will now have a much better chance in New York because of the better market conditions and its own legacy and relationship with investors from the Cendant days.