Independent Welch Allyn Sells for $2.05 Billion

Welch Allyn, Inc. was a quiet, family-run global medical device company, based in the Finger Lakes region of New York State. We knew the peace couldn’t last. Sure enough, last week Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: HRC) agreed to pay $2.05 billion for the Skaneateles Falls-based company that makes those physical examination instruments and accessories you so look forward to seeing whenever you visit your doctor. It also makes EMR-connected vital signs and cardiac monitoring devices, with the aid of 2,600 people in 26 countries. Hill-Rom Holdings operates as a medical technology company, and its financial advisors at Goldman, Sachs & Co. expect this transaction to generate $2.6 billion in... Read More »

Another Record Falls in Q1:15

Now that the month is officially over, we can report our preliminary Q1:15 results—and it was another record breaker, at least for transactions. The 346 deals logged so far are 109% higher than the first quarter of 2014. You would think that the $104.7 billion in combined spending would set another record, but no. In Q1:09, we tracked $127.2 billion spent on 202 deals. That’s when Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) bought Wyeth for $68 billion.  Here’s the preliminary breakdown of Q1:15 — and remember, the spending is only for deals that disclosed prices. Read More »

Nikon Refocuses on Medical Devices

Nikon Corporation (T: 7731) is following its consumer electronics brethren, Canon, Inc. (NYSE: CAJ), FujiFilm (T: 4901), Olympus Corp. (T:7733), Pentax Corp. and Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG), into the health care industry. Last week it announced the acquisition of Optos. The $400 million price buys a Scottish medical device company that specializes in designing retinal-imaging machines used to test eyes and detect high blood press, and certain types of cancers.     Read More »

Cross-Border Merger in Medical Devices

With only four deals announced in January, it seemed as if M&A in the medical devices sector was drying up. Not quite, as 11 announcements surfaced in February. The largest came last week, as Sorin SpA (MIL: SRN) agreed to merge with Houston-based Cyberonics Inc. (NASDAQ: CYBX). The all-stock transaction produces a combined equity value of approximately $2.7 billion. If all goes according to plan, Cyberonics shareholders will own 54% of the new company upon closing, which translates to a purchase price of about $1.24 billion. The new company, still to be named, combines two global leaders in cardiac surgery and neuromodulation, and will be a major player in cardiac rhythm management,... Read More »