BD to acquire Bard for $24B
FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J. and MURRAY HILL, N.J. — BD will acquire C. R. Bard, a medical technology leader in the fields of vascular, urology, oncology and surgical specialty products, for $317 per Bard common share in cash and stock, for a total consideration of $24 billion. The agreement has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies.
According to BD, the combination will “create a highly differentiated medical technology company uniquely positioned to improve both the process of care and the treatment of disease for patients and healthcare providers. The transaction will build on BD’s leadership position in medication management and infection prevention with an expanded offering of solutions across the care continuum. Additionally, Bard’s strong product portfolio and innovation pipeline will increase BD’s opportunities in fast-growing clinical areas, and the combination will enhance growth opportunities for the combined company in non-U.S. markets.”
This transaction will be immediately accretive and is expected to generate high-single digit accretion to adjusted earnings per share in fiscal year 2019, stated BD.
“Combining with Bard will accelerate our ability to offer more comprehensive, clinically relevant solutions to customers and patients around the globe, creating a strong partner for healthcare providers who are increasingly focused on delivering better outcomes at a lower total cost,” said Vince Forlenza, BD’s chairman and CEO. “Our two purpose-driven organizations are well-aligned strategically, sharing a strong track record of performance and a deep commitment to addressing unmet needs in today’s challenging healthcare environment. We expect the transaction to contribute meaningfully to BD’s plans for revenue growth and margin expansion, and generate outstanding value both near- and long-term for shareholders. I am excited to welcome Bard’s talented employees to our strong and dedicated team as we bring together two companies with such complementary capabilities, values and strong reputations for delivering superior results.”
The transaction is subject to regulatory and Bard shareholder approvals and customary closing conditions, and is expected to close in the fall of 2017.
“We are confident that this combination will deliver meaningful benefits for customers and patients as we see opportunities to leverage BD’s leadership, especially in medication management and infection prevention,” said Tim Ring, Bard’s CEO. “We also believe that we can expand our access to customers and patients through BD’s strategic selling capabilities, and that our fast-growing portfolio in emerging markets can significantly benefit from their well-established international commercial infrastructure. Our two companies share the conviction that a product leadership strategy focused on unmet needs and improved outcomes that provide economic value to the global healthcare system will provide long-term shareholder returns.”