Health care merger and acquisition activity recovered from a slow first quarter. The number of deals announced reached 431, up 9% compared with the previous quarter but was 11% lower than the 484 deals announced in the same quarter in 2018. Combined spending in the second quarter totaled $138.7 billion, down 7% compared with the previous quarter’s $149.0 billion, and was 4% lower than the $144.9 billion reported in the same quarter in 2018, according to HealthCareMandA.com.
Healthcare services transactions represented 67% of the second quarter’s deal volume, slightly higher than the previous four quarters. The Long-Term Care sector once again ranked the highest, with 114 deals and a 26% share of the quarter’s transaction total. Year-over-year growth was strong in Behavioral Health Care (+10%), Home Health & Hospice (+19%), Hospitals (+27%), Labs, MRI & Dialysis (+117%) and Other Services (+36%). However, the services sectors accounted for only 11% of the quarter’s spending, approximately $15.0 billion, based on disclosed prices.
Healthcare technology deals accounted for 33% of the second quarter’s deal volume. The eHealth sector was the busiest, posting 47 deals and making up 11% of the quarter’s total. Year-over-year, all of the technology sectors posted declines in deal volume. However, technology deals accounted for 89% of the quarter’s spending, with $123.7 billion.
“Health care is still an attractive investment for many investors, perhaps benefiting from growing economic and political tensions around the world,” said Lisa E. Phillips, editor of HealthCareMandA.com. “Financial buyers accounted for 20% of the deal volume in the second quarter, which is the lowest we’ve seen in the past five quarters. The strategics are still the biggest players. ”
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