6 months ago • 2 mins
What’s going on here?
Friday was a furry good day for private equity firm EQT, which snapped up UK veterinary drugmaker Dechra.
What does this mean?
EQT’s been in talks to buy up Dechra since April, but the wooing process had its fair share of hairy moments. See, Dechra found itself in the doghouse when it issued a profit warning in the midst of negotiations. And that update – which certainly didn’t strengthen the drugmaker’s negotiating paw-sition – helped EQT bag a tidy 5% discount. Still, the deal ultimately came in at a cool $5.6 billion, a healthy 44% markup on Dechra’s value before the takeover whispers began. That pricey move will help expand EQT’s pet portfolio – which already includes everything from vet clinics to pet insurers and online retailers – putting the firm in a purr-fect position to capitalize on rising pet ownership rates.
Why should I care?
For markets: Low-cost London.
Private equity firms like EQT are always on the prowl for companies they can polish up and resell at a profit later, and this acquisition is a sign London-listed companies are maintaining their appeal. In fact, data shows that investment firms have splashed out almost $100 billion on UK public companies since 2018. That makes sense too: London-listed companies often trade at a discount compared to their US counterparts – and a lower entry price should make it easier to profit later on.
The bigger picture: Healthy sector.
Rising interest rates and jumpy stock markets meant that dealmaking hit a ten-year low (setting aside the pandemic dip) in the first five months of this year. But healthcare’s been a bright spot, growing to make up a juicy 15% of all deals in the same period. And after Friday’s Dechra news, there could be more of that to come: after all, demand for healthcare is typically as steady as a surgeon’s hand.
All the daily investing news and insights you need in one subscription.
Learn MoreDisclaimer: These articles are provided for information purposes only. Occasionally, an opinion about whether to buy or sell a specific investment may be provided. The content is not intended to be a personal recommendation to buy or sell any financial instrument or product, or to adopt any investment strategy as it is not provided based on an assessment of your investing knowledge and experience, your financial situation or your investment objectives. The value of your investments, and the income derived from them, may go down as well as up. You may not get back all the money that you invest. The investments referred to in this article may not be suitable for all investors, and if in doubt, an investor should seek advice from a qualified investment advisor.
/3 • Your free quarterly content is about to expire. Uncover the biggest trends and opportunities. Subscribe now for 50%. Cancel anytime.