Business
Report: Merger values jump
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted April 17, 2006
Mergers and acquisitions in the health care services industry were valued at $46.3 billion in 2005, a 19% jump over the $39 billion reported in 2004, according to research compiled by Irving Levin Associates, a health care research firm based in Norwalk, Conn.
The 523 deals announced in the services sector were a 24% increase over the 423 deals announced during 2004, according to the report. Deals included 50 hospital transactions, a drop from the 59 deals announced during 2004, according to the report. Prices of those facilities were higher, however, because they were of higher quality, according to the report.
The report cited 30 mergers and acquisitions among managed care companies in 2005, worth a combined $9.2 billion. Three of the deals were worth more than $1 billion, according to the report.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2006/04/17/bibf0417.htm.