Baxter Closes $10.5B Deal for Hillrom

Baxter International Inc. has completed its acquisition of Hillrom. Baxter paid $156 in cash for each outstanding share of Hillrom common stock for a purchase price of $10.5 billion (based on Hillrom share counts at closing). Including the assumption of Hillrom’s outstanding debt obligations, the enterprise value of the transaction is approximately $12.5 billion.
 
“The Baxter-Hillrom combination unlocks the next phase of our transformation, presenting a new wave of potential to drive greater impact for patients, clinicians, employees, shareholders and other communities we serve worldwide,” said José (Joe) E. Almeida, Baxter’s chairman, president, and CEO. “Integrating our complementary capabilities introduces additional opportunities for growth across our broad geographic footprint and also creates remarkable new possibilities for connectivity with leading-edge digital health innovation focused on enhancing care, lowering costs and increasing workflow efficiency.”
 
The combination unites two leading medtech organizations in a shared vision for transforming healthcare and advancing patient care worldwide. Baxter now supports millions of patients each day across homes, physician offices, ambulatory care centers, and nearly every hospital department. The company plans to build on its robust global footprint, including commercial and service infrastructure, to expand legacy Hillrom and Welch Allyn products into new international markets, bringing the collective portfolio of products and services to even more patients and providers worldwide.
 
Baxter also has a unique opportunity to advance innovation in new areas that are designed to help healthcare providers increase workflow efficiencies and improve care outcomes. Building on the company’s collective installed base of more than two million medical devices globally, Baxter plans to use its combined expertise in connectivity technology and integration, digital health solutions, data visualization and analytics, therapy development, and monitoring and sensing to build a connected system that surrounds the patient and their care team.
 
“We are invigorated by the potential to create value for patients and customers in new ways as a combined company,” said Almeida, “and we are energized by the power we bring together as one team united in our Mission to Save and Sustain Lives. We are very excited to welcome our Hillrom colleagues to Baxter.”
 
Both companies have a strong legacy as socially responsible corporate citizens. Each has been recognized for achievements in workplace diversity and corporate responsibility, and for fostering an environment that supports and encourages high performance, respect for individuals, and professional growth. 
 

Executive and Board Appointments 

 
In conjunction with the acquisition, Baxter announced the following executive and board appointments.
 
Giuseppe Accogli, formerly Baxter’s senior vice president and president, Americas and Global Business Units, has been recently named to the newly established role of executive vice president and chief operating officer. Accogli has been with Baxter for 14 years in roles of increasing responsibility. He previously worked for Medtronic plc, and in several sales, product and marketing roles for Tyco Healthcare and then Covidien.
 
Additionally, in connection with the acquisition close, Baxter’s board of directors has appointed Nancy M. Schlichting, retired president and chief executive officer of Henry Ford Health System, to the Baxter board. Schlichting had served on the Hillrom board of directors. She currently serves as a director of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Encompass Health and Pear Therapeutics; vice-chair of the Duke University Health System board; and a trustee of Kresge Foundation and Duke University.
 

Transaction and Financial Highlights 

 
Baxter’s proposed acquisition of Hillrom was announced on Sept. 2. 
 
Baxter expects the combination to result in approximately $250 million of annual pre-tax cost synergies by the end of year three. This estimate excludes any benefit from potential new revenue growth opportunities resulting from the combination of the two organizations.
 
The transaction is expected to be low double-digit accretive to Baxter’s adjusted earnings per share (EPS) in the first full year post close, increasing to more than 20 percent by the third year following closing. The transaction is also expected to expand Baxter’s overall adjusted EBITDA margins over the medium term and deliver strong cash flow generation with a high single-digit return on invested capital (ROIC) expected by the fifth year following closing.
 
Baxter funded the acquisition, and the refinancing of certain assumed indebtedness of Hillrom, through the issuance of $7.8 billion in fixed and floating rate bonds, $4 billion in drawn three- and five-year floating rate term loan agreements, and the remainder in cash on hand. The weighted average cost of the final acquisition financing is approximately 2 percent, with a weighted average maturity of approximately seven years. Baxter is committed to deleveraging to a 2.75x net debt to adjusted EBITDA leverage ratio within two years post-closing.