Research from Hardman & Co, Hardman & Co

Hardman & Co

Research from Hardman & Co

Investment research on quoted companies and funds

Hardman & Co is a multi-disciplinary financial consultancy and investment research firm, employing highly experienced analysts and professionals with a broad range of capital markets expertise. Our clients are public and private businesses as well as fund managers, ranging from start-ups to £1 billion+ market capitalisations. Hardman & Co offers corporate research & consultancy, serving the needs of both public and private companies. We produce gold-standard research with a global reach for trading and investment companies, as well as providing market commentary and analysis. In addition, we carry out a number of bespoke investment-related assignments, including due diligence on bond listings, assessments of private company valuations and other corporate advisory services. We engage with the market through traditional and digital media, offering illuminating video content on corporate management strategy, results communication, interviews and in-house sector discussion.

Equity Bottom-Up

Oxford Nanopore Technologies / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul><li>Feature article: Hardman & Co Healthcare Index, 2024 – Tough year for Life Sciences By Dr Martin Hall The main function of the HHI is to monitor the performance, and to highlight the attractiveness, of life sciences investments over the long term, and to try to identify those stocks that have disruptive technologies that consistently allow them to outperform both the index and the markets.</li><li>Many of the 53 constituents of the index are high-risk, with micro-capitalisations and a long way from profitability.</li><li>Despite this, some companies can still make extremely attractive returns for investors.</li></ul>

Feature article: Hardman & Co Healthcare Index, 2024 – Tough year for Life Sciences By Dr Martin Hall The main function of the HHI is to monitor the performance, and to highlight the attractiveness, of life sciences investments over the long term, and to try to identify those stocks that have disruptive technologies that consistently allow them to outperform both the index and the markets.Many of the 53 constituents of the index are high-risk, with micro-capitalisations and a long way from profitability.Despite this, some companies can still make extremely attractive returns for investors.

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>The Hardman &amp; Co Healthcare Index (HHI) has been running since 2009.</li>
<li>Its main function is to highlight the attractions of life sciences investments over the long term.</li>
<li>For the third year running, despite generally good returns in global markets, particularly in the US, performance in 2024 was poor, not helped by the capital-intensive nature of the sector.</li>
</ul>


The Hardman &amp; Co Healthcare Index (HHI) has been running since 2009.
Its main function is to highlight the attractions of life sciences investments over the long term.
For the third year running, despite generally good returns in global markets, particularly in the US, performance in 2024 was poor, not helped by the capital-intensive nature of the sector.


Hardman & Co Healthcare Index: 2024 – Tough year for Life Sciences

European Event-Driven Analyst

Jesus Rodriguez Aguilar

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>After four prospective offers from a Remgro-led consortium, Mediclinic's Board is to recommend the latest one: 504p/share in cash, cum dividend. The PUSU deadline has been extended until 5 August.</li>
<li>The offer values Mediclinic at c. 10x EV/Fwd EBITDA, both above the median of comparables and the failed offer for Spire. At 35% premium, it seems reasonable, but not overly generous.</li>
<li>After four proposals, I doubt the consortium will increase its offer, and investors will be happy to part with the cash. Gross spread is 3.92%. Long MDC LN.</li>
</ul>


After four prospective offers from a Remgro-led consortium, Mediclinic's Board is to recommend the latest one: 504p/share in cash, cum dividend. The PUSU deadline has been extended until 5 August.
The offer values Mediclinic at c. 10x EV/Fwd EBITDA, both above the median of comparables and the failed offer for Spire. At 35% premium, it seems reasonable, but not overly generous.
After four proposals, I doubt the consortium will increase its offer, and investors will be happy to part with the cash. Gross spread is 3.92%. Long MDC LN.


Smartkarma Research Team, Smartkarma

Smartkarma Research

Smartkarma Research Team

Smartkarma

Smartkarma unites the fragmented investment industry, connecting institutional investors, independent research providers, and corporates within a single network.

Research Reinvented

<p>For our next Smartkarma Webinar, we have the pleasure of welcoming back Insight Provider <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/profiles/jesus-rodriguez-aguilar" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="accounts:5842" rel="noopener">Jesus Rodriguez Aguilar</a> to go over ideas in European Event-Driven. Jesus will examine offers that target FTSE 250 companies (particularly in healthcare and financial services); the real estate sector in Central and Eastern Europe; and special situations in European share classes and holding companies.</p>
<h3>The webinar was hosted on Wednesday, 16 June 2021, 17:00 SGT/HKT.<a href="https://share.hsforms.com/1H9pFZOB-RF2J00kbvMmxcw2c5gj?zoom_webinar_id=89974520966" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a>
</h3>
<p>Watch the session here:</p>
<p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/V5Kk8nkuLA8" width="560" height="315" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>Or subscribe to our podcast feed and listen on the go:</p>
<p><iframe src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/34F1xaRo0opzAuBgwai2wy?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="232" style="border-radius: 12px;" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture"></iframe></p>
<p>Jesus Rodriguez Aguilar is an Event-Driven Analyst looking across sectors at opportunities arising from securities mispricing (both credit and equity), share classes, bid announcements, prospective bids, and special situations.</p>

For our next Smartkarma Webinar, we have the pleasure of welcoming back Insight Provider Jesus Rodriguez Aguilar to go over ideas in European Event-Driven. Jesus will examine offers that target FTSE 250 companies (particularly in healthcare and financial services); the real estate sector in Central and Eastern Europe; and special situations in European share classes and holding companies.
The webinar was hosted on Wednesday, 16 June 2021, 17:00 SGT/HKT.

Watch the session here:
Or subscribe to our podcast feed and listen on the go:

Jesus Rodriguez Aguilar is an Event-Driven Analyst looking across sectors at opportunities arising from securities mispricing (both credit and equity), share classes, bid announcements, prospective bids, and special situations.

Smartkarma Webinar | European Event-Driven: Top Ideas

<p>On 26 May, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ramsay-health-care-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:673:1" rel="noopener">Ramsay Health Care (RHC AU)</a> signed an agreement to acquire <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/spire-healthcare-group-plc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22159:1" rel="noopener">Spire Healthcare (SPI LN)</a> from Mediclinic and others. Consideration is <strong>240p</strong>, in cash, adjustable for any dividend or capital distribution at the discretion of the bidder. Mediclinic failed to acquire Spire (at a 25% higher price back then) and is tendering its 29.9% stake.</p>
<div>
<p>Consideration represents 1.9x EV/Fwd Revenue, <strong>10.5x EV/Fwd/EBITDA</strong> and 38.9x Fwd P/E. <em>Past acquisitions in the sector have been carried out at a median 11.7x EV/EBITDA</em>. Premium vs. prior trading session is 24.4%.</p>
<p>Ramsay wants to enlarge its UK footprint, and increase the NHS mix in the merged UK operations (thus diversification of revenue as it seems difficult to grow through private payers exclusively). Margins from treatment provided on behalf of NHS are not dissimilar to those from private practice. NHS will have to deal with an increase in the waiting lists due to the pandemic. There is some mention to synergies but those will not presumably come until 2023. There are some issues regarding Ramsay's leverage, although it may need to divest some UK assets anyway to obtain the green light from the CMA.</p>
<p>Spire has been obtaining a ROIC of 3.3% lately, below WACC, which I conservatively estimate at 8.5% in my DCF valuation, so the business is likely to have been destroying value over the last FYs. Scale and better management may be behind the acquisition.</p>
</div>
<p>On the day of the offer announcement, shares in Spire were up 52p, c. 27%, and closed at 245p, above Ramsay’s offer. Ramsay earlier closed down 0.7% on the Australian Stock Exchange. As I Finnish this Insight, Spire is trading at 247p. </p>
<p>Considering the premium offered, and that Mediclinic will tender its stake, I think interloper risk is unlikely. </p>
<p>As in the case of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/udg-healthcare-plc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22193:1" rel="noopener">UDG Healthcare (UDG LN)</a> (see <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/cd-r-udg-healthcare-recommended-cash-offer" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:51370" rel="noopener">CD&amp;R/UDG Healthcare: Recommended Cash Offer</a> ), investors may want a premium over 24%, the shares are trading at 247p, c. 3% above the offer. Folks may have been using too high discount rates for UK listed healthcare, as there have been a number of bids lately in this sector (UDG, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/carlyle-vectura-group-expectations-of-a-sweetened-bid" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:52066" rel="noopener">Carlyle/Vectura Group: Expectations of a Sweetened Bid</a>, Spire, among others).</p>
<p><strong>Gross spread is a negative (2.9)%</strong>. Recommendation is <strong>long SPI LN</strong>, <strong>TP 256.5p</strong> (blended average of comps and DCF), 3.8% upside to current market levels and c. 7% above offer price. Downside risk is limited and expectations of a sweetened bid are high.</p>

On 26 May, Ramsay Health Care (RHC AU) signed an agreement to acquire Spire Healthcare (SPI LN) from Mediclinic and others. Consideration is 240p, in cash, adjustable for any dividend or capital distribution at the discretion of the bidder. Mediclinic failed to acquire Spire (at a 25% higher price back then) and is tendering its 29.9% stake.

Consideration represents 1.9x EV/Fwd Revenue, 10.5x EV/Fwd/EBITDA and 38.9x Fwd P/E. Past acquisitions in the sector have been carried out at a median 11.7x EV/EBITDA. Premium vs. prior trading session is 24.4%.
Ramsay wants to enlarge its UK footprint, and increase the NHS mix in the merged UK operations (thus diversification of revenue as it seems difficult to grow through private payers exclusively). Margins from treatment provided on behalf of NHS are not dissimilar to those from private practice. NHS will have to deal with an increase in the waiting lists due to the pandemic. There is some mention to synergies but those will not presumably come until 2023. There are some issues regarding Ramsay's leverage, although it may need to divest some UK assets anyway to obtain the green light from the CMA.
Spire has been obtaining a ROIC of 3.3% lately, below WACC, which I conservatively estimate at 8.5% in my DCF valuation, so the business is likely to have been destroying value over the last FYs. Scale and better management may be behind the acquisition.

On the day of the offer announcement, shares in Spire were up 52p, c. 27%, and closed at 245p, above Ramsay’s offer. Ramsay earlier closed down 0.7% on the Australian Stock Exchange. As I Finnish this Insight, Spire is trading at 247p. 
Considering the premium offered, and that Mediclinic will tender its stake, I think interloper risk is unlikely. 
As in the case of UDG Healthcare (UDG LN) (see CD&amp;R/UDG Healthcare: Recommended Cash Offer ), investors may want a premium over 24%, the shares are trading at 247p, c. 3% above the offer. Folks may have been using too high discount rates for UK listed healthcare, as there have been a number of bids lately in this sector (UDG, Carlyle/Vectura Group: Expectations of a Sweetened Bid, Spire, among others).
Gross spread is a negative (2.9)%. Recommendation is long SPI LN, TP 256.5p (blended average of comps and DCF), 3.8% upside to current market levels and c. 7% above offer price. Downside risk is limited and expectations of a sweetened bid are high.

United Kingdom

Spire Healthcare Group PLC provides private healthcare throughout the United Kingdom.

Price Gauge
52-week Range	0.00 - 0.00
Market Cap (USDm)	0.00
P/E	0.00
Dividend (Yield)	0.00

Spire Healthcare (SPI LN)

Hardman & Co Monthly: January 2025

Feature article: Hardman & Co Healthcare Index, 2024 – Tough year for Life Sciences By Dr Martin Hall The main function of the HHI is to...

Hardman & Co

Hardman & Co Healthcare Index: 2024 – Tough year for Life Sciences

The Hardman & Co Healthcare Index (HHI) has been running since 2009. Its main function is to highlight the attractions of life sciences investments...

Hardman & Co

Remgro/Mediclinic: Healthier Offer

In a nutshell, this deal may be about an opportunistic buy-and-hold acquisition by both Remgro (which will increase its stake by c. 5%) and MSC,...

Jesus Rodriguez Aguilar

Smartkarma Webinar | European Event-Driven: Top Ideas

On 16 June, 5pm SGT, join us and Jesus Rodriguez Aguilar to go over top ideas in European Event-Driven, including offers that target FTSE 250...

Smartkarma Research

Ramsay Health Care/Spire Healthcare

Investors may want a premium over 24%. Gross spread is (2.9)%. Long SPI LN, TP 256.5p (average of comps and DCF), c. 7% above offer. Limited...

Jesus Rodriguez Aguilar

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)