Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. (MUFG) announced its global Healthcare Banking franchise has expanded to include a U.S. Middle Market group.

The development of a Middle Market business is a natural extension of MUFG's successful global Healthcare Banking practice which underwrote  $33.5 billion in loan transactions, the second-highest total in the industry for 2018, and good for a 9.9% U.S. market share*. MUFG's current Middle Market Healthcare clients have more than $2.5 billion in commitments, and come from sectors including healthcare services, medical technology and pharmaceuticals.

The bank defines the healthcare middle market as companies with $2 billion and less in annual revenue.

MUFG's Middle Market Healthcare group is led by Beth Everett, a Managing Director with more than 25 years of experience; she joined the bank's Healthcare Banking group in 2012 and reports to Allen Fisher, Global Head of Healthcare.

"As a global leader in healthcare finance, MUFG is well-positioned to provide the products and services most important to middle market companies -- whether it's transaction banking, leveraged finance or asset-based lending," Ms. Everett said. "Further, with our presence in more than 50 countries, we can offer clients growth opportunities that we see via our broader healthcare practice, as well as access to the world's capital markets."

MUFG's Middle Market Healthcare team also works closely with financial sponsors, an effort led by Steven Killilea, a Managing Director in MUFG's Healthcare Banking group. "Our relationships with private equity firms that invest in healthcare is particularly important," said Mr. Killilea, "as we provide these clients with financing to support domestic and international acquisitions, recapitalizations, working capital and additional liquidity."

To underscore his point, Killilea pointed to 2018's middle market M&A volume of $428 billion, of which 53% was private equity-related, with healthcare accounting for 13% of the total.