Kindred Healthcare, Inc. announced that its Board of Directors has approved a definitive agreement under which it will be acquired by a consortium of three companies: TPG Capital, Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe (WCAS) and Humana Inc. for approximately $4.1 billion in cash including the assumption or repayment of net debt.
Under the terms of the agreement, Kindred stockholders will receive $9.00 in cash for each share of Kindred common stock they hold, representing a premium of approximately 27 percent to Kindred’s 90-day volume weighted average price for the period ending December 15, 2017, the last trading day prior to media reports regarding the potential transaction.
Kindred operates home health, hospice and community care businesses, long-term acute care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities and a contract rehabilitation services business. Immediately following the acquisition of Kindred, the home health, hospice and community care businesses will be separated from Kindred and operated as a standalone company owned 40 percent by Humana, with the remaining 60 percent owned by TPG and WCAS. Humana will have a right to buy the remaining ownership interest in Kindred at Home over time through a put/call arrangement. Kindred’s LTAC hospitals, IRFs and contract rehabilitation services businesses will be operated as a separate specialty hospital company owned by TPG and WCAS.
Benjamin A. Breier, President and Chief Executive Officer of Kindred, said, “We are pleased to have reached this agreement, which will deliver significant cash value to Kindred’s stockholders and concludes a robust strategic review undertaken by the Board and management team over the course of 2017. We believe this agreement maximizes value for stockholders and represents a significant step forward in transforming home healthcare in America by enhancing access to care and reducing costs for people living with chronic conditions. In addition, the specialty hospital company, Kindred Healthcare, will be uniquely positioned to care for the most medically-complex and rehab-intensive populations. The flexibility and resources gained through the investments by Humana, TPG and WCAS are expected to enhance innovation in both platforms, further our culture of a patient-first approach to high-quality, compassionate care and create new opportunities for Kindred employees.”
Bruce D. Broussard, Humana’s President and Chief Executive Officer, said, “Humana is focused on enhancing our capabilities for care in the home to prioritize patient wellness while delivering high-quality care in a low-cost setting. This transaction with Kindred underscores the successful and ongoing execution of our strategy by joining with the most geographically diverse home healthcare provider in the country. We are confident that these new capabilities will help Humana continue to modernize home health and meaningfully improve the member and provider experience. We look forward to completing this strategic transaction with TPG and WCAS.”
“TPG’s healthcare team has a long history of partnering with companies and management teams that hold significant growth potential,” said Jeff Rhodes, Partner at TPG. “We believe this transaction will provide Kindred with additional resources and focus to drive significant value for all stakeholders. We look forward to partnering with Humana, WCAS and the management team at Kindred to build on the complementary capabilities this transaction brings together. We are excited to build the new companies and invest behind best in class clinical care.”
D. Scott Mackesy, WCAS’s Managing Partner, said, “WCAS’s healthcare franchise has been built around partnering with excellent management teams and providing incremental resources to drive above market growth. We have a long history of creative dealmaking with corporate partners and look forward to working with Humana, TPG and Kindred’s management team to deliver the highest quality, most cost-efficient healthcare to all.”
Debra A. Cafaro, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ventas, Inc., said, “As the premier capital provider for leading healthcare companies and long-standing partners to Kindred, we are delighted to support Kindred and this transaction. It creates the nation’s foremost LTAC, IRF and contract rehabilitation services operator with improved financial strength. The specialty hospital company, Kindred Healthcare, brings together Kindred’s outstanding management team as well as experienced private equity partners with strong healthcare backgrounds. We look forward to deepening our partnership with Kindred’s sponsors and building on the strong relationship we have developed with Kindred over many years to continue transforming care for the aging population.”
Upon completing the transaction, Breier will serve as Chief Executive Officer of the specialty hospital company, Kindred Healthcare. David Causby, currently Executive Vice President and President of Kindred at Home, will serve as Chief Executive Officer of Kindred at Home. Under a shared services agreement, Kindred Healthcare will continue to provide certain support functions to Kindred at Home for a transitional period.
The agreement is subject to certain conditions to closing, including, without limitation, the approval of the agreement by the stockholders of Kindred, the receipt of certain licensure and regulatory approvals, the expiration of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvement Act of 1976, as amended, and other customary closing conditions.
The transaction is expected to close during the summer of 2018.
Barclays and Guggenheim Securities, LLC are serving as financial advisors to Kindred and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP is serving as legal counsel.
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and JPMorgan Chase are acting as lead financial advisors to the consortium. Citi is also acting as financial advisor. Debevoise & Plimpton LLP and Mintz Levin are serving as legal counsel to the consortium. Ropes & Gray LLP is serving as legal counsel to WCAS. TripleTree, LLC is acting as strategic and financial advisor to Humana. Evercore provided a fairness opinion to the Board of Directors of Humana. Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP is acting as legal advisor to Humana.