Optum UK, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, is set to acquire healthcare technology company EMIS for £1.2billion.
The deal represents 1,925 pence in cash per share, 49 per cent to the closing price of 1,292 pence per share on 16 June 2022, the last business day before the commencement of the offer period.
Optum UK provides healthcare software, services and consultancy, focusing on population health management programmes and medicine optimisation services across the UK. In the announcement, Optum say that they are “pleased to be investing further in the UK healthcare sector and believe that a combination of EMIS and Optum UK would strengthen EMIS’s capabilities as a leading UK healthcare technology company, with an enhanced ability to deliver important benefits for patients, clinicians and the NHS.”
The deal with Leeds-based EMIS hopes to “enable EMIS to grow its business in the UK through accelerated investment in innovation”.
Andy Thorburn, CEO of EMIS, commented: “We believe this combination will have the resources and expertise to enable us to better support the NHS and clinicians through technology innovations. EMIS’s long standing track record of delivering effective technology solutions and strong financial and operating performance combined with UnitedHealth Group’s resources and expertise will enable us to accelerate our development.
“We therefore consider that the combined group will be well positioned to serve its customers and partners in the UK’s healthcare system, whilst ensuring EMIS remains a strong organisation supporting the NHS, thereby fulfilling EMIS’s purpose of enabling better care through technology innovation.”
Rob Sergeant, CEO of Optum UK, added: “Optum UK is focused on helping the NHS work better for clinicians and patients, and believes that this combination with EMIS will bring ever more advanced technology solutions and capabilities to the NHS and general practitioners to improve patient care.”
