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Labcorp Stock Gains From Its Latest Acquisition of BioReference Health

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Labcorp Holdings Inc. (LH - Free Report) recently announced the completion of its acquisition of select assets of BioReference Health  a wholly-owned subsidiary of OPKO Health, Inc. (OPK). The transaction is aimed at providing customers with greater access to Labcorp's comprehensive, high-quality laboratory services, scientific expertise and expanded testing capabilities in key regions across the United States.

Likely Trend of LH Stock Following the News

Following the announcement, shares of Labcorp rose 2.1% to $225.76 yesterday. The company continues to gain a high level of synergies from its various new collaborations and acquisitions within the clinical laboratory service space. Accordingly, we expect market sentiment toward LH stock to continue to remain positive, driven by this announcement.

Details on LabCorp's Acquisition of BioReference Health

The terms of acquisition include BioReference Health's laboratory testing businesses. The laboratory testing business is focused on clinical diagnostics and reproductive and women's health in the United States outside of New York and New Jersey. The acquisition also includes BioReference Health’s certain patient service centers, customer contracts and operating assets, which currently generate approximately $100 million in annual revenues.

The acquisition will further enhance Labcorp's laboratory services network and expand access to its clinical services. The purchase price for the transaction is $237.5 million.

More on the News

The sale of these diagnostic assets is an important step toward improving efficiencies, enhancing the productivity of BioReference Health's operations and accelerating the process profitability. With the closure of the transaction, Labcorp is focused on integrating these assets to drive better health outcomes for patients.

Lazard was Labcorp's financial advisor while Hogan Lovells, Kilpatrick Townsend and Parker Poe were legal counsel. Piper Sandler & Co. was OPKO's financial advisor while Greenberg Traurig served as legal counsel.

Lapcorp’s Other Recent Developments

Earlier this month, Labcorp inked a strategic collaboration with Ballad Health to provide outreach laboratory services across the Appalachian Highlands region. Under the agreement, the company will acquire select operating assets of Ballad Health’s outreach lab services. These assets, in combination with the ongoing partnership, aim to enhance patient care, expand access to advanced testing and improve efficiency for the health system and its patients.

 

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In August 2024, Labcorp purchased the select assets of the medical genetics company, Invitae. The acquisition will expand its specialty testing capabilities and ability to utilize genetic data to improve clinical trials and treatment regimens in oncology and select rare diseases.

Industry Prospects Favor Labcorp

Per a Fortune Business Insights report, the global clinical laboratory services market was valued at $258.71 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow from $274.21 billion in 2024 to $468.15 billion by 2032, witnessing a compound annual growth rate of 6.9% during the period.

The key factors influencing market growth include the increasing chronic diseases, the growing demand for early diagnostic tests and the rapid advancements in data management and sample preparation.

LH Stock’s Price Performance

Year to date, shares of LH have risen 12.2% compared with the industry’s 0.5% growth.

LH’s Zacks Rank and Key Picks

LH currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Some better-ranked stocks in the broader medical space are Intuitive Surgical (ISRG - Free Report) , TransMedics Group (TMDX - Free Report) and Boston Scientific (BSX - Free Report) . While Intuitive Surgical and TransMedics currently sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) each, Boston Scientific carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Intuitive Surgical’s shares have surged 64.8% in the past year. Estimates for the company’s earnings have remained constant at $1.67 per share for 2024 in the past 30 days.

ISRG’s earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, delivering an average surprise of 8.97%. In the last reported quarter, it posted an earnings surprise of 16.34%.

Estimates for TransMedics’ 2024 earnings per share (EPS) have moved up 2.5% to $1.23 in the past 30 days. Shares of the company have soared 156.5% in the past year compared with the industry’s 17.5% growth.

TMDX’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 287.50%. In the last reported quarter, it delivered an earnings surprise of 66.67%.

Estimates for Boston Scientific’s 2024 EPS have increased 3.4% to $2.40 in the past 60 days. In the past year, shares of BSX have risen 57.6% compared with the industry’s 19.5% growth.

In the last reported quarter, BSX delivered an earnings surprise of 6.90%. Its earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 7.18%.


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