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(Alliance News) - Shares in Uniphar PLC were up almost 5% on Thursday afternoon, the last full trading day before Christmas, giving shareholders another present in what has already been a generous year.
The Dublin-based healthcare services provider announced on Thursday it made a trio of acquisitions, snapping up pharmaceutical-focused companies E4H, Devonshire Healthcare Services, and Navi Group.
Shares in Uniphar were up 4.7% at 400.00 pence on Thursday afternoon in London. This means they have nearly doubled from 221.23p at the end of December 2020.
Liberum has a buy rating on Uniphar and price target of EUR4.50, about 380p. The price target is based on a discounted cash flow valuation, the investment bank explained.
Uniphar did not disclose price tags for any of the acquisitions, but said each included an upfront payment plus a contingent consideration payable upon the achievement of financial hurdles.
Each are expected to deliver a return on capital employed to the group in line with Uniphar's target rate of 12% to 15% within three years.
The combined revenue of the acquisitions is EUR39 million and Uniphar said it expects annualised earnings accretion of mid-single digits.
Planning for the integration of thee acquisitions is already, Uniphar added.
E4H, based in Bedfordshire, offers a wide range of digital and communications solutions to the pharmaceutical industry, including brand and strategy commercialisation, digital development, omni-channel delivery, engagement and data analysis, Uniphar explained. E4H will be integrated into the group's commercial & clinical pharma division.
Devonshire Healthcare has provided access to unlicensed and difficult to source medicines across the Middle East and North Africa region for 25 years. Devonshire Healthcare will be integrated into the product access division. Uniphar said this would expand its global access into key hospitals within the geographical area.
Navi offers digital platforms and the supply of pharmaceutical products to its Irish and Middle East and North African partners. Navi will be integrated into the independent community pharmacy customer base. This acquisition is subject to approval by the Irish Competition & Consumer Protection Commission and is anticipated to be completed in the second quarter of 2022.
The three acquisition, one for each of Uniphar's main divisions, will further strengthen the business in 2022, Liberum commented.
By Heather Rydings; heatherrydings@alliancenews.com; and Tom Waite; thomaslwaite@alliancenews.com
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