Hospital M&A activity falls in 2002 - Industry Watch - mergers and acquisitions - Brief Article

Healthcare Financial Management, May, 2003

Hospital mergers and acquisitions (M&As) dropped in 2002, hitting the lowest level of transactions in 10 years, according to Irving Levin Associates, Inc., New Canaan, Conn. In 2002, 58 deals were announced involving 101 hospitals, compared with 83 transactions involving 118 hospitals the year before.

Although the number of transactions declined significantly, the dollar value of the deals with disclosed prices increased from $3.0 billion in 2001 to $3.5 billion in 2002. Much of the recent decline in activity is attributable to the diminishing role of not-for-profit hospital organizations as buyers. In 1997, nearly 75 percent of transactions involved a not-for-profit buyer, compared with 25 percent in 2002.

For more information, go to www.levinassociates.com/pressroom/pressreleases/pr2003/pr304har9.htm.>

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