Surgery Partners (SGRY) rallied nearly 50% on Monday morning after HealthSpan Partners agreed to take it private in a deal valued at about $5.7 billion, including debt. The cash offer assigns a price of $23.50 to each SGRY share, representing an exciting 49% premium on its previous close.
Following today’s meteoric run, Surgery Partners shares are trading at more than 2x their price in late March.
For shareholders, the HealthSpan deal establishes a cash exit substantially above the firm’s recent trading level. The affiliate of Bon Secours Mercy Health has a strategic reason to buy. Surgery Partners brings more than 200 locations across 30 states and roughly 5,000 affiliated physicians, expanding its reach as surgical care increasingly moves beyond traditional hospitals.
Bain Capital, which owns about 39% of Surgery Partners, will retain an equity investment and has pledged its votes in support.
In its press release, management confirmed that financing commitments have already been secured, strengthening the transaction’s credibility while approvals remain pending.
At just over $23, Surgery Partners stock is trading less than 2% below the acquisition price. The Tennessee-headquartered firm expects the transaction to complete in the first quarter of 2027, subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals.
The remaining discount compensates investors for that wait and the possibility of a setback. SGRY would become privately held and leave Nasdaq upon completion.
A competing offer could create additional upside, but investors have little basis to assume one will emerge.
All in all, with shares already approaching the agreed-upon buyout price, most of this transaction’s immediate reward has been captured, with limited upside potential left for new investors.
Heading into Oct. 26, Wall Street had a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating on SGRY stock, with the mean price target set at nearly $19. This means analysts didn’t expect Surgery Partners to hit the valuation that HealthSpan has already assigned to it as a standalone company, at least in the near term.