Cardinal Health Agrees To Acquire Specialty Networks For $1.2 Bln

(RTTNews) - Wednesday, Cardinal Health, Inc. (CAH) announced its proposed acquisition of Specialty Networks, for a total of $1.2 billion in cash.

The acquisition is expected to bolster Cardinal Health's offering in key therapeutic areas, as it aims to improve its downstream provider-focused analytics capabilities and service offerings. Furthermore, the acquisition is expected to accelerate its upstream data and research opportunities with biopharma manufacturers.

Specialty Networks' understanding of independent specialty physician practices provides Cardinal Health with unique capabilities and expertise that will expedite the company's Navista Network development. In addition, Specialty Networks' PPS Analytics, which analyzes data from electronic medical records, practice management, imaging, and dispensing systems, is set to complement the distribution, research, and technology capabilities of Cardinal Health.

The proposed transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to be accretive to non-GAAP earnings per share 12 months following close.