New Frontier Corporation (NYSE: NFC) (“NFC”), a public investment
vehicle sponsored by New Frontier Group, and United Family
Healthcare (“UFH”), one of the largest and most recognized
integrated premium private healthcare operators in China, today
announced that they have unanimously approved and entered into a
definitive transaction agreement under which NFC will acquire UFH
from its existing shareholders, including affiliates of TPG and
Fosun Pharma, to create one of China’s largest publicly listed
integrated healthcare services companies. With an anticipated
initial enterprise value of $1,440 million1, the new company will
operate under the name of New Frontier Health Corporation (“NFH” or
the “Company”) with the mission to deliver high quality and
comprehensive healthcare services across China, and to continue to
grow through organic expansion and strategic acquisitions.
To fund the purchase price and provide working
capital to the Company, in addition to the $478 million of cash
raised by NFC in its initial public offering and through forward
purchase commitments obtained at the time of NFC’s initial public
offering, NFC has obtained an additional $711 million in equity
commitments (at $10.00 per share) from a group of well-known
investors including Vivo Capital, Nan Fung Group, and a group of
strategic investors and global asset managers. Of the additional
$711 million in equity commitments, NFC is expected to utilize at
least $565 million in support of the acquisition. In addition,
investors representing $90 million of cash held in NFC’s trust
account have committed not to exercise their redemption rights with
respect to their shares. Existing management of UFH and Fosun
Pharma, will roll a portion of their ownership in UFH and together
are expected to own an aggregate of approximately 12%2 of NFH at
closing. As one of the leading pharmaceutical and healthcare
companies in China, Fosun Pharma will remain as an important
long-term strategic partner. NFC has also obtained debt commitments
from certain lenders, pursuant to which the lenders have committed
to make available to NFC at closing up to $300 million through a
senior term loan facility.
As part of the transaction, UFH is expected to
be given the exclusive right to manage New Frontier Group’s 64,000
sq. meter flagship Shenzhen city center hospital, which will anchor
UFH’s asset-light management strategy.
Following the close of the transaction, Mr.
Antony Leung (Chairman of NFC) will become Chairman of the
Company’s board of directors, Mr. Qiyu Chen (Chairman of Fosun
Pharma) will be Co-Chairman of the Company’s board of directors,
and Ms. Roberta Lipson (Founder and CEO of UFH) will be CEO of NFH.
Mr. Carl Wu (CEO of NFC) will lead a new executive committee of the
Company’s board of directors to support and guide the management
for the continued success of NFH.
Upon closing of the transaction, the Company is
expected to trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol
“NFH”.
UFH Highlights:
Since its founding as one of the first
international standard privately-owned hospitals in China in 1997,
UFH’s mission has been to provide premium quality medical service
in China. Over the past 22 years, UFH has witnessed the tremendous
growth in the Chinese middle class and the significant increase in
demand for high quality private healthcare. Today, UFH is one of
the largest integrated private healthcare service providers in
China by revenue, with nine hospitals (two of which are under
construction3) and 14 clinics in all four first tier cities and
select second tier cities. The Company is expected to generate
RMB2.5 billion in revenue in 2019.
With a nationwide footprint, UFH is one of the
few private integrated healthcare providers in China that offers a
comprehensive suite of full life-cycle practices including family
medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics, gynecology, IVF, surgery,
orthopedics, oncology, and other specialties. Services include
primary care, check-ups and preventive services, consultation,
diagnostics, both ambulatory and hospital-based treatment and
surgical services, and patient-centered care for chronic and acute
diseases.
UFH is one of the most recognized brands in the
healthcare service sector in China due to its long operating
history of delivering care in accordance with international
standards. Its Beijing and Shanghai Puxi facilities were among the
first JCI (Joint Commission International) accredited facilities in
China, and all of UFH’s major facilities with over three years of
operating history are reaccredited by JCI on a three-year cycle.
UFH proudly manages its operations according to the strictest
international practices of safety, transparency, infection control,
medical records, patient confidentiality, and peer review.
Due to the accelerating trend of aging
population and the rising demand for private healthcare, China’s
private hospital sector revenue grew at a CAGR of 25% between 2013
and 2017, according to the National Health Commission of China.
Reflecting strong sector growth and a leading position in premium
private healthcare, UFH’s adjusted EBITDA* of core existing
facilities4 has experienced a 35.9% CAGR from 2015 to 2018. NFC
believes that UFH is uniquely positioned to capture sector growth
and generate significant organic growth with its current portfolio
of hospitals and clinics given its recent strategic investments
which created substantial new capacity in UFH’s core geographic
markets. Within the past year, UFH opened several large facilities
in first tier cities, including central Guangzhou, Shanghai Puxi,
and Shanghai Pudong, and is in the process of building two new
hospitals in central Beijing and Shenzhen. Approximately 70%
of the invested / planned capacity5 of UFH’s entire portfolio has
less than five years of operating history and has significant
organic growth potential.
On consolidated basis, UFH expects total revenue
to grow at approximately 18% CAGR and total Adjusted EBITDA to grow
at approximately 50% CAGR over the next five years as a result of
organic growth from our recent substantial capacity expansion.
In connection with the transaction, NFC expects
to provide the Company with approximately $180 million of
additional primary capital6. These proceeds are expected to fund
capital expenditure commitments, future expansion of current and
new facilities, potential synergistic and accretive acquisitions
and transaction expenses.
Antony Leung, Co-Founder and Chairman of
New Frontier Group and NFC commented:
“Healthcare has been an important strategic
focus for New Frontier. Our goal is to continue building and
growing our integrated healthcare platform in China. We aim to
provide high-quality and reliable healthcare services to patients
and families across their life cycles. We are extremely delighted
to start the next chapter of the UFH story. We believe we will be a
strong strategic partner given our significant operating and
investment experience.”
Qiyu Chen, Chairman of Fosun Pharma and
Co-President of Fosun International commented:
“Fosun Pharma has been a long-term supporter of
UFH and will remain its key strategic shareholder after this
transformative transaction. Fosun remains devoted to building a
closed-loop ecosystem consisting of healthcare services, healthcare
insurance, and pharmaceuticals.”
Roberta Lipson, Founder and CEO of
United Family Healthcare commented:
“I am very excited that UFH is re-entering the
public markets as the leading premium private healthcare services
provider with the longest track record in China. The management
team is also pleased to have the leadership of Antony and Carl to
support UFH to the next level of growth. With this transaction, I
am confident we will continue to execute our future growth plan.
I’d also like to thank TPG for their support during the past five
years. Our partnership with TPG has been hugely rewarding and their
experience in developing healthcare companies across Asia and
globally has been beneficial to UFH’s continued momentum.”
Carl Wu, Co-Founder and CEO of New
Frontier Group and NFC commented:
“We intend to continue to build upon UFH’s
strong success and work closely with the management team to further
grow the business. We plan to leverage our existing healthcare
portfolio to unlock substantial synergistic value through
partnering with UFH’s well-established service offering. Together,
we believe we will form a much stronger healthcare platform, which
will accelerate UFH’s further expansion in China. We also believe
that Ms. Roberta Lipson and the existing management team share many
similar values and aspirations as us. We, as one team, will work
closely together to lead UFH to future success.”
Scott Chen, Partner, TPG Capital Asia
commented:
“We invested in UFH with the belief that the
company was in a strong position to address a substantial and
growing need for quality private healthcare in China. Over the past
five years, UFH has had tremendous clinical, operational and
commercial success in expanding its footprint and growing its
customer base across China. We are very proud of what we have
accomplished together and we know that UFH will continue to thrive
under the new ownership as New Frontier takes the company to the
next level. It has been a pleasure working with the entire UFH team
and we wish them all the best for the future.”
Shan Fu, Managing Partner, Co-CEO and
CEO of Greater China, Vivo Capital commented:
“We are confident in the rise and continuous
growth of the premium healthcare services segment in China, and
United Family Healthcare is the leading player in this space.
Partnering with New Frontier Group, we believe that UFH will
continue to develop capabilities to offer comprehensive healthcare
services of the highest quality to patients in China. Vivo is
excited to partner with UFH and plans to leverage our resources to
support the growth of the company.”
Details of the Transaction:
On July 30, 2019, NFC entered into a definitive
agreement to acquire UFH from its existing shareholders including
an affiliate of TPG and Fosun Pharma with a combination of stock
and cash financing. Upon closing of the transaction, the Company is
expected to have an anticipated initial fully diluted enterprise
value of $1,440 million, implying 19.3x 2020 projected Adjusted
EBITDA7 of UFH’s Beijing hospital and Shanghai-Puxi hospital, which
represents approximately 20% of total invested / planned capacity
at UFH. Inclusive of all assets, the valuation implies 25.0x 2020
projected Adjusted EBITDA and 15.7x 2021 projected EBITDA
respectively.
NFC expects to fund the acquisition of UFH using
approximately $478 million of cash proceeds from NFC’s initial
public offering and from forward purchase agreements entered into
at the time of NFC’s initial public offering, $565 million in
private placement proceeds (out of $711 million of commitments) and
up to $300 million in loan facility. NFC has received commitments
from certain shareholders representing $90 million not to redeem
their public shares. Upon the closing of the transaction, NFC
expects $180 million of cash to remain on UFH’s balance sheet8,
which will be used to fund transaction expenses, capital
expenditure commitments and future expansion of the Company.
The board of directors of NFC and UFH have
unanimously approved the transaction. Completion of the transaction
is subject to approval by the shareholders of NFC, shareholders of
Fosun Pharma, and certain other customary closing conditions. A
subsidiary of Fosun International, a 37.87% shareholder of Fosun
Pharma, has entered into a voting support agreement to vote in
favor of the transaction. The transaction is expected to close in
the fourth quarter of 2019.
Additional information on the proposed
transaction will be included in NFC’s Current Report on Form 8-K
which will be filed with U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
(“SEC”) and available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
Credit Suisse and UBS AG are serving as capital
markets advisors and Winston & Strawn LLP, Simpson Thacher
& Bartlett LLP, Kirkland & Ellis LLP, and Global Law Office
are acting as legal advisors to NFC. Cleary Gottlieb Steen &
Hamilton LLP and Fangda Partners are acting as legal advisors to
TPG, Paul Hastings is acting as legal advisor to Fosun Pharma and
Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP is acting as legal advisor to Roberta
Lipson.
Investor Call and Webcast
Details
Investors may listen to a conference call
regarding the proposed transaction at 10:00 AM U.S. ET on Tuesday,
July 30, 2019.
U.S. Toll Free: +1-877-705-6003International:
+1-201-493-6725
A webcast of the call, along with the investor
presentation, can be accessed at www.new-frontier.com/en/nfc/.
The call will be available for replay at 1:00 PM
U.S. ET on Tuesday, July 30, 2019, through midnight on August 6,
2019, by dialing +1-844-512-2921 toll free in the U.S. or
+1-412-317-6671 internationally using the access code 13693281.
About New Frontier
Corporation
New Frontier Corporation is a public investment
company formed by New Frontier Public Holding Ltd., an affiliate of
New Frontier Group, for the purpose of entering into a merger,
share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization
or similar business combination with one or more businesses. New
Frontier Group is a China-focused investment group that invests in,
builds and operates diversified businesses in the Chinese new
economy sectors. For more information, visit
www.new-frontier.com
About United Family
Healthcare
United Family Healthcare is a leading private
healthcare provider offering comprehensive premium healthcare
services in China through the operations of its United Family
Hospitals and Clinics, a network of private hospitals and
affiliated ambulatory clinics. United Family Healthcare currently
has nine hospitals and in total over 700 licensed beds in operation
or under construction in all four 1st tier cities and selected 2nd
tier cities. Further company information may be found at
www.ufh.com.cn
About Fosun Pharma
Fosun Pharma (stock code: 600196.SH, 02196.HK)
is a leading healthcare Group founded in 1994 in Shanghai, with its
business strategically covers important segments of the healthcare
industry value-chain, including pharmaceutical manufacturing and
R&D, healthcare services, medical devices and diagnosis, as
well as pharmaceutical distribution and retail. Facing with the
unmet medical needs, Fosun Pharma has established international
R&D platforms in the field of innovative chemical drugs,
biologics, high-value generic drugs and cell-therapy. With its
commitment to innovation for good health, Fosun Pharma will
continue insisting on the strategic development approach of
“organic growth, external expansion and integrated development”,
striving to be one of the leading enterprises in the global
healthcare market. For more information, please visit
www.fosunpharma.com
About TPG
TPG is a leading global alternative asset firm
founded in 1992 with more than $108 billion of assets under
management and offices in Austin, Beijing, Boston, Dallas, Fort
Worth, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Luxembourg, Melbourne, Moscow,
Mumbai, New York, San Francisco, Seoul, and Singapore. TPG’s
investment platforms are across a wide range of asset classes,
including private equity, growth equity, real estate, credit, and
public equity. TPG aims to build dynamic products and options for
its investors while also instituting discipline and operational
excellence across the investment strategy and performance of its
portfolio. For more information, visit www.tpg.com
About Vivo Capital
Vivo Capital (“Vivo”) is a healthcare-focused
investment firm formed in 1996 with over $3.1 billion under
management. Vivo is currently making investments out of its
growth and private equity fund into promising late-stage private
and public healthcare companies in the U.S., Europe, and Greater
China, from its Opportunity Fund into promising public healthcare
companies, and from its PANDA Fund into promising early-stage
innovative healthcare companies.
*Use of Non-IFRS Financial
Measures
This press release includes certain financial
measures, including Adjusted EBITDA, that were not calculated in
accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as
issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IFRS”) and
should not be considered as alternatives to IFRS. Adjusted EBITDA
is defined as net income / (loss)plus (i) depreciation and
amortization, (ii) interest expense, (iii) other expenses (such as
share based compensation), and (iv) provision for income taxes, as
further adjusted for one-off rental and relocation expenses as well
as the management fee to Fosun Pharma and TPG. NFC and UFH believe
that these non-IFRS measures are useful to investors for two
principal reasons. First, they believe these measures may assist
investors in comparing performance over various reporting periods
on a consistent basis by removing from operating results the impact
of items that do not reflect core operating performance. Second,
these measures are used by UFH’s management to assess its
performance and may (subject to the limitations described below)
enable investors to compare the performance of UFH and the combined
company to its competition. NFC and UFH believe that the use of
these non-IFRS financial measures provides an additional tool for
investors to use in evaluating ongoing operating results and
trends. These non-IFRS measures should not be considered in
isolation from, or as an alternative to, financial measures
determined in accordance with IFRS. Other companies may calculate
Adjusted EBITDA and other non-IFRS financial measures differently,
and therefore UFH’s non-IFRS financial measures may not be directly
comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. Not all
of the information necessary for a quantitative reconciliation of
these non-IFRS financial measures to the most directly comparable
IFRS financial measures is available without unreasonable efforts
at this time.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes “forward-looking
statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of
the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words
such as “estimate,” “plan,” “project,” “forecast,” “intend,”
“expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “seek,” “target” or other
similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or
trends or that are not statements of historical matters. Such
forward-looking statements with respect to the benefits of the
proposed business combination, the projections of 2020 and 2021
adjusted EBITDA and generally the future financial performance of
the Company following the proposed business combination, changes in
the market for UFH’s services and expansion plans and
opportunities, including future acquisitions are based on current
information and expectations, forecasts and assumptions, and
involve a number of judgments, risks and uncertainties.
Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon
as representing NFC’s or UFH’s views as of any subsequent date, and
neither NFC nor UFH undertakes any obligation to update
forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after
the date they were made, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise, except as may be required under
applicable securities laws. You should not place undue reliance on
these forward-looking statements. As a result of a number of known
and unknown risks and uncertainties, actual results or performance
may be materially different from those expressed or implied by
these forward-looking statements. Some factors that could cause
actual results to differ include, but are not limited to: (1) the
occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could
give rise to the termination of the transaction agreement to be
entered into in connection with the proposed business combination
(the “transaction agreement”); (2) the outcome of any legal
proceedings that may be instituted against UFH or NFC following
announcement of the proposed business combination and related
transactions; (3) the inability to complete the transactions
contemplated by the transaction agreement due to the failure to
obtain approval of the shareholders of NFC or Fosun or satisfy
other conditions to the closing of the proposed business
combination; (4) the ability to obtain or maintain the listing of
the Company’s ordinary shares on the New York Stock Exchange
following the proposed business combination; (5) the risk that the
proposed business combination disrupts the parties' current plans
and operations as a result of the announcement and consummation of
the transactions described herein; (6) the ability to recognize the
anticipated benefits of the proposed business combination, which
may be affected by, among other things, competition and the ability
of the combined business to grow and manage growth profitably; (7)
costs related to the proposed business combination; (8) changes in
applicable laws or regulations; (9) the possibility that UFH or NFC
may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or
competitive factors; and (10) other risks and uncertainties
indicated from time to time in the proxy statement to be filed by
NFC with the SEC in connection with the proposed business
combination, including those under “Risk Factors” therein, and
other factors identified in NFC’s prior and future filings with the
SEC, available at www.sec.gov.
Additional Information About The
Business Combination And Where To Find It
NFC intends to file with the SEC preliminary and
definitive proxy statements in connection with the proposed
business combination and other matters and will mail a definitive
proxy statement and other relevant documents to its shareholders as
of the record date established for voting on the proposed business
combination. NFC’s shareholders and other interested persons are
advised to read, once available, the preliminary proxy statement
and any amendments thereto and, once available, the definitive
proxy statement, in connection with NFC’s solicitation of proxies
for its extraordinary general meeting of shareholders to be held to
approve, among other things, the proposed business combination,
because these documents will contain important information about
NFC, UFH and the proposed business combination. NFC’s shareholders
may also obtain a copy of the preliminary or definitive proxy
statement, once available, as well as other documents filed with
the SEC by NFC, without charge, at the SEC's website located at
www.sec.gov or by directing a request to NFC, 23rd Floor, 299 QRC
287-299, Queen’s Road Central, Hong Kong, Attention: Harry Chang,
or by telephone at (852) 3703-3251. The information contained on,
or that may be accessed through, the websites referenced in this
press release is not incorporated by reference into, and is not a
part of, this press release.
No Offer or Solicitation
This press release is for informational purposes
only and shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation
of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of
securities in any jurisdiction in which the offer, solicitation or
sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification
under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.
Participants in the
Solicitation
NFC and UFH and their respective directors and
executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the
solicitation of proxies from NFC’s shareholders with respect to the
business combination. Information about such persons, including
their name and a description of their interests in NFC, UFH and the
business combination, as applicable, will be set forth in the proxy
statement for the business combination, when it becomes available.
The proxy statement will be available free of charge at the SEC’s
website at www.sec.gov, or by directing a request to NFC, 23rd
Floor, 299 QRC 287-299, Queen’s Road Central, Hong Kong, Attention:
Harry Chang, or by telephone at (852) 3703-3251.
Contact:
ICR, LLC
MediaUS:James HeinsTel: +1-203-682-8200Email:
james.heins@icrinc.com
Asia:Jeff PeiTel: +86 10 6583 7514Email:
jianfeng.pei@icrinc.com
InvestorsWilliam Zima/Rose ZuTel:
+1-203-682-8200Email: bill.zima@icrinc.com/rose.zu@icrinc.com
_____________________________
1 The aggregate purchase price is
approximately $1,300 million, subject to customary adjustments as
set forth in the Transaction Agreement. $1,300 million does not
include primary capital investments, transaction expenses and
others.
2 Based on the current assumptions and subject
to outcome of trust account redemption
3 Including the new Beijing Datun and
Shenzhen hospitals (management contract will be finalized before
closing of this transaction).
4 Core existing facilities include Beijing
Hospital, Shanghai Puxi Hospital, Tianjin Hospital, Qingdao
Hospital, Beijing Rehab Hospital and their affiliated clinics
5 Measured by area of facilities and
including the Beijing Datun hospital
6 Subject to outcome of trust account
redemption
7 Including pro rata allocation of RMB 40mn
of headquarter expenses
8 Subject to outcome of trust account
redemption
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