In the next decade, technology geared towards women’s health will receive more funding than it ever has. “Femtech,” a term coined by female entrepreneur Ida Tin, describes technological software, diagnostics and products focused on improving and monitoring women’s health. In 2016, Ida Tin created Clue, a menstrual tracking application now used by millions of women. Most mainstream healthcare options are geared towards men, not women. However, femtech firms combine technological innovation and women’s health issues to design products that target aging & menopause, fertility management, period cares and more. More generally, these firms address taboo topics specific to women’s health. According to Forbes, only 10% of global investment is allocated to female-led startups, and even less directly funnels into women’s healthcare start-ups. Further, women’s health is traditionally only thought of in conjunction with pregnancy, birth and babies. However, the healthcare industry is finally beginning to change with growing attention focused on the femtech sector.
VISTA ACQUIRES APPTIO
On November 11, 2018, Vista Equity Partners announced its intention to take software company Apptio private for $1.94 billion, at approximately $38 per share. Apptio stockholders were certainly happy with the deal, receiving a 53% price premium per share as a result of the buyout. Apptio’s price skyrocketed after the announcement, past $40 a share. The deal is expected to pass regulatory hurdles and consummate in 1Q19, but Apptio does hold the right to engage other offers for the thirty days following their agreement with Vista. The high premium, however, makes it extremely unlikely that another buyer would produce a more competitive price.
IBM ACQUIRES RED HAT
On October 28, IBM (NYSE: IBM) and Red Hat (NYSE: RHT) announced that they reached a deal where IBM would acquire Red Hat for $190 per share, representing more than a 60% premium over Red Hat’s closing price of $116.68 on October 26. In after-hours trading, Red Hat’s stock price jumped nearly 50% to $172.98, while IBM’s stock price fell approximately 4.3% from 124.75 to $119.84. The deal is expected to close in 2H19, and represents the largest software acquisition since Microsoft’s $26 billion purchase of LinkedIn in 2016.
SALAD CHAIN SWEETGREEN SHOWS UNICORN POTENTIAL FOR IMPACT INVESTMENTS
The value of social impact is often perceived as an expense more than an asset among investors. However, sweetgreen has proven that a social mission can drive growth and serve as a differentiating factor in the competitive food industry. Their success counters beliefs about the scalability of social impact, showing how one impact-driven restaurant can develop into a chain that maintains its values even when it spans the country.The value of social impact is often perceived as an expense more than an asset among investors. However, sweetgreen has proven that a social mission can drive growth and serve as a differentiating factor in the competitive food industry. Their success counters beliefs about the scalability of social impact, showing how one impact-driven restaurant can develop into a chain that maintains its values even when it spans the country.
PAPA JOHN’S VS. PAPA JOHN
In recent months, pizza chain Papa John’s Pizza (NASQAQ: PZZA) has been contemplating its future after a public fallout with well-known founder and former CEO John Schnatter. Last November, Mr. Schnatter came under fire for his criticism of the National Football League’s handling of anthem protests during an earnings call. Shares of the company dropped ten percent the following week. In December, Mr. Schnatter stepped down as CEO, but remained as chairman of the board.
XPONENTIAL FITNESS ACQUIRES PURE BARRE
With the rise of the health and fitness craze, private equity investors have begun to view boutique fitness studios - specialty fitness centers that offer a unique kind of workout - as potentially very rewarding investment opportunities. It is important to capitalize on the changing manners in which consumers are spending their money: less on physical, material goods and more on experiences, such as trendy workout classes.
PRIVATE EQUITY IN THE PUBLIC EYE
Perhaps one of the most attractive perks of private equity is the relative lack of regulation and oversight, in contrast to publicly traded securities. One of the biggest deterrents for many younger companies seeking to raise capital through the issuance of public equity is the heightened level of government regulation and increased administrative costs associated with being listed on an exchange.
VENTURE CAPITAL FINANCING: MORE CAPITAL, FEWER INVESTMENTS
As much of our daily life relies upon convenient transportation, it is no surprise just how hard it is to escape hearing about or personally interacting with Uber. Uber has become a household name as its services have achieved ubiquity across the world. It is perhaps even more difficult to avoid encountering Uber in the investing arena. With its various scandals, hasty expansion, and increasingly likely IPO prospects, Uber has thrust itself into the investing limelight.
CASE STUDY: BLACKSTONE’S BUYOUT OF EQUITY OFFICE PROPERTIES (EOP)
In February 2007, The Blackstone Group, led by Jonathan Gray, acquired Sam Zell's Equity Office Properties Trust (EOP) for $39 Billion (including debt). At this time, Equity Office Properties was the country’s largest manager of office buildings, with over 500 buildings and 100 million SF across many U.S. markets. Despite the timing of the buyout and the risk associated with the upcoming recession, Blackstone capitalized on the real estate bubble by unloading many of EOP’s properties over the course of the few months following the acquisition.
HUMANA AND PE SHOPS PROVIDE LIFE SUPPORT FOR KINDRED HEALTHCARE
Back in December of 2017, Kindred Healthcare announced that it would be bought out by Humana, TPG Capital, and Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe after months of acquisition talks. Facing a huge debt load (949.61 D/E ratio), challenging industry conditions, and uncertainty regarding federal support for Medicare and Medicaid (big sources of revenue for Kindred Healthcare), the company at one point had courted half a dozen private equity firms before agreeing to a deal with the consortium.