How Radiant Life Care catapulted into big league with Max Healthcare deal

With the Max Healthcare deal, Radiant would have access to 14 hospitals led by Max

Radiant Life Care that operates two speciality hospitals, one in Delhi another in Mumbai, catapulted into the big league with the Max Healthcare deal. Private equity firm KKR-backed Radiant has agreed to acquire the entire 49.7 per cent stake of South Africa-headquartered Life Healthcare Group Holdings Ltd in India's Max Healthcare Institute Ltd for $293 million.

 

Abhay Soi-led Radiant Life Care was seeking acquisitions in the hospital space for sometime now. After KKR picked up 49 per cent stake in Radiant last year for $200 million, KKR India CEO Sanjay Nayar had said that they had an opportunity to acquire assets during industry consolidation. Radiant, as a result, had joined the race to acquire a majority stake in debt-strapped Fortis Healthcare Ltd, but backed out at the last moment.

 

The hospital chain began its India operations around 2010 when it redeveloped BLK Super speciality hospital in Delhi. It is now in the process of expanding BLK into a 1,600-bed hospital. In 2014, Radiant collaborated with Nanavati Hospital Trust to take over the operations of the Mumbai-based 350-bed multi-speciality Nanavati Hospital and is now in the process of converting the hospital into a 1000-bed facility.

 

While these plans are going to develop over a three to the four-year horizon, now with the Max Healthcare deal, Radiant would have access to 14 hospitals operated by the Max Healthcare. Analysts feel that this would strengthen the company's north India presence and also emerge as a strong competition to Fortis and Apollo Hospitals. "A strong presence in north India also helps to take part in the Centre's ambitious Ayushamn Bharat scheme that would need private hospital participation," said an analyst. Ayushman Bharat would provide insurance coverage to over 100 million families.

 

Max Healthcare reported a 9 per cent jump in its gross revenue to Rs 27.8 billion for FY18 even as its operating margin fell to 8.5 per cent from 11.4 per cent in the year before. Recently, the Delhi government has cancelled the licence of its Shalimar Bagh hospital.