Carl Zeiss Meditec AG announces agreement to acquire D.O.R.C.
Carl Zeiss Meditec AG (ISIN: DE0005313704) announces today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire 100% of the shares in Dutch Ophthalmic Research Center (International) BV, Zuidland, Netherlands (D.O.R.C.), from the investment firm Eurazeo SE, Paris, France (ISIN: FR0000121121). D.O.R.C. is a leading company in the vitreo-retinal surgery segment with close to EUR 200 million in revenue expected in fiscal 2023 and an operating profit in the mid double digit million EUR range. The acquisition will enhance and compliment Carl Zeiss Meditec’s ophthalmic portfolio for addressing a wide variety of eye conditions, including retinal disorders, cataracts, glaucoma and refractive errors.
The acquisition is expected to close in the first half of calendar year 2024 subject to applicable regulatory and antitrust approvals. The transaction is valued at an enterprise value of approximately EUR 985 million. The purchase price will be paid for primarily by available net liquidity of Carl Zeiss Meditec AG. In order to maintain operational flexibility, the company plans to seek a shareholder loan from Carl Zeiss AG in the amount of EUR 400 million as part of the financing, with a duration of three years and market-standard conditions.
The acquisition should achieve a modest positive contribution (by a single digit percentage amount) to the earnings per share of Carl Zeiss Meditec AG in the first full year after closing.
