NextGen Healthcare acquired by Thoma Bravo: fairness opinion by Morgan Stanley
Deal terms
Implied value per share by method vs. $23.95 offer
Ranges as disclosed in the banker’s summary of analyses; the red line marks the per-share consideration.
Opinion of Morgan Stanley to the target board
Discounted cash flow assumptions
Cash flows discounted to present value as of June 30, 2023. Net debt treated convertible note as debt of $278.9-$304.0 million assumed repaid in full following closing, plus fair value of earnout obligations; net cash assumed $185.6 million (June 30, 2023 cash adjusted for $31.3 million DOJ settlement payment and $1.2 million legal fees).
Selected public companies (2)
R1 RCM Inc. · Veradigm Inc.
| Multiple | Peer low | Peer median | Peer high | Range applied | Implied per share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AV / CY2024E Adjusted EBITDA (Street Consensus) | 7.7x | 10.2x | 12.6x | 9.0x–12.5x | $17.50–$24.50 |
| AV / CY2024E Adjusted EBITDA (Projections) | 7.7x | 10.2x | 12.6x | 9.0x–12.5x | $17.75–$25.25 |
Selected precedent transactions (7)
| Date | Target | Acquirer | Multiple |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-07 | WebMD Health Corp. | Internet Brands (KKR & Co. L.P. Portfolio Company) | 12.3x AV/LTM Adj. EBITDA |
| 2018-06 | Cotiviti Holdings, Inc. | Verscend Technologies, Inc. (Veritas Capital Backed) | 18.1x AV/LTM Adj. EBITDA |
| 2018-11 | athenahealth, Inc. | Veritas Capital, Evergreen Coast Capital | 15.2x AV/LTM Adj. EBITDA |
| 2020-07 | MultiPlan, Inc. | Churchill Capital Corp III | 15.4x AV/LTM Adj. EBITDA |
| 2020-12 | HMS Holdings Corp. | Gainwell Technologies (Veritas Capital Backed) | 21.2x AV/LTM Adj. EBITDA |
| 2021-01 | Change Healthcare Inc. | UnitedHealth Group Incorporated | 14.5x AV/LTM Adj. EBITDA |
| 2021-08 | Inovalon Holdings, Inc. | Nordic Capital, Insight Partners, 22C Capital | 29.3x AV/LTM Adj. EBITDA |
| Multiple | Low | Median | High | Range applied | Implied per share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AV / LTM (6/30/2023) Adjusted EBITDA | 12.3x | 15.4x | 29.3x | 12.5x–20.0x | $20.25–$33.00 |
Other analyses
| Analysis | Summary | Implied per share |
|---|---|---|
| Illustrative Leveraged Buyout Analysis (reference only) | Hypothetical LBO assuming transaction date of June 30, 2023, 4.76-year investment period ending March 31, 2028, leverage of 6.0x LTM adjusted EBITDA, target IRRs of 17.5%-22.5%, and exit multiples of 9.0x-11.0x LTM adjusted EBITDA. | $17.50–$22.75 |
| Historical Trading Range (reference only) | 52-week trading range through August 22, 2023 (day prior to news reports of a potential transaction): intraday low of $15.23 and high of $21.99. | $15.23–$21.99 |
| Unaffected Broker Price Targets (reference only) | Analyst price targets published on or before September 1, 2023 ranged from $16.00 to $25.00; discounted back 12 months at a 10.4% cost of equity to imply $14.50-$22.75 per share. | $14.50–$22.75 |
Aggregate fee of approximately $29 million; approximately $5 million earned upon the earlier of advising the Board it was prepared to render its opinion and the rendering of the opinion, and approximately $24 million contingent on consummation of the Merger. In the prior two years Morgan Stanley received aggregate fees of approximately $20-40 million from entities affiliated with Thoma Bravo.
Management projections
| Projection year | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | CAGR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $717M | $775M | $839M | $908M | $983M | 8.2% |
| Revenue growth | 9.7% | 8.2% | 8.2% | 8.2% | 8.3% | |
| EBITDA | $132M | $152M | $179M | $210M | $244M | 16.5% |
| EBITDA growth | 18.5% | 14.9% | 17.4% | 17.5% | 16.1% | |
| EBITDA margin | 18% | 20% | 21% | 23% | 25% | |
| Implied EV / EBITDA | 13.6x | 11.8x | 10.1x | 8.6x | 7.4x |
Year-1 growth is against LTM at announcement ($653M revenue, $112M EBITDA); later years are year over year.
NextGen management prepared unaudited prospective financial information covering the second, third and fourth quarters of fiscal 2023 and fiscal years 2024 through 2028, on a risk-adjusted basis, including Adjusted EBITDA, EBIT, NOPAT and unlevered free cash flow. Management estimates ran through 2024 with extrapolations for 2025-2028 based on management assumptions, all reviewed and approved for Morgan Stanley's use. Key figures disclosed include CY2024E adjusted EBITDA of $146.1 million under the Projections (versus $143.0 million under Street Consensus) and LTM (6/30/2023) adjusted EBITDA of $118.2 million. The Projections were not provided to Thoma Bravo or any other bidder.
Process notes
Other Digital / HealthTech fairness opinions
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- ShareCare / Altaris 2024 · 18.9x EV/EBITDA
- Model N / Vista Equity Partners 2024 · 24.5x EV/EBITDA
- Benefitfocus / Voya Financial 2022 · 11.6x EV/EBITDA
- SOC Telemed / Patient Square Capital 2022
- Castlight Health / Vera Whole Health 2022 · 30.4x EV/EBITDA
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