Patient Square Capital has agreed to acquire US healthcare services provider Premier Inc. in a $2.6bn all-cash transaction, as private equity continues to deploy capital into large-scale healthcare platforms, Reuters reports.

Under the agreement, Premier shareholders will receive $28.25 per share, a 9.7% premium to the company’s last closing price. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026, subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals.

North Carolina-based Premier partners with hospitals and health systems to reduce costs and improve patient care through coordinated purchasing of equipment and supplies. CEO Michael Alkire said: “As the healthcare landscape continues to rapidly evolve, transitioning to private ownership will once again enhance the company’s financial flexibility.”

The company began exploring strategic options in 2023, selling non-healthcare operations to Omnia Partners for about $800m to sharpen its focus on its core healthcare business.

Leerink analyst Michael Cherny described the go-private move as logical, highlighting the misalignment between Premier’s strategic value to health systems and its public market valuation. He added: “Given that private equity in general has a significant amount of untapped funds, we would not be surprised to see further transactions across the broader universe for companies in similar situations.”

Premier’s shares jumped 8.7% in premarket trading on the news.

The deal underscores the ability of private equity to provide capital and flexibility for healthcare companies seeking to reposition themselves in a fast-changing environment.

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