NOT a Good Exit Strategy

Defense against cyber attacks critical.

An article in Axial Forum reports a worrisome statistic for business owners:

60% of small businesses are put out of business due to cyber attacks.  

The demise of the business typically results a short time (6 mos.) after the attack due to the financial burden of the clean up and reputational issues.  Average cost for clean up is $690K.  The article author, Gary Miller, outlines ways to be diligent against attack.  Read here

UnitedHealth Increases Footprint

UnitedHealth is expanding its healthcare provider footprint.  This week the healthcare giant announced that Optum, it's health services arm, will acquire Surgical Care Affiliates.  The new Optum company is a chain of outpatient surgery centers - 205 facilities across 30 states.  >>Read more

The addition continues a buying spree over the last few years which has included doctors groups, clinics and a leading urgent care provider, MedExpress.

Coincidentally, MT Consulting brokered MedExpress' first deal - when the provider had only 7 centers.  The deal set the wheels in motion...MedExpress has since substantially increased its presence in the Mid-Atlantic, Southeast and Midwest.  According to UnitedHealth, the MedExpress expansion will continue in 2017.

Healthcare M&A Expected to Increase

Freedman predicts strong Healthcare M&A

Jim Freedman of Intrepid Investment Bankers LLC, expects strong M&A activity in healthcare to continue.  In a November interview, he suggested that the level of industry investment and consolidation in 2016 coupled with the potential repeal of ACA should keep healthcare deal activity robust into 2017.

Freedman is President of the Los Angeles-based firm that provides M&A, capital raising and strategic advisory services to entrepreneurs and middle-market companies. Check out his interview here.