Kindred Healthcare to Acquire RehabCare Group (KND, RHB)

Kindred Healthcare, Inc. KND and RehabCare Group, Inc. RHB today jointly announced the signing of a definitive merger agreement under which Kindred will acquire RehabCare. Under the terms of the merger agreement, each stockholder of RehabCare common stock will receive $26 per share in cash and 0.471 of a share of Kindred common stock. Based upon the average value of Kindred common stock, as defined, during the ten trading days preceding the signing of the merger agreement, each RehabCare stockholder will receive consideration with a current value of approximately $35 per share. Kindred expects to issue approximately 12 million shares in connection with the pending transaction. The aggregate value of the pending transaction approximates $1.3 billion, including approximately $400 million of existing indebtedness. This transaction will create the largest post-acute healthcare services company in the United States with over $6 billion in annual revenues and operations in 46 states. The combined company will operate 118 long-term acute care (“LTAC”) hospitals with 8,492 licensed beds, 226 nursing and rehabilitation centers with 27,442 licensed beds, 121 inpatient rehabilitation (“IRF”) hospitals (primarily hospital-based units) and 1,808 hospital, nursing center and assisted living rehabilitation therapy services contracts across the country. The merger agreement was unanimously approved by the Board of Directors of both Kindred and RehabCare. Under the terms of the merger agreement, two members of the RehabCare Board of Directors will join the Kindred Board following consummation of the transaction. Kindred believes the transaction will be highly accretive to earnings and operating cash flows, exclusive of one-time items related primarily to the pending merger, immediately upon closing. In connection with the pending transaction, Kindred expects the combined company to achieve operating synergies of approximately $40 million within a period of two years following consummation of the acquisition, with $25 million expected in the first year after closing. Kindred has obtained a financing commitment from JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. in connection with the pending transaction. Subject to certain conditions as well as market conditions, the Company expects to have in place approximately $1.9 billion of long-term financing, of which approximately $1.6 billion is expected to be outstanding at the time of consummation of the pending transaction. The RehabCare acquisition is subject to certain conditions, including approvals by the stockholders of both companies, consummation of financing in accordance with the commitment letters, clearance of the notification to the Federal Trade Commission under the provisions of the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act of 1976, as amended, and the receipt of certain licensure and regulatory approvals. It is expected that the pending transaction will be completed on or about June 30, 2011.