UDG acquires health PR business for £13m

Purchase of two London based scientific PR firms will be “immediately earnings enhancing”

UDG said that the two businesses, Galliard and Nyxeon, will add capabilities in data driven healthcare and scientific public relations to UDG Healthcare’s global healthcare communications business Ashfield Healthcare Communications. Photograph: David Sleator/THE IRISH TIMES
UDG said that the two businesses, Galliard and Nyxeon, will add capabilities in data driven healthcare and scientific public relations to UDG Healthcare’s global healthcare communications business Ashfield Healthcare Communications. Photograph: David Sleator/THE IRISH TIMES

Healthcare services provider UDG Healthcare has acquired the specialist healthcare and scientific public relations (PR) businesses, Galliard and Nyxeon (MFRHRC Holdings Limited).

The London-listed UDG will pay £6.5 million for the business, with an additional £6.5 million of the consideration payable based on achievement of agreed profit targets over the next three years.

Liam FitzGerald, chief executive of UDG Healthcare, said that the purchase “is fully aligned with our global growth strategy of extending the range of services we offer in high value multichannel healthcare communications and follows the successful acquisitions of InforMed, Watermeadow and more recently Knowledgepoint360.”

Established in 2000, both businesses are headquartered in London and employ 33 people offering specialist PR services.

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UDG said that the two businesses, Galliard and Nyxeon, will add capabilities in data driven healthcare and scientific public relations to UDG Healthcare's global healthcare communications business Ashfield Healthcare Communications.

MFRHRC has gross assets of £5.0 million and generated annual revenues of £5.57 million and a profit after tax of £1.73 million in the year to December 2013. UDG said that the deal will be “immediately earnings enhancing” and Davy Stockbrokers said that the deal should add about 2 per cent to UDG’s EPS in a full year.

Fiona Reddan

Fiona Reddan

Fiona Reddan is a writer specialising in personal finance and is the Home & Design Editor of The Irish Times