Private Equity Cash Is No Longer King in UK M&A
Two big-hitting US private firms are struggling with UK takeovers that would previously have been pushovers. The buyout industry should beware. Investors want alternatives to cashing out to private equity — and corporate bidders seem increasingly willing to provide them.
KKR & Co. has been trying to buy hospital operator Assura Plc, and had won the backing of the board for its £1.7 billion ($2.3 billion) cash offer. Another health-care real estate firm, Primary Health Properties Plc, dangled a rival bid giving Assura shareholders some cash plus shares in the enlarged company. The opportunity to stay invested in a bigger UK property portfolio was popular with the specialist real estate players among Assura shareholders. But both the certainty of KKR's offer price and worries about PHP overstretching were initially obstacles to Assura switching sides.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
35 minutes ago
- Yahoo
5.4 million patient records exposed in healthcare data breach
Over the past decade, software companies have built solutions for nearly every industry, including healthcare. One term you might be familiar with is software as a service (SaaS), a model by which software is accessed online through a subscription rather than installed on individual machines. In healthcare, SaaS providers are now a common part of the ecosystem. But, recently, many of them have made headlines for the wrong reasons. Several data breaches have been traced back to vulnerabilities at these third-party service providers. The latest incident comes from one such firm, which has now confirmed that hackers stole the health information of over 5 million people in the United States during a cyberattack in January. Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free when you join. Ascension Healthcare Data Breach Exposes 430,000 Patient Records Episource, a big name in healthcare data analytics and coding services, has confirmed a major cybersecurity incident (via Bleeping Computer). The breach involved sensitive health information belonging to over 5 million people in the United States. The company first noticed suspicious system activity Feb. 6, 2025, but the actual compromise began ten days earlier. Read On The Fox News App An internal investigation revealed that hackers accessed and copied private data between Jan. 27 and Feb. 6. The company insists that no financial information was taken, but the stolen records do include names, contact details, Social Security numbers, Medicaid IDs and full medical histories. Episource claims there's no evidence the information has been misused, but because they haven't seen the fallout yet doesn't mean it isn't happening. Once data like this is out, it spreads fast, and the consequences don't wait for official confirmation. Over 8 Million Patient Records Leaked In Healthcare Data Breach The healthcare industry has embraced cloud-based services to improve efficiency, scale operations and reduce overhead. Companies like Episource enable healthcare payers to manage coding and risk adjustment at a much larger scale. But this shift has also introduced new risks. When third-party vendors handle patient data, the security of that data becomes dependent on their infrastructure. Healthcare data is among the most valuable types of personal information for hackers. Unlike payment card data, which can be changed quickly, medical and identity records are long-term assets on the dark web. These breaches can lead to insurance fraud, identity theft and even blackmail. Episource is not alone in facing this kind of attack. In the past few years, several healthcare SaaS providers have faced breaches, including Accellion and Blackbaud. These incidents have affected millions of patients and have led to class-action lawsuits and stricter government scrutiny. What Is Artificial Intelligence (Ai)? 5.5 Million Patients Exposed By Major Healthcare Data Breach If your information was part of the healthcare breach or any similar one, it's worth taking a few steps to protect yourself. 1. Consider identity theft protection services: Since the healthcare data breach exposed personal and financial information, it's crucial to stay proactive against identity theft. Identity theft protection services offer continuous monitoring of your credit reports, Social Security number and even the dark web to detect if your information is being misused. These services send you real-time alerts about suspicious activity, such as new credit inquiries or attempts to open accounts in your name, helping you act quickly before serious damage occurs. Beyond monitoring, many identity theft protection companies provide dedicated recovery specialists who assist you in resolving fraud issues, disputing unauthorized charges and restoring your identity if it's compromised. See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft. 2. Use personal data removal services: The healthcare data breach leaks loads of information about you, and all this could end up in the public domain, which essentially gives anyone an opportunity to scam you. One proactive step is to consider personal data removal services, which specialize in continuously monitoring and removing your information from various online databases and websites. While no service promises to remove all your data from the internet, having a removal service is great if you want to constantly monitor and automate the process of removing your information from hundreds of sites continuously over a longer period of time. Check out my top picks for data removal services here. Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web. 3. Have strong antivirus software: Hackers have people's email addresses and full names, which makes it easy for them to send you a phishing link that installs malware and steals all your data. These messages are socially engineered to catch them, and catching them is nearly impossible if you're not careful. However, you're not without defenses. The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe. Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices. 4. Enable two-factor authentication: While passwords weren't part of the data breach, you still need to enable two-factor authentication (2FA). It gives you an extra layer of security on all your important accounts, including email, banking and social media. 2FA requires you to provide a second piece of information, such as a code sent to your phone, in addition to your password when logging in. This makes it significantly harder for hackers to access your accounts, even if they have your password. Enabling 2FA can greatly reduce the risk of unauthorized access and protect your sensitive data. 5. Be wary of mailbox communications: Bad actors may also try to scam you through snail mail. The data leak gives them access to your address. They may impersonate people or brands you know and use themes that require urgent attention, such as missed deliveries, account suspensions and security alerts. Windows 10 Security Flaws Leave Millions Vulnerable What makes this breach especially alarming is that many of the affected patients may have never even heard of Episource. As a business-to-business vendor, Episource operates in the background, working with insurers and healthcare providers, not with patients directly. The people affected were customers of those companies, yet it's their most sensitive data now at risk because of a third party they never chose or trusted. This kind of indirect relationship muddies the waters when it comes to responsibility and makes it even harder to demand transparency or hold anyone accountable. Do you think healthcare companies are investing enough in their cybersecurity infrastructure? Let us know by writing us at For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Ask Kurt a question or let us know what stories you'd like us to cover Follow Kurt on his social channels Facebook YouTube Instagram Answers to the most asked CyberGuy questions: What is the best way to protect your Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android devices from getting hacked? What is the best way to stay private, secure and anonymous while browsing the web? How can I get rid of robocalls with apps and data removal services? How do I remove my private data from the internet? New from Kurt: Try CyberGuy's new games (crosswords, word searches, trivia and more!) CyberGuy's Exclusive Coupons and Deals Copyright 2025 All rights reserved. Original article source: 5.4 million patient records exposed in healthcare data breach
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
I've been loading up on this cheap FTSE 100 share this week!
This week I bought some more shares in a FTSE 100 company that already features heavily in my portfolio. In fact, although I always want to keep my portfolio diversified, I decided that topping up my holding in this company when the share price looked particularly cheap could potentially prove to be a lucrative move. The FTSE 100 share in question is JD Sports (LSE: JD). Why am I so excited about it? Legendary investor Warren Buffett talks about buying into great companies at attractive prices. In my opinion, JD Sports currently ticks both those boxes. To start, consider the business. JD's focus is on selling clothes, shoes and other athletic goods. That is a large market and one that is likely to endure. The customer base also seems to be happy to shell out on pricy goods even when the economy is weak, something I see as a bonus although I do still fear that a deep enough economic downturn could hurt sales. JD Sports has built economies of scale and also has a substantial international reach. It has built a sizeable digital presence but not at the expense of abandoning bricks and mortar. In fact, it has been opening hundreds of stores in recent years and this month opened its largest one yet, at Manchester's Trafford Centre. With a strong brand, regular special products unique to JD, loyal customer base and ongoing growth plans, I reckon this is an outstanding business. But the road has had some bumps. Last year, JD sports issued profit warnings and it has reined in its aggressive store opening programme. A key supplier Nike has had a difficult few years and ongoing weakness in the brand's sales is a risk for JD Sports too given how big a proportion of its sales are of Nike products. But does that justify a share price in pennies? The FTSE 100 company has no debt (excluding lease liabilities) and a market capitalisation of £4.2bn. Yet last year's profit before tax and adjusting items came in at £0.9bn. To me, that makes the current share price in pennies look unreasonably cheap. In a tough market with uncertain risks like tariffs and unpredictable international shipping rates, the FTSE 100 company's profits this year and in subsequent years may not match last year's performance. However, I remain upbeat about the long-term story here. JD's investment in growth over recent years is paying rewards already as far as I am concerned. The next couple of years will see major sporting events that could help boost customer demand. The company has a proven model that is highly cash-generative and could help support further growth without the company needing to take on debt to fund it. As far as I am concerned, the current JD Sports share price is a bargain. I acted on it because I did not want to miss what I see as an excellent opportunity. The post I've been loading up on this cheap FTSE 100 share this week! appeared first on The Motley Fool UK. More reading 5 Stocks For Trying To Build Wealth After 50 One Top Growth Stock from the Motley Fool C Ruane has positions in JD Sports Fashion. The Motley Fool UK has recommended Nike. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. Motley Fool UK 2025 Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Bayern Munich to help Liverpool strike MOMENTOUS Alexander Isak deal
Liverpool have spent close to £200m so far during this transfer window. Landmark arrivals include Florian Wirtz in a deal potentially worth £116m as well as Milos Kerkez (£45m) and Jeremie Frimpong (£29.5m). It now appears the Reds will enter a phase of selling - before later committing to other transfers further down the line. The club have got ambitions to add a new centre-forward and could probably use a new centre-back given the scale of uncertainty in the position. Advertisement Before that, outgoings are required. Alexander Isak is thought to be the first-pick at No9. Newcastle woud like to sign him to a new contract but this deal doesn't appear as improbable as it once did. The Swede would certainly be attracted by the bright lights of Anfield but Richard Hughes and Arne Slot will have to come up with a fee of over £100m as well as a sizeable wage packet. Bayern frustrated in winger chase In order to do so, they could opt to offload one or more of their current forward options. It looks like Dominik Szoboszlai is set to stay in the lineup, meaning Wirtz reverting to a left-sided starting role. Advertisement If the 22-year-old plays from the left then there will be no need for both Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz. One could be sold and Bayern Munich are now reported to be interested in both. The Bavarians had ambitions of adding Nico Williams as a replacement for Leroy Sane but it looks like he could be off to Barcelona if they can get a deal done with Athletic Club. And Christian Falk has told Caught Offside that the German champions have Gakpo and Diaz in line as a backup option. Bayern want Diaz AND Gakpo 'Max Eberl should already be looking for alternative candidates for the wing. Liverpool's Cody Gakpo, for example, could be back on the radar,' he said. Advertisement 'The player is said to be a personal favourite of Eberl. 'After initial talks with the Gakpo side, there has been no contact with the agents recently. That could now quickly change again. Teammate Luis Diaz also remains a candidate.' © IMAGO Bayern can help Liverpool land Isak Diaz is out of contract in 2027 - and could be sold this summer in order to avoid losing him for a diminished fee. Gakpo is two years younger and under contract for a year longer - and would fetch a higher price in the market. With Diaz being valued by the club at around €80m, it means Gakpo could be in the bracket higher than that - potentially up to €100m. Should Liverpool achieve a sale of Gakpo in that category then it would radically boost their chances of signing Isak further on in the window.
