Pharma BD Deal Intelligence

Hologic, Inc. / Cynosure, Inc.

2017 · Acquisition/Merger · $1.6B · Complete

CALLED IT — OFF BY 13

Hologic paid $1.65B for Cynosure in 2017, wrote off $685.7M in goodwill within 13 months, and sold the business for $205M (net ~$142M cash) in 2019 — one of the clearest failed diversifications in recent medtech M&A history.

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The coverage arc

Feb 14, 2017 Med Device Online Neutral

Hologic moves into aesthetics market with $1.65B purchase of Cynosure, betting that women's-health channel synergies will unlock MonaLisa Touch in the OB/GYN…

Nov 20, 2019 Hologic Investor Relations Bearish

Hologic announces sale of Cynosure to CD&R for $205M in cash with an additional pre-tax impairment charge of $155-185M, formalizing the strategic retreat from…

Nov 20, 2019 MedTech Dive Bearish

Hologic unloads underperforming Cynosure medical aesthetics unit to Clayton, Dubilier & Rice for $205M after a $732M writedown in 2018 — completing one of the…

Source summaries from our enrichment pipeline; follow links for originals.

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Hologic agreed to acquire Cynosure for $66.00/share in cash, equity value approximately $1.65B (enterprise value $1.44B net of cash). The acquisition extended Hologic's diagnostics-led women's health franchise into medical aesthetics, including the MonaLisa Touch system for vaginal health. Acquisition completed March 22, 2017.

Did it work? Outcome assessment

Hologic paid $1.65B for Cynosure in 2017, wrote off $685.7M in goodwill within 13 months, and sold the business for $205M (net ~$142M cash) in 2019 — one of the clearest failed diversifications in recent medtech M&A history.

Strategic verdict
Failed to Achieve
Financial impact
Impaired/Written Down
Pipeline outcome
Assets Stalled

Key facts

Related deals — scored

DealYearValueOutcome
Hologic, Inc. / Cynosure, Inc. (this deal)2017$1.6B12
Hologic, Inc. / Gen-Probe Incorporated2012$3.8B78
Hologic, Inc. / Third Wave Technologies, Inc.2008$580M36
Ciba-Geigy AG / Sandoz AG1996$36.3B98
Sanofi SA / Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.2007$1.0B97
AbbVie Inc. / Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH2016$2.2B95
Amgen Inc. / Immunex Corporation2001$16.0B91

Compare all 7 side-by-side →

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