Overview
- The board said the process is at a highly preliminary stage and that it has received no approaches or engaged in active sale talks.
- Shares jumped sharply on the news, closing about 14% higher at 247p after rising as much as 18% intraday.
- Harwood Capital, holding roughly 5%, and other investors have urged options including a sale, citing an unencumbered property portfolio of about £1.4bn and growth plans in occupational health targeting £40m of annual EBITDA.
- Spire operates 38 hospitals and more than 50 clinics across the UK, serving both private patients and the NHS.
- Mediclinic is the largest shareholder at just under 30% with board representation, and investors recall a 250p-per-share bid from Ramsay Health Care that shareholders rejected in 2021.