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Chris Reading, CEO Shares His Thoughts on Mergers and Acquisitions

Key Takeaway: Chris Reading, CEO of USPh, discusses the company's approach to mergers and acquisitions, emphasizing the importance of resilience and integrity in potential partners. He notes the challenges faced by the outpatient physical therapy sector, including reimbursement and regulatory issues. Reading advises businesses to objectively assess their operations and compliance readiness when considering acquisitions.
Price reaction · baseline $86.57 (2023-10-24 close) · hit pre-market · clean, no other USPH news in the window
day 0 close · peak
+0.6%

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POSITIVE FACTORS

  • USPh has successfully added close to 60 locations in the past year.
  • The company values integrity and vision in potential partners.
  • Focus on resilience and grit in business partners is emphasized.

CONCERNS & RISKS

  • Challenges in the outpatient physical therapy business are increasing.
  • Regulatory environments and interest rates pose ongoing difficulties.
  • Businesses must be prepared on the compliance side to attract interest.

Full Press Release Details

As Seen in “Paul Martin’s Crucial Conversations”

In the last 12 months, USPh has been fortunate enough to add close to 60 locations. The struggles businesses are experiencing today, including reimbursement, interest rates, and regulatory environments could be with us for a while. It continuously gets harder to run an outpatient physical therapy business, which makes finding a good partner so that you can execute what you want to do.

Read Below for Highlights from Chris Reading’s Interview on Mergers and Acquisitions

What does USPh look for in a business?

Knowing your business and caring about your team is important. On the quantitative side, we look for someone who knows how to run a good strong business. On the qualitative side – we look for business owners with integrity, communication, and vision. People who see opportunity even in the difficulty. Companies don’t have to be perfect for us to be interested. We look at opportunities to help make things better.

Is there anything unique that USPh looks for in today’s market?

More than anything right now, we try to assess somebody’s grit and their ability to be resilient. We’d rather look at a 5-10 clinic group that had someone with the courage to close a facility and get to the other side of that. There is grit getting through COVID, staffing facilities/front desks, all while continuing to focus on the right things. We’re looking for someone with the ability to continue forward and focus on getting through rough patches.

Does technology use affect decisions?

Right now no, not yet. We really want open-mindedness. One of the traits I look for is people who are willing to say – this is how we used to do it, but we’re willing to try something new.

Any advice for businesses entering the acquisition market?

Look at your business objectively. Look at your volume – net rate – how you’re staffed. We’re not suggesting massive changes, but be aware of where you are.
One of the things we run into that can make a big difference in whether or not we move forward is not being prepared on the compliance side. We don’t look for perfection, but awareness, intent, and if they’ve invested resources to try and get that part right. That gives us confidence that we’ll be able to get them to the other side.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does USPh look for in a business partner?

USPh seeks partners with strong business acumen, integrity, and vision.

How does USPh assess potential partners?

They evaluate resilience, grit, and the ability to navigate challenges.

Is technology a factor in USPh's acquisition decisions?

Currently, technology use is not a primary factor; open-mindedness is valued.

What advice does Chris Reading give to businesses entering acquisitions?

Businesses should objectively assess their operations and compliance readiness.

Last updated: Oct 25, 2023