Fresenius Medical Eyes Acquisitions in 2012 Worth Up to $300 MLN

Fresenius Medical Care AG, the world’s biggest provider of kidney dialysis, aims to do more acquisitions next year and increase volume to offset lower government reimbursements in the U.S.

“This has been a year of dramatic change in terms of reimbursement,” Chief Executive Officer Ben Lipps said in an interview today.

The company will likely spend up to $300 million on acquisitions next year, once it completes the purchase of Liberty Dialysis Holdings Inc. in the U.S. for $1.7 billion, Chief Financial Officer Michael Brosnan said in the same interview. The Liberty transaction is on track to close in the first quarter, he said.

Fresenius sees opportunities for expansion in Eastern Europe, Asia and Latin America, Lipps said.

“We are selective about where we grow, but there’s a lot of opportunity in the world,” he said.

The company saw reimbursement schedules improve during the third quarter by four days in the U.S. and three days internationally compared with the previous quarter, Brosnan said. This and cost controls helped the company offset lower prices in the U.S., he said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Allison Connolly in Frankfurt at aconnolly4@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Allison Connolly at aconnolly4@bloomberg.net