Bio-Techne Acquired by Merck for $11.3 Billion at a Premium, Jumps Over 20% Premarket.
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On June 25 Eastern Time, Merck KGaA announced an $11.3 billion all-cash acquisition of Bio-Techne at $73 per share, a 24% premium over recent closing prices. The deal, expected to close in the second half of 2026, aims to bolster Merck’s life science division, specifically in protein analysis and cell culture. Merck anticipates immediate sales and EBITDA accretion, with full realization of €140 million in annual cost synergies by year three. This strategic move strengthens Merck’s laboratory research capabilities and diversifies its portfolio, marking its largest life science investment since 2014.
TradingKey - On June 25 Eastern Time, Germany's Merck KGaA announced that it would acquire US life sciences company Bio-Techne at $73 per share in an all-cash transaction ( TECH ), with an enterprise value of approximately $11.3 billion.
The acquisition offer represents a 36% premium over Bio-Techne's volume-weighted average price over the past month, and an approximate 24% premium over Wednesday's closing price of $58.88. Bio-Techne's board of directors has unanimously approved the transaction and recommended that shareholders vote in favor. The acquisition will be funded through Merck's existing cash and new debt financing, and is expected to close in the second half of 2026, subject to shareholder approval and regulatory clearances.
Merck expects the transaction to be immediately accretive to sales growth and EBITDA margin upon completion, and accretive to earnings per share in the third year post-closing. The company anticipates achieving annual cost synergies of approximately 140 million euros, which are expected to be fully realized by the third year after closing.
Boosted by the news, Bio-Techne's pre-market stock price surged, with gains briefly exceeding 25%. As of press time, Bio-Techne's pre-market shares were trading at $70.28, up 19.37%.
[Source: Futu]
What kind of company is Bio-Techne?
Founded in 1976 and headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Bio-Techne is a leading global life sciences company dedicated to developing, manufacturing, and marketing high-quality reagents, analytical instruments, and precision diagnostic tools for the scientific research, diagnostics, and biopharmaceutical sectors. Its brands include R&D Systems, Novus Biologicals, and ProteinSimple. For fiscal year 2025, the company generated approximately $1.2 billion in revenue and has a global workforce of about 3,100 employees.
Why is Merck acquiring Bio-Techne?
Headquartered in Darmstadt, Germany, Merck Group operates across three business sectors: healthcare, life science, and electronics. This acquisition will enhance the capabilities of its life science business, MilliporeSigma, in the fields of protein analysis and cell culture media.
Merck CEO Kai Beckmann said, "Bio-Techne is an excellent fit, directly supporting our strategic direction to deliver cutting-edge products and solutions across the entire industry value chain, from laboratory customers to manufacturers in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries."
The acquisition marks Merck's largest life science transaction since its $17 billion acquisition of Sigma-Aldrich in 2014, strengthening its laboratory supplies and research tools business while accelerating diversification beyond pharmaceuticals.
Previously, Merck acquired organoid technology company HUB Organoids in March 2026, and committed $50 million in June to launch Saturnus Bio in partnership with Versant Ventures.
This content was translated using AI and reviewed for clarity. It is for informational purposes only.
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