Siemens to buy Varian?

[elementaryschooleconomics]

Siemens Healthineers in advanced talks to buy Varian for $15 billion: Bloomberg News

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[medgator]

If you can't beat them, buy them?

Anyone remember the primus or artiste??

Guessing this news will boost VAR stock on Monday

 

[ramsesthenice]

If you can't beat them, buy them?

Anyone remember the primus or artiste??

Guessing this news will boost VAR stock on Monday

Where I trained had both! some of the most expensive toilets I have ever seen.

 

[scarbrtj]

Siemens Healthineers in advanced talks to buy Varian for $15 billion: Bloomberg News

Damn. The powers that be at Varian seeing writing on the wall and, just like Jordan in '98, leaving while on top? It takes elementaryschoolmath to see America's going to need less linac supply in the upcoming decade or two. But I don't think they ever expanded the international market like they wanted to (which is very linac-undersupplied). For the current Varian MD and physics and dosimetry and therapist end-users though, I don't see any positives.

 

[dieABRdie]

Maybe Siemens will get to go out of business twice?

 

[medgator]

For the current Varian MD and physics and dosimetry and therapist end-users though, I don't see any positives.

Hopefully their history of mismanagement in the future might let Elekta become stronger in the duopoly and provide a more compelling alternative going forward

 

[Palex80]

German over-engineering about to happen in 10, 9, 8, 7... Future Varian Linacs will have at least double the parts they do nowadays...

Two things:

1. This is merely a state intent to buy Varian on behalf of Siemens. It's not clear if this will go through. There are some regulatory authorities that need to agree to that, both in the US and the EU, if the intent is to fully absorb Varian within Siemens (and not merely "buy" it).There are concerns this may lead to monopoly-siuation in the future. These concerns have also gained momentum during the COVID-outbreak, so timing may not be optimal

2. I envision that this move will put additional pressure on Elekta and all the other players in the market.
a) Siemens makes very good CT and MRI machines. By combining them with Varian accelerators they can now sell a "full suite" of all the hardware a radiation oncology clinic will need (and hopefully ensure full compatibility in the future). I still dream of a combined CT-MRI-scanner, maybe my dreams will finally come true?
b) Siemens has invested heavily in AI over the past years and their software for segmentation is really good. Couple that expertise with Varian's field and they will gain a considerable edge over Elekta. Other vendors, like RaySearch who have proliferated in that field, will come under pressure.
c) Gaining access to Siemens MRI-know-how will give Varian the option to look into MRI-Linacs (if they are interested), something they are currently lacking in their portfolio.

From my point of view, this move will give Varian alot more options and strengthen their position. It also finds Elekta at a rather weak spot (their CEO recently stepped down and the whole COVID-mess may mean less money for clinics to invest on expensive techniques like the MRI-Linac (which is their main focus) and rather try to go for machines that offer quick treatments (fast CBCT, integrated workflow, less personell needed --> Halcyon).
.

 

[scarbrtj]

fait accompli

Erwerb von Krebsspezialisten: Siemens Healthineers kauft Varian für 16,4 Milliarden Dollar

Mit dem Milliardendeal will das MDax-Unternehmen sein Amerika-Geschäft ausbauen. Die Übernahme wird auch Auswirkungen auf die Anteile von Siemens an Siemens Healthineers haben.

www.faz.net

 

[Chartreuse Wombat]

unumkehrbarer Umstand

 

[Burt Radnolds]

This is a done deal. Was told by someone inside Varian as well.

 

[Gfunk6]

Any of you that own Varian stock are going to have a pretty good Monday tomorrow!

 

[medgator]

Any of you that own Varian stock are going to have a pretty good Monday tomorrow!

Looking like $35/share good to be more precise

 

[scarbrtj]

Dibs on Der WahreStrahl.

It's got Fahrvergnügen.

 

[OTN]

I wonder if they’re going to keep the factory in Palo Alto? Not giving that land away you know.

 

[Radonc 2013]

24% premium on Friday close for VAR. Pure speculation but maybe VRAY and ARAY merger to better compete against the big boys. The product line would the include MRI linac, SRS platform, and Radixact. Thoughts?

 

[Palex80]

24% premium on Friday close for VAR. Pure speculation but maybe VRAY and ARAY merger to better compete against the big boys. The product line would the include MRI linac, SRS platform, and Radixact. Thoughts?

Elekta has bought a 10%-chunk of ViewRay already.

Press Releases | Investors | Elekta

Read the latest press releases about Elekta radiotherapy, radiosurgery, neurosurgery & clinical workflow products & customers. Get in touch to learn more

www.elekta.com

 

[Radonc 2013]

Elekta has bought a 10%-chunk of ViewRay already.

Press Releases | Investors | Elekta

Read the latest press releases about Elekta radiotherapy, radiosurgery, neurosurgery & clinical workflow products & customers. Get in touch to learn more

www.elekta.com

I believe even Medtronic owns a small portion as well. One would think though, if an offer that made sense came along, Elekta wouldn't have enough stake/interest to block a sale or merger with only a 10% stake. I wonder what the end game is for a company like VRAY? Is it develop a brand to eventually compete with the likes of Varian or Elekta? Or grow it to the point where it is bought out by another company? If guess if I knew the answer I would be day trading and not contouring .

 

[elementaryschooleconomics]

I believe even Medtronic owns a small portion as well. One would think though, if an offer that made sense came along, Elekta wouldn't have enough stake/interest to block a sale or merger with only a 10% stake. I wonder what the end game is for a company like VRAY? Is it develop a brand to eventually compete with the likes of Varian or Elekta? Or grow it to the point where it is bought out by another company? If guess if I knew the answer I would be day trading and not contouring .

My money is always on the standard biotech startup model of "do something well, get bought out, live on an island"

 

[Neuronix]

Of course Viewray wants to get bought out. The question as always is: if it will happen, when it will happen, and for how much?

Varian's outward stance has always been that MRI-linac not a viable model forward--hence their Ethos product (adapt with CBCT instead).

But Viewray has a Siemens MRI under the hood. So now that Siemens is directly competing with Viewray, what does that mean for tiny little Viewray? Will the relationship remain unchanged? Will Siemens buy out Viewray too? Will Siemens abandon their collaboration with Viewray? If they do, will this lead to an MRI-linac product with Varian?

 

[scarbrtj]

Varian's outward stance has always been that MRI-linac not a viable model forward

I have generally always agreed with this. Somehow a neat trick was pulled that, using essentially the same hardware but just manipulating it to do something different (ie using MLCs to give IMRT), a big "upcharge" in billing was able to be approved and happen about 20 years ago. Well those days are over. AFAIK the only "upcharge" the MRI has going for it is trying to charge a new daily IMRT plan (or however often you feel comfortable charging it, or "clinically needing" it). That's good I guess, but if you've been in rad onc long enough you know all good "billing tweaks" eventually die a painful and sudden death. I wonder what happened. Even a tiny company like BrainLab was able to get a special charge for kV X-ray IGRT (aka Exactrac) approved by Medicare before any of the 77xxx IGRT codes existed. So why couldn't ViewRay. And why couldn't Varian do some lobbying for that as well. Did they try and fail?

 

[Old rad onc]

Varian sold to Siemens for 16.4 Billion all cash deal Varian stockholders got 177.5 per share. Should close in the next few months.