Synergy Health Completes Acquisition of SRI/Surgical Express, Inc.

SWINDON, United Kingdom and TAMPA, Fla., July 16, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Synergy Health plc (SYR.L) and SRI/Surgical Express, Inc. (STRC) ("SRI") today announced the successful completion of Synergy Health plc's acquisition of SRI for approximately $25 million through a cash tender offer followed by a short-form merger of Synergy Health plc's wholly-owned subsidiary in the United States, SHM Acquisition, Inc., with and into SRI. As a result of the acquisition, SRI became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Synergy Health plc.

At the effective time of the merger, shares of SRI common stock held by the remaining SRI shareholders who did not tender their shares in the tender offer were cancelled and converted into the right to receive the same $3.70 per share price, without interest and subject to any required withholding taxes, that was paid in the tender offer. As a result of the merger, SRI shares will be delisted and cease to trade on the NASDAQ Stock Market. SRI shareholders who did not tender their shares in the tender offer will receive relevant information in the mail on how to receive payment for their shares in connection with the merger.

About Synergy Health plc

Synergy Health plc is a global leader in outsourced sterilization services to the medical device market as well as to hospitals and other healthcare providers. In addition, the business provides other outsourced services such as healthcare linen, pathology and specialist laboratory services. The business operates across health related markets in the UK & Ireland, Europe & the Middle East, Asia & Africa and the Americas. For more information, please visit www.synergyhealthplc.com.

About SRI/Surgical Express, Inc.

SRI (www.srisurgical.com) provides central processing and supply chain management services to hospitals and surgery centers across the United States. SRI serves hospitals and surgery centers in 25 states from 10 reprocessing facilities and four distribution centers located throughout the United States.

The SRI/Surgical Express, Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=4997

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains statements that are forward-looking and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to materially differ from those described. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including all statements and information regarding the intent, belief or current expectation of Synergy Health plc, SHM Acquisition, Inc., SRI and members of their respective senior management teams. All forward-looking statements are based largely on current expectations and beliefs concerning future events, approvals and transactions that are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties. Factors that may cause or contribute to the actual results or outcomes being different from those contemplated by forward-looking statements include: uncertainties as to the timing of the tender offer; uncertainties as to how many of SRI's shareholders will tender their shares in the offer; the possibility that competing offers will be made; the possibility that various closing conditions for the transactions may not be satisfied or waived, including that a governmental or regulatory authority may prohibit or delay the consummation of the transactions; the effects of disruption from the proposed transactions making it more difficult to maintain relationships with employees, customers and/or other business relationships; other business effects, including the effects of industry, regulatory, economic and/or market conditions that are outside of Synergy Health plc's, SHM Acquisition, Inc.'s or SRI's control; unexpected transaction costs and actual or contingent liabilities; and other risks and uncertainties discussed in documents filed by SRI with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), including, but not limited to, SRI's reports on Forms 10-Q, 10-K, and 8-K that it periodically files with the SEC, and the Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO and Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9 filed with the SEC in connection with the tender offer. These factors include SRI's sales process and market acceptance of its products and services, SRI's capital needs, SRI's dependence on significant customers and suppliers, risks of a new product offering, risks that SRI may incur significant costs related to self-insurance retention levels for employee benefits and workers' compensation programs, and the competitive healthcare marketplace. Neither Synergy Health plc nor SRI undertakes any obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as expressly required by law.

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Health Care REIT, Inc. Completes Canadian Acquisition with Chartwell Seniors Housing REIT

TOLEDO, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Health Care REIT, Inc. (NYSE:HCN - News) announced today that it has completed the acquisition with Chartwell Seniors Housing REIT (TSX:CSH-UN.TO - News) of 42 seniors housing and care communities in attractive Canadian markets, which was previously announced on February 15, 2012. Thirty-nine of the properties are owned 50% each by the company and Chartwell. The company wholly owns the remaining three properties. Chartwell will manage the communities under an incentive-based management contract. The portfolio, comprised primarily of independent living residences, closed on May 1st. Based on the USD to CAD exchange rate of .9879 on April 30th, the purchase price was USD $936.5 million.1 The company’s share of the purchase price was USD $509.5 million.1

“This investment with Canada’s leading seniors housing operator expands Health Care REIT’s successful U.S. investment strategy into Canada,” said George L. Chapman, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of Health Care REIT. “It establishes the company’s presence in Canada’s largest and most attractive markets with a portfolio of high-quality private pay facilities.”

For additional information regarding the Chartwell transaction, visit the Featured Partners page of HCN's website at http://www.hcreit.com/featuredpartners/Chartwell.

About Health Care REIT, Inc.

Health Care REIT, Inc., an S&P 500 company with headquarters in Toledo, Ohio, is a real estate investment trust that invests across the full spectrum of seniors housing and health care real estate. The company also provides an extensive array of property management and development services. As of December 31, 2011, the company’s broadly diversified portfolio consisted of 937 properties in 46 states. More information is available on the company's website at www.hcreit.com.

About Chartwell Seniors Housing REIT.

Chartwell is a Mississauga, Ontario based company that owns and operates seniors housing communities offering a continuum of care including independent living, assisted living, memory care, and long-term care. Chartwell's aim is to capitalize on the strong demographic trends present in its markets to maximize the value of its existing portfolio of seniors housing communities, and to grow prudently through accretive acquisitions in its existing markets.

1 The U.S. dollar amount of the transaction is subject to change based on final accounting of the currency translation.

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Health Management Associates, Inc. Completes Transaction to Joint Venture Five INTEGRIS Health Oklahoma Hospitals

Health Management Associates, Inc. (NYSE: HMA) today announced that subsidiaries of Health Management have completed a transaction to joint venture five INTEGRIS Health Oklahoma hospitals. Under the joint venture, Health Management will own an 80% controlling interest in the five hospitals and manage the day-to-day operations. The transaction was effective April 1, 2012.

The INTEGRIS Health hospital partners include: 53-bed Integris Blackwell Regional Hospital, located in Blackwell; 64-bed Integris Clinton Regional Hospital, located in Clinton; 25-bed Integris Marshall County Medical Center, located in Madill; 52-bed Integris Mayes County Medical Center, located in Pryor; and 32-bed Integris Seminole Medical Center, located in Seminole. Combined, these five hospitals total 226 licensed beds and generated approximately $95 million of net revenue, before the provision for doubtful accounts, over the last twelve months.

“We are very pleased to partner with INTEGRIS Health and welcome these five hospitals into the Health Management family,” said Gary D. Newsome, President and Chief Executive Officer of Health Management. “INTEGRIS Health is known for delivering outstanding health care, and has tremendous recognition in Oklahoma, with approximately six out of every ten Oklahomans residing within 30 miles of an INTEGRIS Health facility. We are very eager to work together with INTEGRIS Health to enhance patient outcomes, improve access and enable America’s best local health care in each of these respective communities.”

Health Management enables America's best local health care by providing the people, processes, capital and expertise necessary for its hospital and physician partners to fulfill their local missions of delivering superior health care services. Health Management, through its subsidiaries, operates 71 hospitals, with approximately 10,600 licensed beds, in non-urban communities located throughout the United States.

All references to "Health Management" and the “Company” used in this release refer to Health Management Associates, Inc. and its affiliates.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions and are identified by words such as "expects," "estimates," "projects," "anticipates," "believes," “intends,” "plans," “may,” “continues,” “should,” "could" and other similar words. All statements addressing operating performance, events or developments that Health Management Associates, Inc. expects or anticipates will occur in the future, including but not limited to incurrence of indebtedness, projections of revenue, income or loss, capital expenditures, earnings per share, debt structure, bad debt expense, capital structure, repayment of indebtedness, the amount and timing of funds under the meaningful use measurement standard of various Healthcare Information Technology (“HCIT”) incentive programs, other financial items and operating statistics, statements regarding the plans and objectives of management for future operations, innovations, or market service development, statements regarding acquisitions, joint ventures, divestitures and other proposed or contemplated transactions (including but not limited to statements regarding the potential for future acquisitions and perceived benefits of acquisitions), statements of future economic performance, statements regarding legal proceedings and other loss contingencies, statements regarding market risk exposures, statements regarding the effects and/or interpretations of recently enacted or future health care laws and regulations, statements of the assumptions underlying or relating to any of the foregoing statements, and other statements which are other than statements of historical fact, are considered to be "forward-looking statements."

Because they are forward-looking, such statements should be evaluated in light of important risk factors and uncertainties. These risk factors and uncertainties are more fully described in Health Management Associates, Inc.'s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, under the heading entitled "Risk Factors." Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of Health Management Associates, Inc.'s underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could vary materially from those currently anticipated. In addition, undue reliance should not be placed on Health Management Associates, Inc.'s forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, Health Management Associates, Inc. disclaims any obligation to update its risk factors or to publicly announce updates to the forward-looking statements contained in this press release to reflect new information, future events or other developments.

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Health Care REIT Completes Share Offer

Health Care REIT Inc. (NYSE:HCN - News), a leading health care real estate investment trust (:REIT) that operates senior housing and health care real estate, has recently completed its secondary offering of 20.7 million common shares at $53.50 each, including 2.7 million shares sold to the underwriters to cover the over-allotment options.

Health Care REIT raised approximately $1.1 billion of gross proceeds from the offer. The company intends to utilize the proceeds to repay debt under its unsecured line of credit and other outstanding debt.

BofA Merrill Lynch, the investment banking and wealth management division of Bank of America Corporation (NYSE:BAC - News); J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, the investment banking division of JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM - News); UBS Investment Bank, the investment banking division of UBS AG (NYSE:UBS - News); Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. – the U.S. investment banking and securities arm of Deutsche Bank AG (NYSE:DB - News); and Wells Fargo Securities, part of Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC - News) acted as joint book-running managers for the offering.

Health Care REIT invests across the full spectrum of senior housing and healthcare real estate properties. Headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, the company also provides an extensive array of property management and development services.
Founded in 1970, the company was the first REIT to invest exclusively in healthcare facilities. Health Care REIT provides senior housing operators and healthcare systems with a single source for facility planning, design and turn-key development, property management, and monetization or expansion of existing real estate.
However, deep cuts in Medicare have been proposed over the next five years by reducing or freezing payments to skilled nursing facilities, hospitals, and other healthcare providers. With a large portion of revenues being determined by government payout rates, forces beyond the company’s control could negatively affect revenues and operator coverage ratios. Consequently, we maintain our Neutral recommendation on Health Care REIT, which currently has a Zacks #3 Rank that indicates a short-term Hold rating.

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Health Care REIT, Inc. Completes $1.1 Billion Common Stock Offering

TOLEDO, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Health Care REIT, Inc. (NYSE:HCN - News) today announced it has successfully completed its public offering of 20,700,000 shares of common stock at a price of $53.50 per share for total gross proceeds of $1.1 billion. Total shares sold includes 2,700,000 shares sold pursuant to the underwriters’ exercise in full of their option to purchase additional shares to cover over-allotments.

The company intends to use the net proceeds from this offering to repay advances under its unsecured lines of credit, to repay other outstanding indebtedness and for general corporate purposes, including investing in health care and seniors housing properties.

BofA Merrill Lynch, Deutsche Bank Securities, J.P. Morgan, UBS Investment Bank and Wells Fargo Securities acted as joint book-running managers for the offering.

The offering was made pursuant to Health Care REIT’s shelf registration statement on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. A copy of the prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus relating to the offering may be obtained by contacting BofA Merrill Lynch, 4 World Financial Center, New York, NY 10080, Attn: Prospectus Department or by email to dg.prospectus_requests@baml.com; Deutsche Bank Securities, Attention: Prospectus Department, Harborside Financial Center, 100 Plaza One, Jersey City, NJ 07311-3988, by calling (800) 503-4611, or by emailing prospectus.cpdg@db.com; J.P. Morgan, Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, or by calling (866) 803-9204; UBS Investment Bank, Attn: Prospectus Department, 299 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10171, or by telephone toll free at (888) 827-7275; or Wells Fargo Securities, Attention: Equity Syndicate Department, 375 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10152, at (800) 326-5897 or email a request to cmclientsupport@wellsfargo.com.

This press release is not an offer to sell, nor a solicitation of an offer to buy securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which the offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such state or jurisdiction.

About Health Care REIT, Inc. Health Care REIT, Inc., an S&P 500 company with headquarters in Toledo, Ohio, is a real estate investment trust that invests across the full spectrum of seniors housing and health care real estate. The company also provides an extensive array of property management and development services. As of December 31, 2011, the company’s broadly diversified portfolio consisted of 937 facilities in 46 states.

This document may contain “forward-looking” statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When the company uses words such as “may,” “will,” “intend,” “should,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “project,” “estimate” or similar expressions, it is making forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements reflect current plans and expectations and are based on information currently available. They are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, including those discussed in the prospectus supplement and related prospectus and in the company’s other reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements.

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