Core Insights - Medline's IPO debuted at $29 per share, raising approximately $6.26 billion with an implied valuation near $50 billion, marking it as the largest listing of the year [1] - The company is backed by major investment firms including Blackstone, Carlyle, and Hellman & Friedman, and increased its offering to meet strong institutional demand [1] Financial Performance - Medline carries about $17 billion in debt from a 2021 leveraged buyout and plans to use IPO proceeds to repay senior secured term loans, which is viewed positively by credit rating agencies [3] - For the nine months ending September 2025, Medline reported approximately $1 billion in net income on $20.6 billion in revenue, with adjusted EBITDA of $2.7 billion and a margin of 13.3% [4] - Analysts suggest that if Medline allocates $3–$4 billion for debt repayment, it could reduce leverage ratios by 0.5–1.0x, which is significant but not transformative [4] Customer Relationships and Market Position - The company boasts a 98% Prime Vendor retention rate, indicating strong customer relationships that support consistent cash generation [5] - Medline sources one-third of its products in-house from 33 manufacturing facilities, while the remainder comes from over 500 suppliers across 40 countries [7] Tariff Challenges and Competitive Landscape - Medline faces tariff headwinds that could impact earnings before taxes by $325–$375 million in 2025 and an additional $150–$200 million in 2026, which may offset organic growth [6] - The company must decide whether to absorb tariff costs or pass them on to hospitals, with most healthcare distributors only able to pass through 40–50% of these costs [8] - The competitive landscape includes major players like Cardinal Health, McKesson, and Owens & Minor, which intensifies pricing pressures due to private-label penetration and customer consolidation [8] Future Outlook - Investors are advised to monitor the company's ability to achieve a net leverage target of 2.5–3.0x within 18–24 months, as interest coverage and debt levels will be closely scrutinized [5] - The success of the IPO will depend on effective execution in deleveraging, managing tariff impacts, and maintaining margin discipline [9]
Medline stock debuts at $29: what investors should watch after IPO