Ayala Acquires 50% Stake in Generika

Makati—(PHStocks)—The Ayala group is entering the affordable retail healthcare space with the acquisition of a 50 percent stake in the Generika group, one of the pioneers in the retail distribution of quality generic medicines in the country with over 500 stores nationwide.

Ayala Healthcare Holdings Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Ayala Corp. (PSE: AC), signed agreements today to acquire a 50 percent stake in the Generika group from the family of Julien Bello.

Teodoro Ferrer and his group, who co-founded Generika with Bello, will continue to hold the remaining 50 percent ownership in Generika. Ferrer shall continue to serve as the president and chief executive officer of the group.

“We are excited to be part of Generika and help address the gaps in affordable retail healthcare. We believe this is an excellent platform for Ayala to reinvent the space and serve as foundation for our emerging healthcare portfolio,” said Ayala president and chief operating officer Fernando Zobel de Ayala. “With the combined strengths and management capabilities of Ayala and Generika, we believe we can raise the level of efficiency and accessibility of this platform to better serve Filipino families by providing a wide range of quality medicines at affordable prices.”

“On behalf of Generika, we wholeheartedly welcome the entry of Ayala Healthcare. We are especially excited by the enhanced capability to have a meaningful impact on the health and lives of many more communities all over the country,” Ferrer said.

The Ayala group started its footprint in the healthcare sector in 2014 through QualiMed, Ayala Land Inc.‘s (PSE: ALI) chain of hospitals and satellite clinics, in partnership with the Mercado medical group.

The value of the acquisition is less than 10 percent of Ayala’s book value.

Mabuhay Capital served as financial advisor to the group of Bello in its transaction with Ayala Healthcare.