Becton Dickinson (BD), a leading medical technology company, has announced the acquisition of the Critical Care division of Edwards Lifesciences for $4.2 billion. This is one of the largest transactions in BD's history, which has made 113 acquisitions since March 1992, according to data from FactSet.

The Critical Care division of Edwards Lifesciences specializes in advanced patient monitoring using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and is known for the development of hemodynamic monitoring—a method for assessing a patient's circulatory status through various testing procedures.

BD CEO Tom Polen emphasized that the acquisition expands access to new and existing hospital customers and is expected to positively impact all key financial metrics. "This acquisition will strengthen our position in advanced patient monitoring and expand our range of innovative technologies," said Polen.

Edwards Lifesciences CEO Bernard Zovighian stated that the sale of the Critical Care division allows the company to focus more on its strategic direction in the field of structural heart diseases.

BD plans to finance the acquisition through a combination of $1 billion in cash and $3.2 billion in new debt. The Critical Care division will continue as a standalone business unit within the BD Medical segment after the transaction is completed. The acquisition is expected to be finalized before the end of the year.

The Critical Care division employs approximately 4,500 people and achieved revenues of over 900 million dollars in 2023.

BD's stock price reacted positively to the news, while Edwards Lifesciences shares also saw a slight increase. Analysts view the acquisition as a strategically sensible move that benefits both companies and strengthens their market positions.