Stifel Acquires Healthcare M&A Firm Torreya

Stifel Financial is deepening its investment in healthcare with the purchase of Torreya Partners.

The investment banking company announced the acquisition of Torreya, a merger and acquisition and private capital advisory firm in the life sciences sector, in a news release Thursday (Dec. 22).

“One in five dollars spent in the United States, and a growing percentage globally, is healthcare-related,” Stifel Chairman and CEO Ronald J. Kruszewski said in the release. “This combination brings together two like-minded firms that drive innovation with forward-thinking and creative solutions for clients. I look forward to welcoming the Torreya team to Stifel.”

Founded in 2007, Torreya specializes in life sciences, including biotechnology and pharmaceuticals. In addition to its core M&A business, the company also offers advisory expertise in areas such as divestitures and joint ventures, royalty monetization, licensing agreements, and private capital raising.

Stifel notes that its interest in healthcare also includes “a dedicated equity research offering (15 publishing analysts covering 245 companies worldwide), a dedicated specialist sales force, and a flagship annual Healthcare Conference, which attracts nearly 1,000 industry participants.”

This year has seen a number of companies make big investments in the health sector, such as Amazon’s July purchase of One Medical, a tech-powered primary care provider that the retail giant bought for $3.9 billion.

This summer also saw Walmart announce a 10-year deal with UnitedHealth to launch 15 Walmart Health locations in Georgia and Florida next year. Optum, a UnitedHealth Group business, will manage the launch and assist Walmart Health clinicians with analytics and decision support tools.

Meanwhile, recent research by PYMNTS shows the way digital healthcare options have changed the way consumers obtained healthcare this year — and what healthcare providers need to succeed in an omnichannel healthcare space.

We found that the $1.1 trillion health sector has shifted to a hybrid but digital-first model, with half of all consumers engaging with health providers with a mix of digital and physical channels.

Meanwhile, digital options have given the 73 million consumers who do not have the time or money to see a doctor in person more access to healthcare. Digital health options were most popular among financially struggling consumers seeking lower costs and more flexible solutions.