Acquisitions and Investments

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2024

Business Combinations [Abstract]

Acquisitions and Investments

4.   Acquisitions and Investments. On July 1, 2024, we entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement (the “EGS Purchase Agreement”) with EndoGastric Solutions, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“EGS”), pursuant to which we acquired the EsophyX® Z+ device and various assets related thereto (collectively, the “EGS Acquisition”), which are designed to deliver a durable, minimally invasive non-pharmacological treatment option for patients suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease. We acquired the purchased assets identified under the EGS Purchase Agreement for a purchase price of $105 million, which amount we financed at closing through current borrowings under our long-term debt obligations, plus the assumption or reimbursement of certain liabilities of EGS. We accounted for the EGS Acquisition under the acquisition method of accounting as a business combination. The sales related to the EGS Acquisition have been included in our endoscopy segment since the acquisition date and were $6.8 million for the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2024. It is not practical to separately report earnings related to the EGS Acquisition, as we began to immediately integrate the acquisition into the existing operations, sales distribution networks and management structure of our endoscopy business segment. Acquisition-related costs associated with the EGS Acquisition, which were included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of income were approximately $1.8 million. The purchase price was preliminarily allocated as follows (in thousands):

Assets Acquired
Trade receivables	$	2,568
Inventories		3,553
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		99
Property and equipment		258
Intangible assets
Developed technology		72,800
Trademarks		5,400
Customer list		6,600
Goodwill		16,997
Total assets acquired		108,275
Liabilities Assumed
Trade payables		494
Accrued expenses		2,752
Total liabilities assumed		3,246
Total net assets acquired	$	105,029

We are amortizing the EGS developed technology intangible assets over ten years, the trademark intangible assets over 11 years, and the customer list intangible asset on an accelerated basis over 11 years. We have estimated the weighted average life of the intangible assets acquired from EGS to be 10.1 years. The goodwill consists largely of the synergies expected from combining operations and is expected to be deductible for income tax purposes. The pro forma effects to our consolidated results of operations of the EGS Acquisition are not material in relation to reported sales.

On May 17, 2024, Merit Medical Ireland Limited (“MM Ireland”), our indirect wholly-owned subsidiary, entered into a Subscription and Shareholder Agreement (the “CrannMed Agreement”) with CrannMed Limited, a company organized under the laws of Ireland (“CrannMed”). Pursuant to the terms of the CrannMed Agreement, MM Ireland paid €3.0 million to purchase preferred shares of CrannMed. At CrannMed’s election at any time after August 16, 2024, MM Ireland is obligated to pay an additional €3.0 million to acquire additional preferred shares of CrannMed, subject to certain conditions (the “Second Tranche Investment”); no additional amount has been distributed to CrannMed as of September 30, 2024. Additionally, upon the request of CrannMed and subject to the completion of the Second Tranche Investment and other conditions, MM Ireland may pay to CrannMed up to an additional €2.0 million in the form of equity, debt or other investment for the purpose of funding clinical trial activities of CrannMed. MM Ireland’s investment in CrannMed has been recorded as an equity investment accounted for at cost and reflected within other assets in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets because MM Ireland is not able to exercise significant influence over the operations of CrannMed. MM Ireland’s total current investment in CrannMed represented an ownership interest of approximately 10.8% of the outstanding capital stock of CrannMed at the date of the initial purchase.

On March 8, 2024, we entered into an asset purchase agreement with Scholten Surgical Instruments, Inc. (“SSI”) to acquire the assets associated with the Bioptome, Novatome, and Sensatome devices. The total purchase price of the SSI assets included an up-front payment of $3 million, and three deferred payments, including (i) $1 million payable upon the earlier of (a) the first anniversary of the closing date or (b) the date on which Merit can independently manufacture the purchased devices (“Deferred Payment Date”), (ii) $1 million payable upon the first anniversary of the Deferred Payment Date, and (iii) $1 million payable upon the second anniversary of the Deferred Payment Date. We have accounted for this transaction as an asset purchase, and recorded the amount paid and deferred payments as a developed technology intangible asset, which we are amortizing over eight years.

During March 2024, we paid $0.3 million to acquire additional Series A Preferred Stock of Fluidx Medical Technology, Inc. ("Fluidx"), owner of certain technology proposed to be used in the development of embolic and adhesive agents for use in arterial, venous, vascular graft and cardiovascular applications inside and outside the heart and related appendages. We had previously purchased and continue to hold $4.7 million of participating preferred shares of Fluidx. Our investment has been recorded as an equity investment accounted for at cost and reflected within other assets in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets because we are not able to exercise significant influence over the operations of Fluidx. Our total current investment in Fluidx represented an ownership interest of approximately 19.9% of the outstanding capital stock of Fluidx at the date of this investment.

On June 8, 2023, we entered into an asset purchase agreement with AngioDynamics, Inc. (“AngioDynamics”) to acquire the assets associated with a portfolio of dialysis catheter products and the BioSentry® Biopsy Tract Sealant System for a purchase price of $100 million (collectively, the “AngioDynamics Acquisition”). We accounted for the AngioDynamics Acquisition under the acquisition method of accounting as a business combination. The sales related to the AngioDynamics Acquisition have been included in our cardiovascular segment since the acquisition date and were $21.0 million and $8.3 million for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. It is not practical to separately report earnings related to the AngioDynamics Acquisition, as we began to immediately integrate the acquisition into the existing operations, sales distribution networks and management structure of our cardiovascular business segment. Acquisition-related costs associated with the AngioDynamics Acquisition, which were included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of income included in the 2023 Annual Report on Form 10-K, were approximately $4.9 million. The purchase price was allocated as follows (in thousands):

Assets Acquired
Prepaid expenses	$	2,000
Inventories		5,254
Property and equipment		108
Intangible assets
Developed technology		65,200
Trademarks		4,000
Customer list		5,800
Goodwill		17,638
Total net assets acquired	$	100,000

We are amortizing the AngioDynamics developed technology intangible assets over ten years, the trademark intangible assets over 11 years, and the customer list intangible asset on an accelerated basis over ten years. We have estimated the weighted average life of the intangible assets acquired from AngioDynamics to be 10.5 years. The goodwill consists largely of the synergies expected from combining operations and is expected to be deductible for income tax purposes. The pro forma effects to our consolidated results of operations of the AngioDynamics Acquisition are not material in relation to reported sales and it was deemed impracticable to obtain information to determine earnings associated with the acquired product lines which represent only a small portion of the product lines of a large, consolidated company without standalone financial information.

On May 4, 2023, we entered into an asset purchase agreement to acquire the assets associated with the Surfacer® Inside-Out® Access Catheter System from Bluegrass Vascular Technologies, Inc. (“Bluegrass”), for a purchase price of $32.7 million. Prior to the acquisition, we held an equity investment of 1,251,878 Bluegrass common shares, representing an approximately 19.5% ownership interest in Bluegrass. The fair value of this previously-held equity investment of approximately $245,000 is included in the purchase price allocation. We accounted for this transaction under the acquisition method of accounting as a business combination. The sales and results of operations related to the acquisition have been included in our cardiovascular segment since the acquisition date and were not material. Acquisition-related costs associated with the Bluegrass acquisition, which were included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of income included in the 2023 Annual Report on Form 10-K, were not material. The purchase price was allocated as follows (in thousands):    

Assets Acquired
Inventories	$	175
Intangible assets
Developed technology		28,000
Trademarks		900
Goodwill		3,898
Total net assets acquired	$	32,973

We are amortizing the Bluegrass developed technology intangible asset over 15 years and the related trademarks over 13 years. We have estimated the weighted average life of the intangible assets acquired from Bluegrass to be 14.9 years. The goodwill consists largely of the synergies expected from combining operations and is expected to be deductible for income tax purposes. The pro forma effects to our consolidated results of operations of the Bluegrass acquisition are not material.