Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on September 3, 2025
1 min readLast updated: January 22, 2026
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The UK's CMA is investigating PHP's $2.4B acquisition of Assura, focusing on potential competition issues. A decision is expected by October 29.
(Reuters) -Britain's competition regulator said on Wednesday it has initiated a probe into the $2.4 billion purchase of British healthcare real estate investor Assura by rival Primary Health Properties.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it was considering whether the deal could lead to "substantial lessening of competition within any market or markets in the United Kingdom for goods or services."
PHP completed the takeover in August after a months-long battle with U.S. private equity firm KKR.
The deal valued Assura at 53.3 pence per share, comprising 0.3865 new PHP shares, 12.5 pence in cash per share, and a special dividend of 0.84 pence.
Both the parties did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for a comment.
Assura manages over 600 healthcare properties, and its customers include Britain's state-backed National Health Service.
The CMA has set a deadline of October 29 for its decision on the initial probe, or phase 1 inquiry.
(Reporting by DhanushVignesh Babu in Bengaluru; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala and Eileen Soreng)
The takeover of Assura by Primary Health Properties is valued at $2.4 billion.
The Competition and Markets Authority is probing whether the deal could lead to a substantial lessening of competition in any market in the UK.
PHP completed the takeover in August after a months-long battle with U.S. private equity firm KKR.
The CMA has set a deadline of October 29 for its decision on the initial probe, or phase 1 inquiry.
Assura manages over 600 healthcare properties, and its customers include Britain's state-backed National Health Service.
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