Rumors of Qiagen’s $10.7 billion 'sale' resurface; CEO’s departure clears a key hurdle—will Agilent or Danaher step in?

On that day, Qiagen’s U.S.-listed stock surged nearly 20% intraday—the largest single-day gain in roughly 26 years; its Frankfurt-listed shares also jumped 12.4%, marking the biggest one-day rise since March 2020, lifting the company’s market capitalization to €9.1 billion (approximately $10.7 billion). Qiagen primarily provides genetic testing technologies and related services, serving over 500,000 customers—including pharmaceutical R&D teams and clinical laboratories. According to insiders, Qiagen has been targeted for acquisition several times in recent years, but none of those discussions culminated in a finalized deal. The current negotiations remain at an early stage, and whether a sale will ultimately materialize remains uncertain. Last November, Qiagen announced that CEO Thierry Bernard would step down immediately upon the appointment of his successor. Some insiders noted that Bernard’s planned departure removes one of the perceived major obstacles to closing a potential transaction. As of press time, Qiagen’s spokesperson declined to comment. Looking back at past acquisition rumors surrounding Qiagen, they have been plentiful and varied. In October 2019—shortly after former CEO Peer Schatz stepped down—the company attracted acquisition interest. In 2020, Thermo Fisher Scientific reportedly made a $12 billion acquisition offer; however, due to opposition from activist investors, the bid failed to gain traction and was eventually abandoned. At the time, EvaluateMedTech listed potential acquirers of Qiagen, including Thermo Fisher Scientific, Siemens Healthineers, Danaher, and Agilent. In February 2021, according to insiders, U.S.-based POCT diagnostics firm Quidel Corp was reportedly exploring a takeover bid for molecular diagnostics giant Qiagen. Neither party commented publicly on the matter, and Wall Street remained skeptical about the feasibility of such a deal—leading it to quietly fade away. Additionally, insiders revealed that Qiagen had also explored a potential merger with French rival bioMérieux in the same year; a successful merger would have created a combined European powerhouse in medical diagnostics.

¥83.4 billion: A top-tier PE firm acquires a leading testing and certification company

Formerly titled “China Private Equity Investment” Photo: Bob The third-largest private equity acquisition in UK history. Recently, the global private equity market witnessed another industry-scale merger-and-acquisition transaction valued at over ¥100 billion. Swedish top-tier private equity group EQT officially announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Intertek Group—the UK-based leader in testing, inspection, and certification (TIC)—in an all-cash transaction valued at £9.3 billion (approximately ¥83.4 billion RMB). Upon completion, Intertek will delist from the London Stock Exchange and become a wholly owned private asset under EQT. A masterclass in negotiation Four offers, three price increases According to reports, counting from the launch of EQT’s acquisition planning in April 2026, EQT raised its offer three times before reaching the final mutually agreed-upon deal—its fourth formal proposal. In early April this year, EQT first signaled its intent to acquire Intertek with an initial cash offer of £51.50 per share—but the board unanimously rejected the bid as undervaluing the company. EQT swiftly revised its offer upward to £54 per share, yet still failed to win Intertek’s approval. In May, EQT raised its bid again—to £58 per share—valuing the company at £8.93 billion; consensus remained elusive. Finally, in June, EQT submitted its third upward revision: a cash offer of £60 per share, plus an additional annual dividend of £1.10 per share. This revised proposal secured final approval. Overall, the equity value of the transaction totals £9.3 billion; including existing corporate debt, the total deal size reaches approximately £10.9 billion (nearly ¥130 billion RMB). The final offer represents a 40% premium over Intertek’s closing share price on April 15, 2026—the trading day immediately prior to EQT’s first public announcement of acquisition intent—ensuring robust returns for existing shareholders and enabling unanimous board approval. All previously announced spin-off plans have now been fully terminated. This marks the third-largest private equity acquisition in UK history.

EQT to Acquire Molecular Testing Firm Qiagen for $10.8 Billion

14 hours ago

Sweden's EQT agreed to acquire Qiagen for €9.6 billion ($10.78 billion), valuing the molecular testing firm at $12.1 billion. The transaction is expected to close in mid-2027, leading Qiagen to suspend its full-year 2026 outlook.

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EQT to Acquire Molecular Testing Firm Qiagen for $10.8 Billion

EQT to Acquire Molecular Testing Firm Qiagen for $10.8 Billion

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