Acquisitions

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Acquisitions [Abstract]

Acquisitions

4. Acquisitions

Our acquisition strategy includes the acquisition of animal hospitals. If favorable opportunities are presented, we may pursue the acquisition of animal hospital chains, laboratories or related businesses. In accordance with that strategy, we acquired the following:

	For the Years Ended December 31,
	2011			2010			2009
Animal hospitals:
Acquisitions, excluding BrightHeart(1) in 2011 and Pet DRx(1) in 2010		18			27			27
BrightHeart(1)		9			—			—
Pet DRx		—			23			—
Acquisitions relocated into our existing animal hospitals		(3	)		(2	)		(5	)
Sold, closed or merged		(11	)		(9	)		(4	)
Total		13			39			18
Laboratories:
Acquisitions		1			—			2
Acquisitions relocated into our existing laboratories		—			—			(2	)
New facilities		2			4			3
Closed or merged		—			(1	)		—
Total		3			3			3

(1) BrightHeart Veterinary Centers (“BrightHeart) was acquired on July 11, 2011 and Pet DRx Corporation (Pet DRx”) was acquired on July 1, 2010.

Animal Hospital and Laboratory Acquisitions, excluding BrightHeart and Pet DRx

The following table summarizes the aggregate consideration, including acquisition costs, paid by us for our acquired animal hospitals and laboratories, excluding BrightHeart and Pet DRx, and the allocation of the purchase price (in thousands):

	For Years Ended December 31,
	2011		2010			2009
Consideration:
Cash	$	34,243	$	69,456		$	56,806
Non-cash note conversion to equity interest in subsidiary		—		—			5,700
Holdback		1,500		—			—
Contingent consideration		79		2,857			712
Fair value of total consideration transferred	$	35,822	$	72,313		$	63,218
Allocation of the Purchase Price:
Tangible assets	$	1,237	$	3,592		$	8,625
Identifiable intangible assets		6,414		9,510			9,408
Goodwill(1)		28,171		60,839			51,171
Notes payable and other liabilities assumed		—		(1,628	)		(5,986	)
Total	$	35,822	$	72,313		$	63,218

(1) We expect that $26.4 million, $58.2 million and $33.6 million of the goodwill recognized in 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively, will be fully deductible for income tax purposes.

In addition to the purchase price listed above are cash payments made for real estate acquired in connection with our purchase of animal hospitals totaling $1.9 million, $9.3 million and $4.9 million in 2011, 2010, and 2009, respectively.

BrightHeart Acquisition

On July 11, 2011, we acquired 100% of the membership interests of BrightHeart for approximately $50 million in cash. BrightHeart operates nine animal hospitals, eight of which focus on the delivery of specialty and emergency medicine. The acquisition will increase our level of market recognition in areas where we have an existing market presence. Our consolidated financial statements reflect the operating results of BrightHeart since July 11, 2011.

The following table summarizes the preliminary purchase price and the preliminary allocation of the purchase price (in thousands):

Consideration:
Cash	$	23,490
Cash paid to holders of debt		26,048
Contingent consideration		481
Fair value of total consideration transferred	$	50,019
Allocation of the Purchase Price:
Tangible assets	$	21,129
Identifiable intangible assets(1)		7,205
Goodwill(2)		42,004
Other liabilities assumed		(20,319	)
Total	$	50,019

(1) Identifiable intangible assets primarily include customer relationships. The weighted average amortization period for both the total identifiable intangible assets and the customer-related intangible assets is approximately five years.

(2) We expect that $40.7 million of the goodwill related to the BrightHeart acquisition recorded as of December 31, 2011 will be fully deductible for income tax purposes.

Acquisition-related costs, included in corporate selling, general and administrative expense in our income statement, for the year ended December 31, 2011, were approximately $1.3 million.

The preliminary purchase price allocation listed above is primarily pending the finalization of values related to capital leases. Our internal management review with respect to these items has not yet been completed. The final purchase price and the valuation of net assets acquired are expected to be completed as soon as practicable, but no later than one year from the date of acquisition. We believe that any adjustments would not be material to the consolidated financial statements and we expect this review to be completed by the end of the first quarter of 2012.

Other Acquisitions

MediMedia Animal Health, LLC (“Vetstreet”)

On August 9, 2011, we acquired 100% of the ownership interests of Vetstreet, a provider of online communications, professional education and marketing solutions to the veterinary community. The acquisition of Vetstreet expands the breadth of our product offerings to the veterinary community and is expected to provide long-term synergies to our existing businesses. We acquired Vetstreet for a preliminary purchase price of $146.4 million, net of cash acquired. The following table summarizes the preliminary purchase price and preliminary allocation of the purchase price (in thousands):

Consideration:
Cash	$	146,420
Allocation of the Purchase Price:
Tangible assets	$	7,861
Identifiable intangible assets(1)		45,810
Goodwill(2)		97,177
Other liabilities assumed		(4,428	)
Total	$	146,420

(1) Identifiable intangible assets include customer relationships, technology, trademarks, non-compete agreements and contracts. The weighted average amortization period for the total identifiable intangible assets is approximately nine years, for the customer-related intangible assets approximately ten years, for the technology and trademarks approximately seven years, for the non-compete agreements approximately two years and for the contracts approximately eight years.

(2) We expect that all of the goodwill related to the Vetstreet acquisition recorded as of December 31, 2011 will be fully deductible for income tax purposes.

The preliminary purchase price is pending the finalization of the working capital calculation, which at this time is under seller review.

The final purchase price allocation is pending the completion of the internal review of the final valuation. The provisional items pending finalization include, but are not limited to, accounts receivable, prepaid expenses, deferred income taxes, computer equipment, accounts payable and other accrued liabilities.

The final purchase price and the valuation of the net assets acquired are expected to be completed as soon as practicable, but no later than one year from the date of acquisition. We believe that any adjustments would not be material to the consolidated financial statements and we expect this review to be completed by the end of the third quarter of 2012.

Acquisition-related costs, included in corporate selling, general and administrative expense in our income statement, for the year ended December 31, 2011, was approximately $1.2 million.

Our Vetstreet business is reported within our “All Other” category in our segment disclosures combined with our Medical Technology operating segment.

Pro Forma Information (unaudited)

The following unaudited pro forma financial information for the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010 presents, (i) the actual results of operations of our 2011 acquisitions and (ii) the combined results of operations for our company and our 2011 acquisitions as if those acquisitions had been completed on January 1, 2010, the first day of the comparable prior annual reporting period. The pro forma financial information considers principally (i) our company’s financial results, (ii) the unaudited historical financial results of our acquisitions, and (iii) select pro forma adjustments to the historical financial results of our acquisitions. Such pro forma adjustments represent principally estimates of (i) the impact of the hypothetical amortization of acquired intangible assets, (ii) the recognition of fair value adjustments relating to tangible assets, (iii) adjustments reflecting the new capital structure, including additional financing or repayments of debt as part of the acquisitions and (iv) the tax effects of the acquisitions and related adjustments as if those acquisitions had been completed on January 1, 2010. The unaudited pro forma financial information is not necessarily indicative of what our consolidated results of operations would have been had we completed the acquisition at the beginning of the comparable prior annual reporting period. In addition, the unaudited pro forma financial information does not attempt to project the future results of operations of our company:

	Revenue		Net Income
	(Unaudited)
(In thousands):
Actual from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011		51,008		2,018
2011 supplemental pro forma from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011(1)		1,557,271		97,715
2010 supplemental pro forma from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010(1)		1,496,492		110,028

(1) 2011 supplemental pro forma net income was adjusted to exclude $2.5 million of acquisition-related costs incurred in 2011. 2010 supplemental pro forma net income was adjusted to include these charges.