Cencora to buy retina business of EyeSouth Partners for $1.1 billion

March 23 (Reuters) – Drug distributor Cencora said on Monday it would buy the retina business of eye-care network EyeSouth Partners for $1.1 billion, bolstering its specialty medical services business.

The deal will bring EyeSouth’s retina doctors into Cencora’s own eye-care arm, Retina Consultants of America, which supports specialists who treat diseases of the back of the eye including conditions that can cause vision loss.

The company bought Retina Consultants of America from private-equity firm Webster Equity Partners for $4.6 billion in 2024.

Cencora has stepped up its dealmaking over the past year as it refocuses on higher‑margin, specialty‑focused segments and pares back non‑core operations to simplify its portfolio.

Last year, the drug distributor moved to take full control of OneOncology for $5 billion in cash, intended to strengthen its footing in cancer-care services.

Last month, Cencora followed up with plans to divest its MWI Animal Health unit through a merger with privately held animal health distributor Covetrus in a deal valuing the business at $3.5 billion.

The company said its financial outlook for fiscal 2026 does not include any benefit from the transaction as it does not assume the deal will close during the fiscal year.

Cencora said the purchase should add a lift to adjusted earnings per share in the first 12 months after the deal closes, after taking financing costs into account.

(Reporting by Padmanabhan Ananthan in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel)