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EQT agrees to buy diagnostics firm Qiagen in cash deal

Published

Qiagen's boards unanimously approved an all-cash offer of €46.50 per share from the EQT XI fund. The deal values the molecular testing company at about €10.8 billion, and closing is expected in mid-2027.

Qiagen and EQT said the offer comes through Crown NL Bidco B.V., a company backed by the EQT XI fund. Both of Qiagen's boards, the Supervisory Board and the Managing Board, will recommend that shareholders accept. The offer needs acceptance from 50% of share capital plus one share.

The price is a 40.3% premium to the closing price of €33.15 on 8 July 2026. That was the last trading day before market reports of private equity interest. It is also a 46.9% premium to the three-month volume-weighted average price.

The €10.8 billion figure is enterprise value. Including net debt of $1.1 billion, the value is $12.1 billion. One report put the deal at about €9.6 billion, which is an 8.6% premium to the last close.

Affiliates of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and CPP Investments are co-investors. Qiagen and EQT said Qiagen will keep operating independently under its current management, name and brand. If closing has not happened within 10 months, shareholders may get an interim dividend of up to $0.47 per share.

Key facts

Who
QIAGEN (target company; its boards unanimously approved the deal and will recommend…); Crown NL Bidco B.V. (bidder making the voluntary public takeover offer); EQT XI fund (private equity backer of the offer (EQT Private Equity)); Luxinva S.A. (co-investor; subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority)
What
QIAGEN's Supervisory Board and Managing Board unanimously approved a recommended all-cash takeover offer by Crown NL Bidco B.V., backed by the EQT XI fund, at €46.50 per share, valuing QIAGEN at about €10.8 billion enterprise value. Closing is expected in mid-2027, subject to conditions.
When
22 October 2026
Where
Netherlands
Status
Reported

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