Gentiva Health Services to Acquire Harden Healthcare for $408.8M

Gentiva Health Services, Inc. GTIV ("Gentiva" or "the Company"), the largest provider of home health and hospice services in the United States based on revenue, and Harden Healthcare Holdings, Inc. ("Harden"), a leading provider of home health, hospice and community care services, announced today that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement whereby Gentiva will acquire Harden.     Under the terms of the merger agreement, Gentiva will acquire Harden's home health, hospice and community care businesses. Harden's existing shareholders will retain the company's long-term care business.   The purchase price to be paid by Gentiva is approximately $408.8 million, consisting of $355 million in cash and approximately $53.8 million in Gentiva common stock.  Gentiva expects to fund the cash portion of the purchase price through available cash and a new credit facility.  The Company expects to raise a new $855 million term loan facility to fund the transaction and refinance its existing term loans.       See full press release