The recent spring NIC conference in Dallas was a little more sober than recent conferences. Coming right after Brookdale Senior Living’s various announcements and stock plunge, plus the bankruptcy filing of HCR ManorCare, some people were a bit more circumspect about how the sector was doing.
I did continue my poll of private company CEOs and the impact of the flu season on operations. Still batting 1,000, as everyone I asked said the flu was having minimal, if any, impact on census. It was the other factors we highlighted in the March issue.
There was something else we noticed. The traditional sessions on things like private equity investing or lending to the senior care market were standing room only. But sessions talking about selling managed care plans to your residents, or the secrets to winning managed care contracts, or the survival guide to getting in-network with hospitals to maintain census, barely had 25% of the seats filled.
This is a problem, and it says that people are still not understanding how the entire seniors housing and care business will be transformed in the next 10 years. It will impact census, marketing, staffing and much more, but definitely cash flow.
On a sad note, we just learned that Tony Mullen, one of the co-founders of NIC and instrumental in building up the organization, died suddenly last weekend. Our condolences to his family.
Steve, I have been going to NIC for 11 years now, and I agree with your comments on attendance at the seminars. When will we all realize that this business is all about operations? How many more operating companies will we lose, before we come to this conclusion?
Also, are the way the loans structured strangling our providers? Shouldn’t our lenders and investors be concerned about this?
Julie, thanks for the comment, and yes, I think it is all about capital structure, and the capital structures of too many companies are strangling them in this market. And they should be concerned about it.
RIP Tony.
http://www.stretchfuneralhome.com/obituary/Anthony-James-Tony-Mullen/Newtown-Square-Pennsylvania/1785971
Curt, that was a real shocker. What a shame. Unfortunately, I can’t make the memorial service.
Hello Steve, I represent a group of investors from Latin America interested in investing in the senior housing space. Would like to discuss further. Appreciate,
Hi Martin, my email is monroe@levinassociates.com if you want to set up a time to talk.
Very well put Julie! We put far too high of a value on the real estate and too little value on the operations. The high capital costs places untenable pressure on operations.
Yes, it works in a market moving up, but we are seeing the danger signs when the market becomes turbulent.