Patterson Companies, Inc.'s PDCO subsidiary, Patterson Dental Supply, Inc., recently announced an agreement in principle between Patterson and PDS Health to extend their relationship through the end of 2027. The extension is expected to allow Patterson Companies to continue as the premier distributor for all merchandise, services, technology and core equipment across PDS Health’s network of more than 1,000 supported practices nationwide.

PDS Health, earlier known as Pacific Dental Services, is a renowned dental and medical support organization that delivers services across the United States.

The latest announcement is expected to significantly boost Patterson Companies’ Dental business unit.

Likely Trend of PDCO Stock Following the News

Following the announcement on Nov. 13, shares of the company gained nearly 0.7% till yesterday.

Historically, the company has gained a high level of synergies from its various partnerships. We expect market sentiment on the stock to continue to remain positive around this announcement, too.

Patterson Companies currently has a market capitalization of $1.84 billion. It has an earnings yield of 11.1%, higher than the industry’s 5.3%. In the last reported quarter, PDCO delivered a negative earnings surprise of 25%.

Significance of the Extension of Patterson Companies' Agreement

Patterson Dental initially partnered with PDS Health to be its core technology provider, implementing 2D sensor technology. Later, it supported the pilot and execution of PDS Health’s same-day dentistry model with CAD/CAM. In 2020, the tie-up expanded to include merchandise, services and core equipment. The renewed agreement will likely enable Patterson Dental to continue to support PDS Health in advancing patient-centered care.

Per PDCO's management, the latest expansion of the partnership is expected to provide new products, technology and services that streamline operations, optimize efficiency and maximize profitability.

PDS Health's management believes that the agreement will likely accelerate its journey toward enhancing patient care via technology, quality and operational excellence.

Industry Prospects in Favor of PDCO

Per a report by Grand View Research, the global dental practice management software market was estimated at $2.6 billion in 2023 and is anticipated to witness a CAGR of approximately 10.2% between 2024 and 2030. Factors like increasing dental visits and the growing adoption of healthcare IT solutions in oral practice procedures are likely to drive the market.

Given the market potential, the latest partnership extension is expected to solidify Patterson Companies’ foothold in the niche space.

Patterson Companies' Notable Developments

In July, Patterson Companies’ Patterson Dental Supply announced a new Eaglesoft native integration with Pearl Second Opinion. The new integration within Eaglesoft Advanced Imaging adds Pearl Second Opinion real-time clinical detections directly to x-rays captured and presented in Eaglesoft. 

The same month, Patterson Dental Supply announced new integration features within Weave and the Patterson Dental practice management software solutions Fuse, Eaglesoft and Dolphin Management. Per the company, a focus on deeper integrations will likely aid offices to streamline their patient experience to a greater extent.

PDCO's Share Price Performance

Shares of the company have lost 34.8% in the past year against the industry’s 8.9% rise and the S&P 500's 29.8% growth.

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Patterson Companies' Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider

Currently, PDCO carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).

Some better-ranked stocks in the broader medical space are Cardinal Health, Inc. CAH, Cencora, Inc. COR and Globus Medical, Inc. GMED.

Cardinal Health, carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present, has an estimated long-term growth rate of 10.2%. CAH’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 11.2%. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Cardinal Health’s shares have gained 14% compared with the industry’s 8.9% rise in the past year.

Cencora, carrying a Zacks Rank of 2 at present, has an estimated long-term growth rate of 10.1%. COR’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average being 6.9%.

Cencora has gained 23.9% against the industry’s 3% decline in the past year.

Globus Medical, carrying a Zacks Rank of 2 at present, has an estimated long-term growth rate of 14.1%. GMED’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 17.7%.

Globus Medical’s shares have rallied 80.3% compared with the industry’s 15.4% rise in the past year.

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