Ärileht reported that although the parties have not disclosed the purchase price, the deal is the largest ownership change in the history of Estonia's long-term care sector. Penta Hospitals, which has until now operated in the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia, will use the acquisition of Südamekodud as a platform for further expansion into the Latvian and Lithuanian markets.

Under the transaction, only the operating business — the provision of long-term care services, along with its employees, contracts and brand — will be transferred to the new owner. The nursing home buildings and real estate will remain with the current owners, including EfTEN and companies affiliated with the current ownership group.

Martin Kukk, one of Südamekodud's owners, said the current owners had also planned to expand into Latvia and Lithuania, but doing so would have required hundreds of millions of euros. The current owners did not have access to that level of funding, prompting them to begin looking for a partner. Although the initial plan was not to sell the entire company, Kukk said the negotiations ultimately resulted in the sale of a 100 percent stake.

Penta Hospitals International is one of Central Europe's largest private healthcare and long-term care providers. The company operates a total of 53 hospitals, 62 outpatient centers and 61 nursing homes across the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland. The group's revenue is projected to reach €1.5 billion in 2025 and it employs more than 22,000 people.

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