Demant’s €700m purchase of one of the world’s leading retailers of hearing aids – KIND – was announced on June 11 with a flurry of global expansion claims and bold financial expectations: the acquisition “will contribute revenue of around EUR 300 million to the Demant Group in 2026”.

Demant’s strategy of expanding its global position in hearing care now further pinpoints its focus on Germany, one of the largest markets (around 1.7 million units sold annually).  KIND operates around 600 hearing care clinics in Germany, and the acquisition also encompasses around 30 KIND clinics in Switzerland, and a smaller number of clinics in Austria, Luxembourg and Singapore.

 

“A unique strategic fit”

 

Demant and KIND have in fact been partners for more than two decades, so the integration of the KIND Group into Demant, which brings on board around 650 hearing care clinics employing more than 3,000 people, is a consolidation of a stable relationship. While the purchase brings the Demant worldwide figure to over 4,500 clinics, the Danish group will now operate a nationwide network of hearing care clinics in the competitive and highly fragmented German market, totalling more than 900 clinics. President Niels Wagner has led Demant’s global Hearing Care business since 2007:

“We believe that a trusted relationship between the hearing aid user and a professional hearing care expert is paramount when purchasing hearing aids, and so is access to state-of-the-art technology, which is why we equip professionals with hearing solutions and standards of care that are not only excellent to work with, but also truly life-changing for people living with hearing loss,” said Wagner.

Meanwhile, stressing that the deal combines a proven track record with long-established values of trust, care, and innovation, Demant President and CEO, Søren Nielsen described the KIND-Demant amalgamation as “a unique strategic fit”.

“This expansion of our hearing care activities in Central Europe complements our long-term aspirations of helping more people with hearing loss through personalised care, while remaining a trusted partner to independent hearing care professionals,” said Nielsen.

 

KIND also operates in eyecare and hearing aid production

 

Besides being active in hearing care, a number of KIND clinics are also active within eye care, and KIND also operates a small hearing aid manufacturing and distribution site.

Demant will pay the EUR 700 million for KIND in cash at closing, and financed fully through debt facilities. The Group will prioritise deleveraging and anticipates returning to the targeted range within 18-24 months after closing. While its share buy-back programme is suspended effective from June 11, Demant’s financial outlook for 2025 remains otherwise unchanged.

Source: Demant