The news: Pathology provider Healius has appointed UBS to explore a sale of its bioanalytical laboratory Agilex Biolabs in response to “several unsolicited approaches from credible parties”.
The context: Agilex Biolabs current operates as a standalone business within Healius and any sale would not impact the company’s core pathology operations, it said.
The group also said it expects to deliver group underlying EBITDA of between $259 million and $264 million for FY26, and underlying EBIT of between $30 million and $35 million.
It had previously guided for full-year earnings “to be in line with current consensus”.
Healius reported underlying EBITDA of $239.3 million in FY25, and underlying EBIT of $17.1 million.
The company said on Wednesday that pathology volumes declined 0.4% for the 10 months to April 2026, while revenue had grown by 2.4%.
Pathology labour costs increased by 0.8% during the same period, where previous guidance was broadly flat for FY26.
Healius noted that pathology labour costs will be impacted by $1.8 million in the fourth quarter, due to the Fair Work Commission’s interim findings on gender-based undervaluation.
Elsewhere, Healius flagged that last night’s federal budget contained no new funding for pathology, noting the sector is already operating under an indexation freeze for most tests.
What they said: “Pressure on the pathology sector continues to build as we navigate a significant wage increase as the result of the Fair Work Commission decision on gender-based valuation,” the company said.
“Despite the fact that GPs and patients rely on pathology tests, the pathology sector is receiving no support to fund these increases.
“Inadequate funding has resulted in difficult decisions to cut staff, close collection centres and regional laboratories. This year’s federal budget will put additional pressure on a sector which is a critical part of Australia’s primary healthcare system.”