Shares of Cross Country Healthcare Inc (NASDAQ:CCRN) climbed 29% on Thursday after the company disclosed a definitive agreement to be acquired by Knox Lane, a growth-oriented investment firm, in an all-cash transaction.
Under the terms of the agreement, Knox Lane will buy every outstanding share of Cross Country Healthcare common stock for $13.25 per share, valuing the transaction at $437 million. The purchase price represents roughly a 31% premium to Cross Country Healthcare’s May 6, 2026 closing price, and a 45% premium to the company’s volume-weighted average trading price for the 90-day period that ended May 6, 2026.
Following the closing of the transaction, Cross Country Healthcare will be taken private and will no longer trade on the Nasdaq exchange. The company is expected to continue operating under the Cross Country Healthcare name and brand as a privately held platform company within Knox Lane’s portfolio.
Kevin Clark, Co-Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Cross Country Healthcare, said: "We are excited to be working with Knox Lane, who brings significant and direct expertise in our sector to help Cross Country Healthcare enter its next phase of growth, while delivering significant and immediate value to our stockholders."
John Bailey, Managing Partner at Knox Lane, and Shamik Patel, Partner at Knox Lane, commented that Cross Country Healthcare is "a longstanding leader and innovator in healthcare workforce solutions, with an unparalleled focus on delivering clinical excellence."
The companies indicated the proposed transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions. Those conditions include approval by Cross Country Healthcare stockholders and the receipt of all required regulatory approvals.
BofA Securities, Inc. is serving as exclusive financial advisor to Cross Country Healthcare. Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP is acting as legal counsel to the company.
This announcement directly affects market participants in the healthcare staffing and workforce solutions sectors, as well as investors in the company’s Nasdaq-listed equity. It also has relevance to private equity and growth-oriented investment firm activity within healthcare services, given the intention to operate Cross Country Healthcare as a platform company under Knox Lane ownership.
For market observers, the pricing of the deal and the premiums being paid relative to recent trading levels will be key metrics when evaluating the transaction. The timetable hinges on the receipt of stockholder consent and regulatory approvals, and the transaction remains subject to the usual closing conditions for an acquisition of this nature.