Knox Lane to Acquire Cross Country Healthcare in a $437 Million Cash Deal

Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. (CCRN) entered a merger agreement on May 7, 2026, to be acquired by Knox Lane in an all-cash deal valued at $437 million.

Deal Structure:

Knox Lane will acquire all outstanding shares of Cross Country Healthcare common stock for $13.25 per share, representing a premium of 31.06% from the stock’s last close.

Company Profile:

Cross Country is a healthcare workforce solutions company that provides staffing, recruitment, workforce management, and consulting services to hospitals and healthcare providers across the U.S. The company operates technology-enabled platforms for managing contingent labor and supplies nurses, allied health professionals, physicians, and other clinical staff on temporary, permanent, and contract assignments.

Knox Lane is a San Francisco-based private equity firm that invests in growth-oriented businesses across the services and consumer sectors. The firm works with portfolio companies on operational improvement, digital transformation, acquisitions, and strategic growth initiatives, and manages approximately $3 billion in assets under management.

Deal Details and Timeline:

The merger is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026.

BofA Securities and Davis Polk & Wardwell are serving as financial and legal advisors to Cross Country Healthcare, respectively, while MTS Health Partners and Kirkland & Ellis are acting as financial and legal advisors to Knox Lane.

In 2024, Cross Country entered a merger with Aya Healthcare for $18.61 per share in cash. That merger was terminated after a year, because the companies were unable to fulfill the expiration of the waiting period under the HSR Act due to the 43-day government shutdown.

Knox Lane is paying 17 times EBITDA for Cross Country Healthcare.

Deal Metrics:

For a more comprehensive look at this M&A transaction, visit the Deal Metrics page here:

Deal Metrics for the acquisition of Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. (CCRN) by Knox Lane

The Deal Metrics page for each merger or acquisition provides a wealth of information, including:

• A spread history chart of the merger from announcement to completion or failure.
• A timeline of events as the merger progresses through regulatory approvals, shareholder votes, and more.
• News and SEC filings.
• A history of deal updates.
• And much more.

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Editor’s Note: Baranjot Kaur contributed to this article