NGMC BARROW
1. Target Overview & Investment Thesis
NGMC BARROW is a 56-bed under-performing / distressed in BARROW, GA with $45.8M in net patient revenue and a -8.0% operating margin. The hospital serves a payer mix of 22.4% Medicare, 6.6% Medicaid, and 71.0% commercial.
Thesis: Turnaround. Our ML models identify $3.4M in annual EBITDA improvement potential from RCM optimization across 5 levers, lifting margin from -8.0% to -0.6% (+736bps).
| Net Revenue HCRIS | $45.8M |
| Current EBITDA COMPUTED | $-3.7M |
| Operating Margin COMPUTED | -8.0% |
| Occupancy HCRIS | 31.3% |
| Revenue / Bed COMPUTED | $817K |
| Net-to-Gross HCRIS | 18.2% |
| Distress Probability ML | 52.0% |
2. Market Context & Competitive Position
GA has 165 Medicare-certified hospitals with a median operating margin of -2.8%. The target's margin of -8.0% places it below the state median. Among 66 size-comparable peers (28-112 beds), the median margin is -1.4%. The target's below-peer margin suggests operational improvement opportunity.
3. RCM Performance Analysis — Comparable Hospitals
Comps selected by bed count (28-112), prioritizing same-state peers. 66 hospitals in the comp set.
| Hospital | State | Beds | Revenue | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NGMC BARROW (Target) | GA | 56 | $45.8M | -8.0% |
| TANNER MEDICAL CENTER-VILLA RI | GA | 58 | $289.8M | 33.3% |
| PAULDING MEDICAL CENTER | GA | 112 | $288.5M | 9.0% |
| DOUGLAS HOSPITAL | GA | 112 | $217.2M | -0.8% |
| NORTHSIDE HOSPITAL - DULUTH | GA | 87 | $193.2M | -3.1% |
| ADVENTHEALTH GORDON | GA | 69 | $188.5M | -3.4% |
| COLQUITT REGIONAL MEDICAL CENT | GA | 99 | $173.8M | -17.0% |
| KENNESTONE HOSPITAL AT WINDY H | GA | 55 | $160.5M | 0.7% |
| PIEDMONT NEWTON HOSPITAL | GA | 94 | $148.5M | 4.8% |
4. Predicted Improvement Opportunities
Improvement targets set at P75 of comparable peers with 60% gap closure assumption. Coefficients calibrated to published research bands. Total EBITDA uplift: $3.4M (736bps margin improvement).
| Lever | Current | Target | EBITDA Impact | Margin | Ramp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net Collection Rate | 93.5% | 97.0% | $961K | +210bp | 18mo |
| Cost to Collect | 4.5% | 2.5% | $915K | +200bp | 12mo |
| Denial Rate Reduction | 12.0% | 6.5% | $906K | +198bp | 12mo |
| A/R Days Reduction | 5200.0% | 3800.0% | $557K | +122bp | 9mo |
| Clean Claim Rate | 88.0% | 96.0% | $29K | +6bp | 6mo |
5. EBITDA Bridge
| Current EBITDA | $-3.7M |
| + RCM Uplift | +$3.4M |
| Pro Forma EBITDA | $-292K |
| Current Margin | -8.0% |
| Pro Forma Margin | -0.6% |
| WC Released (1x) | $1.8M |
6. Returns Analysis — Scenario Matrix
5-year hold, 5.5x leverage, 3% organic growth, 10%/yr debt paydown. Base case uses 100% of predicted RCM uplift. Bull case: 130% uplift at lower entry. Bear case: 50% uplift at higher entry.
| Scenario | Entry | Exit | Equity In | Equity Out | MOIC | IRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base Case | 10.0x | 10.0x | $-5.6M | $9.5M | 0.00x | -100.0% |
| Base (11x exit) | 10.0x | 11.0x | $-5.6M | $8.7M | 0.00x | -100.0% |
| Bull Case | 9.0x | 11.0x | $-5.1M | $18.0M | 0.00x | -100.0% |
| Bull (12x exit) | 9.0x | 12.0x | $-5.1M | $18.1M | 0.00x | -100.0% |
| Bear Case | 11.0x | 10.0x | $-6.2M | $-5.5M | 0.00x | -100.0% |
| Bear (11x exit) | 11.0x | 11.0x | $-6.2M | $-8.0M | 0.00x | -100.0% |
7. Key Risks & Mitigants
| Severity | Risk Factor | Mitigant |
|---|---|---|
| High | Negative operating margin | RCM uplift bridge shows clear path to profitability; working capital release provides near-term cash cushion |
| Medium | Low occupancy | At 31.3%, fixed costs are spread over fewer patient days. Mitigant: volume growth is an additional upside lever not modeled in base case |
| High | Elevated distress probability | Model estimates 52.0% probability of financial distress. Mitigant: distressed entry pricing (7-9x) compensates for risk |
| Low | Low net-to-gross ratio | Large contractual allowances suggest pricing discipline issues. Mitigant: payer renegotiation is an additional upside lever |
8. Data Sources & Methodology Appendix
Data Sources
- CMS HCRIS Cost Reports (Medicare-certified hospitals)
- CMS Medicare Utilization (DRG-level volumes)
- CMS Chronic Conditions (county-level disease prevalence)
- HCRIS multi-year trend data (financial time series)
Comparable Selection
- 66 hospitals with 28-112 beds
- Same-state prioritization (n=67)
- Comp margins: P25=-16.1% / P50=-1.4% / P75=6.9%
Bridge Methodology
- Targets: P75 of comparable peers (60% gap closure)
- Denial: avoidable share = 35% of delta × NPR
- AR: bad debt coefficient = $0.65 per day per $1K NPR
- NCR: 60% coefficient on collection rate improvement
- CDI: 0.75% of Medicare revenue per 0.01 CMI point
Returns Assumptions
- Leverage: 5.5x entry (84.6% debt / 15.4% equity)
- Organic growth: 3% annual EBITDA growth
- Debt paydown: 10% of principal per year
- Hold period: 5 years
Generated by SeekingChartis on April 26, 2026. All predictions use public data only. Confidence intervals calibrated via split conformal prediction (90% coverage target). This memo is for informational purposes and does not constitute investment advice.