KINDRED HOSPITAL SYCAMORE
1. Target Overview & Investment Thesis
KINDRED HOSPITAL SYCAMORE is a 69-bed under-performing / distressed in DEKALB, IL with $18.4M in net patient revenue and a -35.8% operating margin. The hospital serves a payer mix of 38.6% Medicare, 8.4% Medicaid, and 53.0% commercial.
Thesis: Turnaround. Our ML models identify $1.4M in annual EBITDA improvement potential from RCM optimization across 5 levers, lifting margin from -35.8% to -28.5% (+736bps).
| Net Revenue HCRIS | $18.4M |
| Current EBITDA COMPUTED | $-6.6M |
| Operating Margin COMPUTED | -35.8% |
| Occupancy HCRIS | 35.2% |
| Revenue / Bed COMPUTED | $266K |
| Net-to-Gross HCRIS | 23.5% |
| Distress Probability ML | 53.6% |
2. Market Context & Competitive Position
IL has 208 Medicare-certified hospitals with a median operating margin of -5.3%. The target's margin of -35.8% places it below the state median. Among 62 size-comparable peers (34-138 beds), the median margin is -8.4%. The target's below-peer margin suggests operational improvement opportunity.
3. RCM Performance Analysis — Comparable Hospitals
Comps selected by bed count (34-138), prioritizing same-state peers. 62 hospitals in the comp set.
| Hospital | State | Beds | Revenue | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KINDRED HOSPITAL SYCAMORE (Target) | IL | 69 | $18.4M | -35.8% |
| MIDWESTERN REGIONAL MEDICAL CE | IL | 73 | $1.38B | 80.5% |
| NORTHWESTERN LAKE FOREST HOSPI | IL | 124 | $494.3M | -13.8% |
| SARAH BUSH LINCOLN HEALTH CENT | IL | 100 | $448.6M | -18.1% |
| KISHWAUKEE COMMUNITY HOSPITAL | IL | 98 | $355.3M | 25.5% |
| CGH MEDICAL CENTER | IL | 95 | $247.1M | -7.6% |
| SSM HEALTH GOOD SAMARITAN HOSP | IL | 111 | $214.8M | 1.5% |
| MORRIS HOSPITAL | IL | 89 | $210.8M | 1.7% |
| ADVENTIST BOLINGBROOK HOSPITAL | IL | 110 | $199.3M | -5.4% |
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: $1.4M (736bps margin improvement).
| Lever | Current | Target | EBITDA Impact | Margin | Ramp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net Collection Rate | 93.5% | 97.0% | $386K | +210bp | 18mo |
| Cost to Collect | 4.5% | 2.5% | $368K | +200bp | 12mo |
| Denial Rate Reduction | 12.0% | 6.5% | $364K | +198bp | 12mo |
| A/R Days Reduction | 5200.0% | 3800.0% | $224K | +122bp | 9mo |
| Clean Claim Rate | 88.0% | 96.0% | $12K | +6bp | 6mo |
5. EBITDA Bridge
| Current EBITDA | $-6.6M |
| + RCM Uplift | +$1.4M |
| Pro Forma EBITDA | $-5.2M |
| Current Margin | -35.8% |
| Pro Forma Margin | -28.5% |
| WC Released (1x) | $705K |
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 | $-10.1M | $-29.9M | 0.00x | -100.0% |
| Base (11x exit) | 10.0x | 11.0x | $-10.1M | $-36.2M | 0.00x | -100.0% |
| Bull Case | 9.0x | 11.0x | $-9.1M | $-35.1M | 0.00x | -100.0% |
| Bull (12x exit) | 9.0x | 12.0x | $-9.1M | $-40.9M | 0.00x | -100.0% |
| Bear Case | 11.0x | 10.0x | $-11.2M | $-33.4M | 0.00x | -100.0% |
| Bear (11x exit) | 11.0x | 11.0x | $-11.2M | $-40.4M | 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 |
| High | Elevated distress probability | Model estimates 53.6% probability of financial distress. Mitigant: distressed entry pricing (7-9x) compensates for risk |
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
- 62 hospitals with 34-138 beds
- Same-state prioritization (n=63)
- Comp margins: P25=-21.0% / P50=-8.4% / P75=3.7%
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.