ArthroCare Bid Signals Ortho Consolidation

If completed, Smith & Nephew’s acquisition of ArthroCare would help it diversify into the ENT market, but the deal may not get done as analysts speculate that competitors Stryker and J&J could step in with counteroffers. But the interest surrounding Austin, TX-based ArthroCare emphasizes the pressures being put on large joint makers to find new ways of making money in orthopedics.