SBC Medical Group Holdings (Nasdaq: SBC) Claims First-Mover Advantage In Medical Services Franchise Model, Debuts On Nasdaq

September 20, 2024 at 08:25 AM EDT

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By Gerelyn Terzo, Benzinga

While it’s hard to put a price tag on time, it’s one of those commodities that healthcare professionals value highly. And yet, many physicians, including surgeons, are mired in administrative work, costing them valuable time that they could otherwise be spending on patient care. Fortunately, the medical field continues to see new innovations such as AI-powered diagnostics, surgery robots, wearables — and the rise of service organizations that shoulder the weight of otherwise mundane administrative tasks. As a result, healthcare professionals across medical segments have more options than ever to keep their operations running smoothly while optimizing performance.

One company in the vanguard of this trend is SBC Medical Group Holdings (NASDAQ: SBC), a Tokyo-based medical services healthcare company with a history in the aesthetics space that specializes in solving the problems of medical care providers. SBC has its roots in providing management services to cosmetic treatment centers in Japan, an industry where demand is on the rise, fueled by procedures such as dermal fillers, botulinum toxin (botox) and eyelid surgery and more.

Bringing A New Business Model To The Aesthetic Medical Industry

SBC Medical’s business model brings the franchisee-franchisor model to a new industry. This model is one that is appreciated by many investors for its proven success in sectors like restaurants and now in healthcare, including medical clinics. SBC believes that as the pioneer of the franchise model in the global aesthetics medical industry, it enjoys a first-mover advantage. The company boasts a No. 1 leading position in Japan’s growing aesthetics medical industry, reporting that it generates stable and high-profit margins owing to the collection of ongoing franchise fees.

This model involves franchisor-franchisee contracts or agreements between any of SBC ’s Japanese subsidiaries and medical corporations serving as the umbrella for a total of 218 clinic treatment centers in Japan, with 2 additional clinics located outside of the country. These beauty clinics, which operate under the Shonan Beauty Clinic brand, specialize in services ranging from breast augmentation and laser hair removal to cosmetic dental procedures and beyond. The administrative tasks associated with providing these kinds of medical services can be burdensome without proper support.

Supporting Healthcare Professionals Through Management Services

The comprehensive management services that SBC provides to franchise clinics run the gamut. Depending on the practice’s needs, SBC might handle its IT requirements, advertising and marketing needs (such as operating social media channels), hiring, payroll, reservations, staff housing and other such requirements. Additionally, SBC supports franchisee clinics in other ways, extending to the construction and design of clinics, procurement and resale of medical equipment and consumables, the provision of cosmetic products to patients, licensure/IP, customer loyalty programs and more.

A common thread across these services is that they represent time-consuming activities that can take a toll on practice owners, interfering with their ability to give 100% of their attention to providing high-quality care to their patients. While the services may vary, the end goal is the same - to create greater efficiencies for the medical practice while saving healthcare professionals valuable time and streamlining their operations. As a result, the doctors can focus on what they do best - caring for patients.

Importantly, SBC is not limited to any single medical specialization or jurisdiction. Since its inception, the company has expanded its footprint to provide high-quality services to medical corporations overseas, including its first clinic in Vietnam and the United States, respectively. SBC has just made its debut as a publicly traded company on the Nasdaq, giving investors an opportunity to participate in its growing total addressable market.

Company And Market Dynamics

SBC specializes in providing comprehensive management services to franchisee healthcare clinics. Incorporated in 2023, SBC believes it is well-respected in the industry, owing to the SBC management team’s two decades-plus of industry experience.

For more than two decades, SBC CEO and Chairman Dr. Yoshiyuki Aikawa has been at the helm of Aikawa Medical Group, now known as SBC. He also served as president and director of the Japanese Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Harvard Medical School, PGA. SBC Chief Operating Officer Yuya Yoshida is a seasoned capital markets executive, with former stints at Rakuten Group Co, where he specialized in M&A at Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group.

With a combined 166 franchise clinics, SBC has already claimed the title of Japan’s biggest aesthetic medical group. While the company is in the midst of an expansion push, Japan is its maiden market, where it reports it has a demonstrated track record of success. It plans to continue to grow in Japan while pursuing new growth opportunities in the U.S. and Southeast Asia.

Japan’s cosmetic surgery market has experienced steady growth. It is predicted to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.1% in the decade leading up to 2033 for a value of $41.6 billion, up from $19 billion in 2023. Meanwhile, the country’s medical aesthetics market was worth $2.6 billion as of last year and is growing at a CAGR of 13% in the current decade for a value of $9 billion by 2033.

SBC’s Balance Sheet

Investors who are interested in participating in the company’s growth story may find SBC ’s fundamentals interesting. For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, SBC’s revenues increased 11% to $193 million with EBITDA of $82 million and net income of $39 million. Revenues increased 27.72% to approximately $54.8 million with a net income of approximately $18.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024. The company has a balance sheet to help support its growth, with approximately $96 million in cash and cash equivalents as of March 31, 2024. SBC is not only providing quality comprehensive management services to medical corporations and expanding its Shonan Beauty Clinic brand but doing so profitably.

SBC Medical Group Holdings began trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol SBC on September 18 following a business combination with Pono Capital Two (Nasdaq: PTWO), a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC). Investors who would like to participate in SBC’s growth story now have the unique opportunity to do so in the stock’s early days of trading on the Nasdaq market.

Featured photo by Bru-nO on Pixabay.

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