Metropolis Healthcare

Engaged in diagnostic services, Metropolis Healthcare Limited offers a range of clinical laboratory tests and profiles used for early detection, confirmation and monitoring of disease. It also offers analytical and support services to clinical research organisations for their clinical research projects. The company’s services include pathology testing services, corporate wellness, clinical research services and labs in hospitals. Metropolis Healthcare owns diagnostic centres in the Middle East, South Asia and Africa along with its network in India spread across more than 220 cities.

Metropolis has invested in a variety of specialised tests and several advanced tests and technologies introduced in the global market. The company has nearly 2800 specialised tests.

Business operations

Metropolis Healthcare was started in 1980 as a single diagnostic laboratory in Mumbai by Dr Sushil Kanubhai Shah. The company became a public entity in 2006 and was renamed Metropolis Health Services (India) Limited. The company established its first referral laboratory in 1981. Metropolis started clinical research services in 1992. Ameera Sushil Shah joined the team of Metropolis as one of the partners in the company in 1998. She played a major role in the company's growth strategy and was key to its expansion. In 2001, the company completed its first major acquisition and took over the business of Sudharma, Kerala, in 2001. The same year the company introduced its home service vertical.

In 2006, Metropolis received capital funding from ICICI Ventures. The company executed a secondary transaction by Foxcreek Investment Limited, an affiliate company of Warburg Pincus. The company sets its foot outside the Indian market, taking its services to developing African countries. In 2015, Warburg Pincus exited the company, giving the promoters management control of the firm.

The company inducted a new professional team and rolled out the Metropolis retail strategy in 2016.

In 2019-20, was a year of growth for the company as it pushed for retail expansion. Metropolis also initiated its first public-private partnership (PPP). The company launched its initial public offering (IPO) and was listed on the Indian stock markets.

In 2021-22, the company acquired Hitech Diagnostics Centre to boost its presence in the South Indian markets. It also initiated a network expansion project (90:30) with 90 labs and 1,800 service collection centres in tier 2 and tier 3 cities across India. Metropolis absorbed 8 wholly-owned subsidiaries into the company.

It also became the industry’s first firm to introduce an Employee Value Proposition (EVO). The company rolled out the Metropolis 3.0 strategy to expand its consumer reach via a direct-to-consumer model.

As of January 10, 2024, the company’s market capitalisation is valued at over ₹ 8,200 crores. Metropolis Healthcare’s share price has slipped by over 23% in the last three years.

Financial highlights

⦁ Metropolis Healthcare’s total revenue from operations in FY23 stood at ₹1148. 2 crores, recording a dip of 10.86% from ₹1228.34 crores in the last financial year. ⦁ The company reported a net profit of ₹143.4 crore in FY23 as against ₹215 crore in FY22. ⦁ The EBITDA stood at ₹293 crore in FY23, as compared to ₹349 crore in the previous financial year, recording a decline of 16%. ⦁ Its basic earnings per share (EPS) slipped to ₹27.91 in FY23 from ₹41.87 in the last financial year.