MDLN 10-K Analysis: Why Medline's Growth Story Is a Leveraged Margin Trap
Medline Inc. grew revenue 11.5% to $28.4 billion — the fastest among its med-surg peers. But the 10-K reveals that $2.9 billion in new revenue produced just $67 million in incremental operating income, a 2.3% capture rate below the company's own cost of debt. With ROIC at 5.96% versus a 6.50% cost of debt, a Q4 gross margin cliff to 24.6%, and a potential $11 billion Tax Receivable Agreement owed to PE sponsors, the filing documents a capital structure that demands more than operations can deliver.