Amicas to buy Emageon at huge premium

The news is a couple of days old already, but I still felt like posting it: Radiology information systems and PACS vendor Amicas is purchasing Emageon for $39 million in cash. The price, $1.82 per share, represents nearly a 150 percent premium over the Friday close of 75 cents per share of Emageon stock. (The stock soared to $1.68 after the intraday announcement on Monday, and now is at about $1.76.)

My limited exposure to the RIS/PACS market tells me that this is a good fit, as Emageon offers software for managing all sorts of imaging systems and related clinical documentation, including in cardiology. But a 150 percent premium? I wonder if Amicas is betting on the economic stimulus to boost the entire health IT sector?