** Shares of medical supplies distributor Owens & Minor OMI.N rise 10.3% to $7.6 premarket

** Co's Q4 profit beats estimates and OMI says it is in the process of selling its unit that distributes products to healthcare providers and manufacturers

** Leerink Partners says the unit is slower-growing compared to its other business that distributes products directly to patients, and has a much lower margin structure

** OMI also says its board has authorized a share repurchase worth $100 mln

** Stock had fallen 25.3% since OMI's prelim Q4 revenue in early Feb missed analysts' estimate

(Reporting by Padmanabhan Ananthan)

((Padmanabhan.Ananthan@thomsonreuters.com;))