Reading Time: 3 minutes Reuters — Chemical giants DuPont and Dow Chemical agreed to merge in an all-stock deal valuing the combined company at US$130 billion in a win for activist investors that could spark further consolidation in the farm chemicals industry. The deal to combine two of the biggest and oldest U.S. chemical producers is a prelude to […] Read more
Dow, DuPont to merge in deal to create chem giant
Dow-DuPont talks driven by weak farm demand, investor pressure
Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — Merger talks between Dow Chemical and DuPont are likely to have been precipitated by shareholder pressure and weakening demand for crop-protection chemicals, and such a deal would have been unlikely even a few months ago. Stocks of both companies jumped 12 per cent on Wednesday — Dow’s to a record high of $56.80 […] Read more
Syngenta ready to play role in sector shake-up
Reading Time: 2 minutes Frankfurt | Reuters — Syngenta and other major seeds and crop chemicals companies are intensively discussing tie-ups, the Financial Times quoted the Swiss firm’s chairman as saying Wednesday, adding to a chorus of voices predicting a sector shake-up. Conversations among the leading players in the industry are “extremely active,” the newspaper quoted Michel Demare as […] Read more
Syngenta still among options for Monsanto takeover bids
Reading Time: 3 minutes St. Louis | Reuters — Monsanto executives are discussing whether the world’s largest seed company should acquire agrochemical rivals, including top pesticide maker Syngenta, Monsanto president Brett Begemann said Tuesday. “Everybody’s talking now. There’s multiple ways things can occur,” he said. Monsanto abandoned a $45 billion bid for Syngenta in August (all figures US$). Begemann […] Read more
DuPont in talks with rivals about agribusiness
Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — DuPont is talking to rivals about its agriculture business, interim CEO Edward Breen said Tuesday, less than a week after Dow Chemical announced a review of its farm chemicals and seeds unit. Falling crop prices and rising fertilizer output have triggered talk of consolidation among farm-focused companies. DuPont has been touted as a […] Read more
Dow reviews options for farm chemical/seeds unit
Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — Dow Chemical said it would “review all options” for its farm chemicals and seeds unit, which has reported falling sales for nearly a year, and suggested that it might buy Corning’s stake in a silicon joint venture. Dow is also selling its stake in a Kuwaiti JV that produces a chemical used in […] Read more
DuPont to buy microbiome firm, seek edge in emerging crop products
Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — DuPont is buying a California-based microbiome discovery company for development of biological crop products, a move that the chemical and crop company hopes will give it an edge in an emerging agricultural market. DuPont’s announcement on Wednesday didn’t disclose how much it is paying for Taxon Biosciences, but said the 15-year-old company brings […] Read more
DuPont investors to vote on activist firm’s demands in May
Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — DuPont, embroiled in a proxy war with activist investor Trian Fund Management LP for board seats, said it would hold its annual shareholder meeting on May 13. Trian is seeking four seats on DuPont’s board, including one for its CEO Nelson Peltz, to help it force the company to split into two. DuPont […] Read more
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