Bayer, Monsanto Agree to Merge
GLOBAL - Bayer and Monsanto have announced a merger agreement under which Bayer will acquire Monsanto for $128 per share in an all-cash transaction, writes Sarah Mikesell.
20 September 2016
2 minute read
CLICK HERE to view a video of Bayer CEO Werner Baumann and Monsanto CEO Hugh Grant discussing Bayer’s agreement to acquire Monsanto.
Monsanto's Board of Directors, Bayer's Board of Management and Bayer's Supervisory Board have unanimously approved the agreement. Based on Monsanto's closing share price on May 9, 2016, the day before Bayer's first written proposal to Monsanto, the offer represents a premium of 44 per cent to that price.
"We are pleased to announce the combination of our two great organisations. This represents a major step forward for our Crop Science business and reinforces Bayer's leadership position as a global innovation driven Life Science company with leadership positions in its core segments, delivering substantial value to shareholders, our customers, employees and society at large," said Werner Baumann, CEO of Bayer AG.
"We believe that this combination with Bayer represents the most compelling value for our shareowners, with the most certainty through the all-cash consideration," said Hugh Grant, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Monsanto.
Enhanced Solutions for Growers
This transaction brings together two different, but highly complementary businesses. The combined business will benefit from Monsanto's leadership in Seeds & Traits and Climate Corporation platform along with Bayer's broad Crop Protection product line across a comprehensive range of indications and crops in all key geographies.
The combination also brings together both companies' leading innovation capabilities and R&D technology platforms, with an annual pro-forma R&D budget of approximately EUR 2.5 billion.
"The agriculture industry is at the heart of one of the greatest challenges of our time: how to feed an additional 3 billion people in the world by 2050 in an environmentally sustainable way. It has been both companies' belief that this challenge requires a new approach that more systematically integrates expertise across Seeds, Traits and Crop Protection including Biologicals with a deep commitment to innovation and sustainable agriculture practices," said Liam Condon, member of the Board of Management of Bayer AG and head of the Crop Science Division.
"We are entering a new era in agriculture - one with significant challenges that demand new, sustainable solutions and technologies to enable growers to produce more with less. This combination with Bayer will deliver just that," said Mr Grant.
Pro forma sales of the combined agricultural business amounted to EUR 23 billion in calendar year 2015.
The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions, including Monsanto shareholder approval of the merger agreement and receipt of required regulatory approvals. Closing is expected by the end of 2017.
