04/07/2016 Update:
USA Today reports:
‘German chemical and pharmaceutical giant Bayer AG could face a competing corporate suitor for its $62 billion all-cash proposal to acquire U.S. agribusiness rival Monsanto.’
Separately, the European Union signaled plans for a close review of the potential Bayer-Monsanto deal to create the world’s largest seed and pesticide business — even though the transaction hasn’t been finalized.
‘Raising a potential new regulatory hurdle to the transaction, Margrethe Vestager, the competition chief of the European Council, the EU’s executive arm, signaled the examination in a June 20 letter in German to two European Parliament members from Germany who oppose the deal.’
28/05/2016 Update:
After Monsanto’s initial rejection of the offer claiming it to be severely under the value of Monsanto’s worth but stating that they were interested and open to further discussion, Bayer have been looking for additional financing options for the acquisition.
‘Bayer Said Close to Picking Financing Banks for Monsanto Offer’
Bayer AG is close to choosing banks to arrange funds for its proposed acquisition of Monsanto Co., according to people familiar with the matter, after the U.S. company rejected the initial $62 billion bid as too low and sought reassurances on the potential financing.
Bayer will probably raise more than $40 billion in short-term bridge financing and most of the remainder in term loans, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the talks are private. The German company interviewed lenders at its headquarters in Leverkusen this week and is likely to select about half a dozen banks next week, the people said. – Bloomberg
It does seem increasingly likely that this deal may actually go through – This time next year we could be Marching against Bayer rather than Monsanto!
The German Pharmaceutical company Bayer have made an offer to buy Monsanto – which if the bid was to go through would create the Worlds biggest agricultural supplier.
The BBC Reports:
German drugs giant Bayer has made a $62bn (£43bn) offer for Monsanto, in a deal that would create the world’s biggest agricultural supplier.
Bayer said the bid was an “extraordinary opportunity to create a global agriculture leader.”
But aside from the Corporate monster this would create there is a much more sinister agenda to this offer. The EU has consistently resisted the acceptance of GM agriculture much to the annoyance of the US .
EurActiv.com reports:
US Trade Representative Michael Froman expressed disappointment on Wednesday (22 April) that the European Commission has decided to let member states have ‘opt-outs’ on imports of genetically-modified food and feed.
This leads to the question:
Why would a German owned drugs giant like Bayer wish to buy a company who’s largest proportionof business and thus profit is derived from their GM technology?
The answer is simple – If Monsanto’s GM technology were to be owned by an EU Country then the sale of all Monsanto’s GM agricultural technologies would be to the economic gain of the EU, which in turn would give huge leverage to a decision to begin accepting GM agriculture within the EU.
This offer under any other circumstances would be turned down under Monopoly laws – but the agenda to which it is based could very well have all sides financially covered.
We will keep you posted on the progress of this as it happens
