Distantly GR-related: Former IG Farben firms are exploring potential bids for Monsanto

[Kai Frederik Lorentzen]

" ... The big scandal around IG Farben this week is the unlucky 
subsidiary Spottbilligfilm AG, whose entire management are about to be 
purged for sending to OKW weapons procurement a design proposal for a 
new airborne ray which could turn whole populations, inside a 
ten-kilometer radius, stone blind. An IG review board caught the scheme 
in time. Poor Spottbilligfilm. It had slipped their collective mind what 
such a weapon would do to the dye market after the next war. The 
Götterdämmerung mentality again ..." (Gravity's Rainbow, p. 163, 
Picador/Viking)


 > Bayer AG is exploring a potential bid for U.S. competitor Monsanto 
Co. in a deal that would create the world’s largest supplier of seeds 
and farm chemicals, according to people familiar with the matter.

The German firm has held preliminary discussions internally and with 
advisers about buying Monsanto, which has a market value of about $43 
billion, said the people, who asked not to be named because the 
deliberations are private.

Bayer, which is valued at about 79 billion euros ($90 billion), has 
discussed how to finance a deal including potential asset sales, the 
people said. No final decision has been made and the Leverkusen-based 
company could decide against a bid or pursue other transactions with 
Monsanto, including joint ventures or asset sales, the people said ...

... St. Louis-based Monsanto has explored possible deals with Bayer as 
well as German competitor BASF, people familiar with the matter said in 
March. Bayer and Monsanto have discussed a number of options from a full 
combination to the German firm selling all or part of its crop sciences 
business, as well as joint ventures, the people said at the time. When 
Bayer raised the idea of a full takeover of Monsanto in March, the U.S. 
firm said it was not interested in selling, and it sees itself as more 
of an acquirer, two of the people said this week.

If Bayer goes ahead with a bid, it would raise pressure on BASF to 
consider an offer, the people said. A spokeswoman for Bayer declined to 
comment on potential deals ... <

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-05-12/bayer-said-to-explore-bid-for-40-billion-seed-company-monsanto

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