Syngenta looking at takeovers, joint ventures, asset sales

Syngenta, which fended off a US$47 billion takeover approach from Monsanto three months ago, is itself looking at takeovers, joint ventures or asset sales, the Swiss company’s chairman told a newspaper on Wednesday.

“The role that we want is an active one and that is reflected in how we negotiate. Takeovers, joint ventures or partial sales are under consideration,” Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger quoted Michel Demare as saying in a joint interview with interim CEO John Ramsay published on Wednesday.

“I would be surprised if no transaction materialises in the next half year,” Demare added.

There has been a chorus of voices in the industry predicting a sector shake-up since Monsanto walked away from its takeover proposal and Demare has previously said that tie-ups were being discussed intensively.

Demare has said that the successful company in the future will be one that can combine seeds and crop chemicals as part of an integrated offer.

Asked about a possible combination with Dupont, interim CEO Ramsay said the products of both groups were very complementary and noted that no company had signed more collaboration agreements with Syngenta over the past few years than DuPont.

Chairman Demare added that Syngenta was speaking to all players in the industry.

“We leave no stone unturned.”

He said that any takeover of Syngenta by a rival would depend on Syngenta shareholders getting a fair share of the synergies and an appropriate compensation payment in case the transaction got blocked by regulators was also a must.

“That wasn’t the case with Monsanto.”

Syngenta is the leader in crop chemicals with a 19 percent market share last year, just ahead of German company Bayer’s CropScience division with 18 percent.

Monsanto is the leader in seeds with a 26 percent market share, followed by Dupont Pioneer’s 21 percent.