Syngenta has announced that ChemChina has offered to acquire the company for $43 billion in cash.

February 3, 2016

2 Min Read
ChemChina makes cash offer of $43b for Syngenta

Syngenta has announced that ChemChina has offered to acquire the company at US$ 465 per ordinary share plus a special dividend of CHF 5 to be paid conditional upon and prior to closing.  The offer is equivalent to a Swiss franc value of CHF 480 per share.  Syngenta shareholders will in addition receive the proposed ordinary dividend of CHF 11 in May 2016.  It is planned to make a facility available for the conversion of U.S. dollar sales proceeds into Swiss francs on closing.     

The board of directors of Syngenta considers that the proposed transaction respects the interests of all stakeholders and is unanimously recommending the offer to shareholders.  There is committed financing for the deal and a strong commitment to pursue regulatory clearances.  A Swiss and U.S. tender offer will commence in the coming weeks and the transaction is expected to conclude by the end of the year.

Syngenta’s existing management will continue to run the company.  After closing, a 10 member board of directors will be chaired by Ren Jianxin, chairman of ChemChina, and will include four of the existing Syngenta board members.  ChemChina is committed to maintaining the highest governance standards with a view to an IPO of the business in the years to come.

Michel Demaré, chairman of Syngenta, said: “In making this offer, ChemChina is recognizing the quality and potential of Syngenta’s business.  This includes industry-leading R&D and manufacturing and the quality of our people worldwide.  The transaction minimizes operational disruption; it is focused on growth globally, specifically in China and other emerging markets, and enables long-term investment in innovation.  Syngenta will remain Syngenta and will continue to be headquartered in Switzerland, reflecting this country’s attractiveness as a corporate location.”

John Ramsay, chief executive officer, said: “Syngenta is the world leader in crop protection having significantly increased its global market share over the last ten years.  This deal will enable us to maintain and expand this position, while at the same time significantly increasing the potential for our seeds business.  It will ensure continuing choice for growers and ongoing R&D investment across technology platforms and across crops. Our commitment to cost and capital efficiency will remain unchanged.”  

Ren Jianxin, chairman of ChemChina, said: “The discussions between our two companies have been friendly, constructive and co-operative, and we are delighted that this collaboration has led to the agreement announced today. We will continue to work alongside the management and employees of Syngenta to maintain the company’s leading competitive edge in the global agricultural technology field.”

ChemChina, which is headquartered in Beijing, China, possesses production, R&D and marketing systems in 150 countries and regions. It is the largest chemical corporation in China, and occupies the 265th position among the Fortune 500. The company’s main businesses include materials science, life science, high-end manufacturing and basic chemicals, among others. Previously, ChemChina has successfully acquired 9 leading industrial companies in France, United Kingdom, Israel, Italy and Germany.

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