Heavyweights Dow Chemicals, DuPont in merger talk

11 Dec '15

2 min read

Chemical majors Dow Chemicals and Du Pont are said to be considering a massive $120 billion merger and the talks have sent the stocks of both the companies soaring.

Under the terms being discussed, a merger of the two companies, each with a market value of roughly $60 billion, could eventually be followed by a breakup of the company.

According to sources, talks were incomplete and could still collapse.

If the merger does take place, the combined entity would be the second-biggest chemical company in the world, in terms of revenue, after Germany's BASF, with more than $92 billion in annual sales. The next step being discussed would be to break up the merged company into three businesses: agricultural chemicals, specialty products, and materials, like plastics.

Analysts said a tie-up would merge two agricultural chemicals businesses and fold in DuPont's seeds business, which would bring the merger under the lens of regulators.

Antitrust specialists have warned of potholes ahead.

Reports of the talks broke as the Federal Trade Commission and US Justice Department either killed or filed lawsuits to challenge five deals in a month.

The Justice Department scuttled Electrolux's bid to buy General Electric's appliance business, while Chicken of the Sea, owned by Thai Union, abandoned a bid to buy Bumble Bee Foods under pressure from the department. (SH)

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