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Bayer sheds some brands to focus on pharma and fight pesticide claims

Nov 29, 2018
The giant multinational corporation Bayer is selling off the Dr. Scholl’s and Coppertone brands acquired four years ago when the company bought Merck. Now Bayer is looking to expand its cancer drug research and development and the agribusinesses it’s been growing since buying Monsanto earlier this year. Sounds good, but there’s a lingering problem that […]

Bayer facing possible growing legal costs, consumer backlash after Roundup jury award

Aug 13, 2018
It’s been a rough day for Monsanto, the maker of the weedkiller Roundup. On Friday a jury awarded a California groundskeeper $289.2 million, concluding that exposure to Roundup caused his cancer. On Monday stock in Bayer, the company that acquired Monsanto earlier this year, tumbled 10 percent. Click the audio player above to hear the […]
Bottles of Monsanto's Roundup are seen for sale June 19, 2018 at a retail store in Glendale, California.
ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images

What’s behind Bayer’s acquisition of Monsanto?

May 30, 2018
A whopping $66 billion deal in the agribusiness space just won the approval of antitrust regulators in Washington, D.C. That clears the way for German behemoth Bayer to acquire St. Louis-based Monsanto. Monsanto has for years ridden the success of the herbicide Roundup and seeds that are tolerant of the chemical. But now Monsanto— and […]

Monsanto in uncertain marriage

Oct 5, 2016
Monsanto and Bayer want to merge. But it's not a done deal.
A view of a building on the campus of the Monsanto Headquarters in St Louis, Missouri. 
MICHAEL B. THOMAS/AFP/Getty Images

The latest bumper crop in agriculture: mergers

Sep 14, 2016
Bayer AG and Monsanto are the latest agribusiness giants tying the knot.
The German company Bayer AG is buying Monsanto in a deal worth about $66 billion, including debt.

 
PATRIK STOLLARZ, JOHN THYS/AFP/Getty Images

Shelf vs. Script: Why Merck's offloading allergy pills

May 6, 2014
Turns out prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs are two very different businesses.