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Biotech / Medical : Monsanto Co. -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: John F Beule who wrote (2240)	7/1/1999 3:07:00 PM
From: SteveR	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 2539

Headlines from Reuters ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 07/01 13:26 MONSANTO <MTC.N> SAYS PLANS TO SELL ARTIFICIAL SWEETENER BUSINESS COPYRIGHT © 1999 REUTERS LIMITED. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

To: John F Beule who wrote (2240)	7/1/1999 6:39:00 PM
From: TheSlowLane	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 2539

Yeah, I have some thoughts. It's about time that the company did something to enhance shareholder value. After 1 1/2 years, I'm sitting just slightly north of my entry point. I know that MTC is not responsible/has no control over the GM-mania in Europe and the general acceptance of Bad Science (if you can call it science at all) that seems to have taken place over there. But it's been some time since the AHP merger fell through and has been a long road back from there. I still believe that the company has excellent long-term potential - but this has been a frustrating year. The most successful drug launch ever but we hear more about GM foods than anything else (anyone else see The Economist last week, with FrankenPotatoe on the cover?). Actually the coverage in the Economist seemed to be an attempt to start injecting some rationale into the debate...finally. I guess there are a few Brits with their heads still attached. Not enough though.

To: John F Beule who wrote (2240)	7/1/1999 7:08:00 PM
From: Anthony Wong	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 2539

Monsanto's Shapiro Has No Plans for Merger: Bloomberg Forum Bloomberg News July 1, 1999, 5:25 p.m. ET Monsanto's Shapiro Has No Plans for Merger: Bloomberg Forum St. Louis, July 1 (Bloomberg) -- Monsanto Co., one of the world's leading agricultural biotechnology companies, isn't looking now for a merger partner, although consolidation in the agriculture and drugmaking industries is inevitable, Chief Executive Robert Shapiro said. ''We have no particular plans on that subject, but my guess is that over time, most companies in this business will end up doing some kind of transaction, whether they're alliances or ventures or mergers with other companies,'' Shapiro told the Bloomberg Forum. Developing new drugs and herbicides requires heavy investment with no promise of a payoff. Along with the need for global sales networks, the cost of research will drive more so-called life science companies into combinations, he said. Monsanto last year failed in an attempted merger with American Home Products Corp. That transaction would have helped Monsanto pay for the $8 billion in seed and biotechnology companies it acquired in recent years. After ending merger plans with American Home, Monsanto has announced several assets sales. Monsanto, which also is the No. 1 U.S. maker of artificial sweeteners with brands such as NutraSweet and Equal, today said it will sell that business to pay debt and focus more on its drug and agricultural products. Monsanto said it's also selling its unit that makes biogums, food ingredients used to thicken products such as sauces and gravies. Earlier this year Monsanto said it would sell its algins unit. Algins also are used as thickeners. In 1998, the algins, biogums and artificial sweeteners businesses had combined sales of $1 billion. Monsanto intends to hold onto its Searle drug unit, which makes the painkiller Celebrex. ''We have no intention whatsoever of spinning off Searle,'' Shapiro said.