Bayer Makes Takeover Bid for Monsanto

Bayer AG has made an unsolicited bid to take over U.S. seed and pesticide giant Monsanto, which, if successful, would create an agriculture behemoth with annual revenue of more than $67 billion. Bayer said early Thursday the deal “would create a leading integrated agriculture business,” and Monsanto officials said its board was reviewing the bid. A statement called the offer “unsolicited” and “non-binding.” Even if Monsanto is interested, regulators may not be willing to bless the deal that would marry off the creator of aspirin to the inventor of the controversial herbicide Roundup.