No Monsanto, No Problem for Syngenta on Path to Deal: Real M&A

Syngenta AG may be primed for a deal, with or without Monsanto Co.

Syngenta and Monsanto held preliminary talks with advisers earlier this year about a combination that never came to fruition, people familiar with the matter have said. Syngenta’s willingness to have such conversations signals it’s open to a deal, whether as an acquirer or as a target, according to shareholder Wintergreen Advisers LLC. With shares down 9.5 percent in the last 12 months amid slowing revenue growth, Berenberg Bank said an acquisition could help the crop chemicals company improve its prospects.