Signage on Viterra’s office building in Regina. (Dave Bedard photo)

Bunge seeks antitrust approvals for Viterra merger in major jurisdictions

Commodities market competition healthy in Canada, U.S., CEO says

Minneapolis | Reuters — Bunge has filed for regulatory approvals for its merger with crop handler Viterra in “major jurisdictions” in North and South America, Europe and China, and has gotten the green light from some of its smaller markets including Colombia, CEO Greg Heckman said on Thursday. The merger, which would create a company […] Read more

Signage on Viterra’s office building in Regina. (Dave Bedard photo)

Bunge, Viterra confirm marriage plans

Firms to merge under Bunge banner

The grain handler built out from the foundations of the former Prairie pools is set to be absorbed into one of the world’s biggest grain trading firms in a cash-and-stock deal. After the news leaked out last month, Rotterdam-based Viterra confirmed Tuesday morning it’s “concluded an agreement” to merge into Bunge — the St. Louis-based […] Read more

(File photo by Dave Bedard)

Kansas City Southern plans to accept CP’s bid

Deal would create new lanes for Prairie freight, CP says

Reuters — U.S. railway Kansas City Southern said on Sunday it planned to accept Canadian Pacific Railway’s US$27.2 billion cash-and-stock acquisition offer as superior to its US$29.6 billion deal to sell itself to Canadian National Railway. CN now has until the end of Friday to submit a better offer or lose its deal with KCS. […] Read more

A Kansas City Southern (KCS) rail car at Toluca, Mexico on Oct. 1, 2018. (File photo: Reuters)/Edgard Garrido)

U.S. regulator rejects CN’s voting trust to buy Kansas City Southern

CP rips CN's play as 'illusory and not achievable'

Reuters — The U.S. rail regulator on Tuesday rejected a voting trust structure that would have allowed Canadian National Railway (CN) to proceed with its US$29 billion proposed acquisition of U.S. peer Kansas City Southern. The decision was a blow to the deal that would create the first direct railway linking Canada, the U.S. and […] Read more


A Kansas City Southern (KCS) rail car at Toluca, Mexico on Oct. 1, 2018. (File photo: Reuters)/Edgard Garrido)

U.S. railway’s board sticks with CN’s bid

Kansas City Southern board spurns sweetened CP bid

The board of directors for a U.S. railway facing takeover bids from each of Canada’s big two railways is sticking with Canadian National Railway’s (CN) proposal. The board for Kansas City Southern (KCS), in a release Aug. 12, said it unanimously agrees an upgraded Aug. 10 cash-and-stock bid from Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) “does not […] Read more

(Romaset/iStock/Getty Images)

U.S. FTC votes to make ‘right to repair’ a priority

Commission also drops 1995 merger policy

Washington | Reuters — The U.S Federal Trade Commission voted Wednesday to make it a priority to address the issue of manufacturers pushing consumers to use licensed dealers to repair items ranging from smartphones to farm equipment, a practice that critics call anti-competitive. The five commissioners, three Democrats and two Republicans, voted unanimously to approve […] Read more

(Hexo Corp video screengrab via YouTube)

Hexo steps up cannabis M+A spree with Redecan deal

Reuters — Hexo Corp said on Friday it would buy Redecan, a privately-owned Niagara-region cannabis producer, for $925 million in cash and stock, as the pot producer bolsters its portfolio to tap surging demand and position itself as a top recreational weed supplier. Cannabis demand surged last year as many people turned to pot during […] Read more


A Kansas City Southern (KCS) rail car at Toluca, Mexico on Oct. 1, 2018. (File photo: Reuters)/Edgard Garrido)

Kansas City Southern sticks with CN as CP won’t raise bid

CN confident of regulatory approval

Reuters — Kansas City Southern on Friday reiterated that Canadian National Railway’s offer was “superior” after Canadian Pacific Railway refused to raise its bid, moving a step closer to creating the largest-ever merger of North American railways by transaction value. The Canadian rivals have been locked in a takeover battle for the U.S. railroad operator […] Read more

CN locomotives in Winnipeg. (Photo courtesy CN)

CN shareholder urges changes to Kansas City Southern deal

Fund manager also holds stake in CP

Reuters — Billionaire hedge fund manager Chris Hohn on Tuesday urged Canadian National Railway to abandon its $33.6 billion bid for Kansas City Southern unless the Canadian railway changed its agreement to drop a key feature that could invite more regulatory scrutiny. Hohn’s TCI Fund Management, which has a 2.93 per cent stake in CN, […] Read more