WILMINGTON, Del. and MIDLAND, Mich., June 15, 2017-- DuPont (NYSE: DD) and The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW) announced today that they have reached a proposed agreement with the Antitrust Division of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) that will permit the companies to proceed with their proposed merger of equals.
“We are very pleased that the DOJ has approved this transaction,” said Andrew Liveris, Dow's chairman and chief executive officer. "With today’s DOJ clearance, we have taken a significant step forward in bringing together these two iconic enterprises, and in the subsequent intended separation into three leading, independent innovation-based science companies that will generate significant benefits for all stakeholders."
Ed Breen, chair and chief executive officer of DuPont, said, “With this review completed, we are on track to close our procompetitive merger in a manner that maintains the strategic logic and value creation potential of the transaction. Going forward, the intended subsequent spin-offs are expected to unlock significant value for shareholders, as we execute our plan for each company to be a growth-oriented leader in attractive segments where global challenges are generating strong demand for their distinctive offerings.”
In connection with the proposed agreement and consistent with commitments already made to obtain the European Commission’s regulatory approval, DuPont will divest certain parts of its crop protection portfolio and Dow will divest its global Ethylene Acrylic Acid copolymers and ionomers business. The proposed agreement with the DOJ, which remains subject to court approval, does not require the companies to make any additional divestitures. With this agreement, no further approvals are required in the U.S. for the merger to close.
The companies reiterated that the merger transaction is expected to generate cost synergies of approximately $3 billion and growth synergies of approximately $1 billion.
To date, Dow and DuPont have obtained clearance in many jurisdictions, including approvals in the U.S., Europe, Brazil and China. The companies are working constructively with regulators in the remaining jurisdictions to obtain clearance for the merger and are making progress in fulfilling the requirements of the conditional approvals that have already been received.
The companies reaffirmed their expectation to close the merger in August 2017, with the intended spin-offs to occur within 18 months of closing.
Additional information is available at www.dowdupontunlockingvalue.com.
ABOUT DOW
Dow (NYSE: DOW) combines the power of science and technology to passionately innovate what is essential to human progress. The Company is driving innovations that extract value from material, polymer, chemical and biological science to help address many of the world's most challenging problems, such as the need for fresh food, safer and more sustainable transportation, clean water, energy efficiency, more durable infrastructure, and increasing agricultural productivity. Dow's integrated, market-driven portfolio delivers a broad range of technology-based products and solutions to customers in 175 countries and in high-growth sectors such as packaging, infrastructure, transportation, consumer care, electronics, and agriculture. In 2016, Dow had annual sales of $48 billion and employed approximately 56,000 people worldwide. The Company's more than 7,000 product families are manufactured at 189 sites in 34 countries across the globe. References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. More information about Dow can be found at www.dow.com.
ABOUT DUPONT
DuPont (NYSE: DD) has been bringing world-class science and engineering to the global marketplace in the form of innovative products, materials, and services since 1802. The company believes that by collaborating with customers, governments, NGOs, and thought leaders, we can help find solutions to such global challenges as providing enough healthy food for people everywhere, decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, and protecting life and the environment. For additional information about DuPont and its commitment to inclusive innovation, please visit www.dupont.com.
