BHP Billiton

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Potash to move some staff to Canada

Potash Corp. has pledged to move key staff from Chicago to Saskatchewan province as it tries to win political favour by matching BHP Billiton’s promise to beef up its Canadian headquarters if it wins control of the fertilizer maker.

Saskatoon-based Potash outlined a series of commitments to the province in a bid to sway political opinion against BHP  which has also promised to move key jobs back to Canada if its $39 billion takeover bid is successful. Get the full story »

Potash stocks soar on corn data

Shares of Potash Corp. and other leading fertilizer makers jumped on Friday after the U.S. government estimated a smaller-than-expected U.S. corn harvest, driving up prices of the nutrient-intensive crop.

Shares of Agrium, Mosaic Co. and CF Industries also rose on the data. Get the full story »

BHP Potash bid backed in report over Chinese foray

A takeover of Potash Corp. by BHP Billiton could cost Saskatchewan $1.96 billion over 10 years, a report says, but it warns the Canadian province against opposing the miner’s bid for the world’s largest fertilizer producer. Get the full story »

BHP says it’s close to lodging Potash legal challenge

BHP Billiton said on Friday it expected to lodge a motion within the next few days to challenge a lawsuit filed by Potash Corp. to fend off the miner’s $39 billion hostile takeover bid. Get the full story »

Potash Corp. suit vs BHP allowed to proceed

A U.S. federal judge said Monday he would allow the discovery process to proceed in a lawsuit filed by Potash Corp to fend off BHP Billiton’s $39 billion hostile takeover bid.

The lawsuit, filed last week in a U.S. District Court in Chicago, alleges that BHP misrepresented material facts related to its bid for the world’s largest producer of potash — a key crop nutrient.

As part of the discovery process, Potash Corp have asked that BHP produce a long list of documents that include BHP’s statements regarding investments in the potash industry and the minutes of BHP’s board meetings that relate to the potash sector and its plans to develop its Jansen potash project in Saskatchewan. Get the full story »

BHP bid for Potash clears antitrust hurdle

BHP Billiton said on Thursday it has received antitrust clearance from U.S. regulators to proceed with its $39 billion bid for Canada’s Potash Corp, clearing its first regulatory hurdle in the process.

Last month, the Anglo-Australian miner launched its hostile offer to take over the world’s largest fertilizer company. Potash Corp has flatly rejected the bid as “grossly inadequate” and filed a lawsuit against BHP in an attempt to stymie it. Get the full story »

Potash Corp sues BHP to block takeover bid

Potash Corp. said Wednesday it filed a lawsuit against BHP Billiton that seeks to block the mining giant’s $39 billion hostile bid for the Canadian fertilizer producer.

The lawsuit filed in a U.S. District Court alleges that BHP misrepresented and failed to inform investors about material facts, and it accuses BHP of engaging in fraudulent, deceptive and manipulative behavior related to its offer. Get the full story »

China firm hires banks to explore Potash counterbid

China’s Sinochem Corp. has hired banks to advise it how to foil BHP Billiton’s $39 billion bid for Potash Corp., two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

The state-owned chemicals group had hired Deutsche Bank and Citigroup for the purpose, the sources said after BHP extended its offer for Potash, the world’s largest fertilizer group, by a month to November 18 to provide Canada’s competition regulator with more information. Get the full story »

BHP’s Potash bid seen running into next year

BHP Billiton’s $39 billion battle to take control of Canada’s Potash Corp. is expected to drag on into next year after it failed to win immediate backing from Canadian authorities.

The Anglo-Australian miner, which wants to use the world’s largest fertiliser-maker as its entry into the global food industry, also said it had no plan to change its $130-a-share offer and shrugged off talk of a China-backed rival bid emerging. Get the full story »

BHP CEO fails to win premier’s support on Potash

BHP Billiton CEO Marius Kloppers visited the home city of Potash Corp. on Monday but failed to win the support of the provincial premier for its $39 billion offer to take over the world’s largest fertilizer supplier.

Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall said he still has concerns about BHP’s proposal after meeting with Kloppers, who sought to bolster the chances that Canada would approve the bid by winning the province’s support. Get the full story »

Canada to examine possible foreign Potash buyout

Canada’s prime minister says concerns surrounding a possible foreign takeover of Canada’s Potash of Saskatchewan will be examined and says foreign takeovers are not automatically approved. Get the full story »

Potash chief takes to YouTube to discuss BHP bid

From The New York Times | Potash Corp. of Saskatchewanon put up several videos of William Doyle, its chief executive, on Tuesday, to explain why shareholders are better off sticking with the company than flocking to BHP’s offer.

BHP denies plans to divest Potash Corp. assets

BHP Billiton denied on Monday that it would divest some of Potash Corp.’s assets if its $38.6 billion hostile bid for the world’s largest fertilizer producer proved successful. Get the full story »

BHP flush in profit but won’t overspend for Potash

BHP Billiton, the world’s biggest miner, tried to dampen expectations it would substantially raise its hostile $39 billion bid for Potash Corp. as bumper results showed it has plenty of firepower.

“I will be as disciplined on this bid as I’ve been on every other endeavour,” Chief Executive Marius Kloppers told a conference call with reporters on Wednesday. “The shareholders own the company and it’s my job to create more value for them, not to do any one thing at any cost.” Get the full story »

SEC charges 2 with insider trading on BHP-Potash

Federal regulators say two Spanish investors made illegal profits of $1.1 million by trading on secret information about BHP Billiton PLC’s bid to acquire Potash Corp. The Securities and Exchange Commission said Juan Jose Fernandez Garcia and Luis Martin Caro Sanchez bought investments that became valuable after the mining company offered $38.5 billion to take over fertilizer maker Potash. Garcia heads the research arm of a bank that was advising BHP on the deal.