Archer Daniels Makes $2.77 Billion Bid for GrainCorp

Oct 22, 2012

ADM Woos Australian Rival GrainCorp With Exclusive Bid

Illinois-based agriculture giant Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) has put a $2.76 billion cash bid on the table to purchase Australian rival GrainCorp. The offer was made public in a news release on Monday, where GrainCrop disclosed that ADM offered $11.75 a share, a 33 percent premium to its Friday traded share price. GrainCrop is in the midst of reviewing the proposal, but hasn’t disclosed its decision on the offer.

The offer has conditions attached, including exclusivity, due diligence and a recommendation to GrainCrop’s board to favor its bid. The bid signals ADM’s plan to expand its global presence outside of the U.S. The move isn’t ADM’s first attempt to grow its business. Less than a year ago, ADM pulled out of the race to buy Viterra, which was eventually bought up by Glencore for CAD$2.2 billion.

GrainCorp was founded in 1916 and in its infancy was part of the New South Wales state government’s Department of Agriculture. The company evolved and became privatized in the 1980s and acquired other Australian grain handlers including Vic Grain, Grainco and Hunter Grain. Australia is currently ranked the second-largest wheat exporter in the world.

Video: USDA Feb Crop Report a WIN for Soybeans + 1 Year Trade Truce Extension

USDA took Trumps comments that China would buy more U.S. soybeans seriously and headline news that the U.S./China trade truce would be extended when Trump/Xi meet in the first week of April was a BIG WIN for soybeans this week! 2026 “Mini” U.S. ethanol boom thanks to 45Z + China’s ban of phosphates from Feb. – August of 2026 will not help lower fertilizer prices anytime soon! 30 mmt of Chinese corn harvest is of poor quality and maybe a technical breakout in wheat futures.

*Apologies! Where we talk about the latest CFTC update as of 10th Feb 2026, managed money funds covered their net short position in canola to the tune of +42,746 week-on-week to flip to net long 145 contracts and not (as we mistakenly said) +90,009 wk/wk to 47,408.