New York, New York, USA
July 2, 2012

TRANSACTION DESCRIPTION

AgriCapital Corporation advised the shareholders of Abbott & Cobb, Trevose, Pennsylvania on the sale of its watermelon and melon seed business to Nunhems BV, a subsidiary of Bayer CropScience. The transaction closed on July 2, 2012.

TRANSACTION HIGHLIGHTS

Abbott & Cobb’s shareholder’s retained AgriCapital to advise them to review their strategic alternatives and to best position the company for future growth. AgriCapital helped Abbott & Cobb undertake an in-depth study of it’s options and approached a limited number of carefully selected companies which could help Abbott & Cobb and its shareholders achieve their goals. After an in-depth review of its alternatives, it was decided that the sale of the watermelon and melon business to Nunhems, a major global vegetable seed breeder producer and a subsidiary of Bayer CropScience, was deemed to be the superior course of action to undertake.

The sale of the watermelon and melon business created a liquidity event for Abbott & Cobb’s shareholders and it will also allow the company to concentrate on its non-melon business which is primarily as a breeder producer of sweet corn. The acquisition will also contribute significantly to Nunhems global strategy by cementing its leadership in the watermelon and melon seed industry.

“We are very pleased to have had the opportunity of advising Abbott & Cobb, a third generation company noted for its consumer-centric creativity of developing genetics that meet the needs of the consumer as well as the farmer,” said Rurik (RB) Halaby, AgriCapital Chairman. ”We believe this transaction will allow the principals of Abbott & Cobb to fulfill their objectives, while at the same time allowing Nunhems a strong point of expansion in the global watermelon and melon industry.”

AgriCapital is an investment bank that provides its services exclusively in agribusiness; advising on mergers and acquisitions, private placements and corporate finance consulting. Since its inception in 1983, AgriCapital has been engaged in over 500 assignments on behalf of some 400 agribusinesses globally.

Website: http://www.seedquest.com/_yp/a/AgriCapital.htm

Published: July 2, 2012