Paris | Reuters – Margarita Louis-Dreyfus, top shareholder of commodity giant Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC), said she had secured financing for a deal that requires her to buy out family minorities, a move that has created uncertainty over the firm’s funding. Minority family shareholders asked in 2015 to sell 16.6 percent of LDC’s holding company […] Read more
Louis Dreyfus top shareholder gets finance to buy out minorities
Dreyfus posts profit rise in challenging market
Paris | Reuters — French commodities trader Louis Dreyfus reported a rise of almost four per cent in annual net profit on Wednesday buoyed by higher volumes but cautioned that industry challenges persist. Like its rivals, Dreyfus has faced lower margins linked to large inventories, low prices and reduced price volatility, prompting it to spin […] Read more
U.S. soy cargo to China traded using blockchain
London | Reuters — A cargo of U.S. soybeans shipped to China has become the first fully-fledged agricultural trade conducted using blockchain, participants said Monday. Louis Dreyfus, Shandong Bohi Industry Co., ING, Societe Generale and ABN Amro took part in the trade where the sales contract, letter of credit and certificates were digitalized on the […] Read more
Cargill profit falls as grain glut limits trading
Chicago | Reuters – Cargill Inc reported a 6 percent drop in quarterly profits on Wednesday as a global glut of grains limited trading opportunities for the food-commodities merchant. Four years of bumper grain and oilseeds harvests have squeezed profits for Cargill and main rivals Archer Daniels Midland Co, Bunge Ltd and Louis Dreyfus Corp […] Read more
Dreyfus to sell Australian fertilizer unit to Agrium
Paris/Winnipeg | Reuters — Global commodity trader Louis Dreyfus has agreed to sell its fertilizer business to Canada’s Agrium as it continues an overhaul in response to tough agricultural markets. Louis Dreyfus is to sell Macrofertil Australia, which has annual sales of around US$120 million, to Agrium’s Australian unit Landmark Operations in a deal expected […] Read more
Dreyfus shareholders agree to arbitration over stake sale
Amsterdam/Paris | Reuters — Family shareholders of commodity trader Louis Dreyfus have agreed to arbitration talks to settle a long-running dispute over a share sale, sources familiar with the matter have told Reuters. The tussle concerns an attempt by minority shareholders to sell nearly 17 per cent of the group’s holding firm to Margarita Louis-Dreyfus, […] Read more
Dreyfus sees recovery after two-year profit slide
Paris | Reuters — Louis Dreyfus’ core earnings fell for a second year in 2016 amid a persistent high supply of crops, but the agricultural commodity trader said a revamp of operations should help results this year. Large inventories, low prices and limited volatility have curbed margins in the past two years for companies that […] Read more
Louis Dreyfus stems profit slide, but headwinds persist
Paris | Reuters — Agricultural trading giant Louis Dreyfus Company eked out a small rise in 2016 first-half net profit, saying steady shipped volumes helped it weather another tough period in commodity markets. Louis Dreyfus has been grappling with ample supply, lower prices and slower economic growth that have cut margins, while also going through […] Read more
Canadian canola exporters book sales to China
Winnipeg | Reuters — Canadian exporters are making small sales of canola to China under Beijing’s stricter terms, an industry group and three sources said, possibly undermining Ottawa’s hardline negotiating stance with the world’s top market for the oilseed. The dispute over the new shipping standard, which industry groups in the world’s biggest canola exporter […] Read more
Ex-Dreyfus CEO leaves board in latest shakeup
Paris | Reuters — Global agricultural trader Louis Dreyfus Co. announced board changes on Thursday in which former CEO Serge Schoen will leave the group, another step in a leadership shakeup under main shareholder Margarita Louis-Dreyfus. Schoen oversaw rapid growth at the trading house as CEO between 2005 and 2013. Last year, Louis Dreyfus promoted […] Read more
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