<PAGE> 1
AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON APRIL 24, 1996
Registration Statement File No. 33-
==============================================================================
FORM S-8
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
MONSANTO COMPANY
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware 43-0420020
(State or other jurisdiction of (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
incorporation or organization)
800 North Lindbergh Boulevard
St. Louis, Missouri 63167
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
MONSANTO EXECUTIVE STOCK PURCHASE INCENTIVE PLAN
(full title of the plan)
Karl R. Barnickol, Esq.
Associate General Counsel
Monsanto Company
800 North Lindbergh Boulevard
St. Louis, Missouri 63167
(Name and address of Agent for service)
(314) 694-1000
(Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
<TABLE>
Calculation of Registration Fee
<CAPTION>
=====================================================================================================
Title of securities Amount to be Proposed Proposed maximum Amount of
to be registered registered maximum offering aggregate offering registration fee
price per share
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Common Stock 300,000<F*> $150.25<F**> $45,075,000<F**> $15,544
($2 par value)
=====================================================================================================
<FN>
<F*> Section 3 of the Monsanto Executive Stock Purchase Incentive Plan (the
"Plan") provides that in the event of a stock dividend, stock split,
recapitalization, etc., the total number of shares which may be
purchased or awarded, the number of shares covered by each outstanding
award, and the price per share of such shares shall be equitably
adjusted. Accordingly, pursuant to Rule 416, this registration
statement covers, in addition to the number of shares of Common Stock
stated above, an indeterminate number of shares which, by reason of any
such event, may become subject to the Plan.
<F**> Estimated solely for the purpose of determining the amount of the
registration fee in accordance with Rule 457(h)(1) and based on the
average of the high and low prices of the Common Stock as reported in
The Wall Street Journal for the New York Stock Exchange Composite
Transactions for April 19, 1996.
</TABLE>
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PART I
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS
The document(s) containing the information specified in Part I of Form S-8
will be sent or given to participating employees as specified by Rule
428(b)(1) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act").
Such documents are not being filed with or included in this Form S-8 (by
incorporation, by reference or otherwise) in accordance with the rules and
regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). These
documents and the documents incorporated by reference into this Registration
Statement pursuant to Item 3 of Part II of this Registration Statement, taken
together, constitute a prospectus that meets the requirements of Section
10(a) of the Securities Act.
PART II
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
ITEM 3. INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.
The documents listed in (a) through (c) below of Monsanto Company
(hereinafter referred to as the "Company" or "registrant"), and all such
other documents or portions of documents subsequently filed by the Company
pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"), prior to the filing of a post-effective
amendment which indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold
or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to
be incorporated by reference herein and to be a part hereof from the date of
the filing of such documents.
(a) The Company's latest annual report, filed pursuant to Sections 13(a)
or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, or either (1) the Company's latest
prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act of
1933 which contains, either directly or by incorporation by reference,
audited financial statements for the Company's latest fiscal year for
which such statements have been filed, or (2) the Company's effective
registration statement on Form 10 or 20-F filed under the Exchange Act
containing audited consolidated financial statements for the Company's
latest fiscal year.
(b) All other reports filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
Exchange Act since the end of the fiscal year covered by the annual
report or the prospectus or
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effective registration statement referred to in (a) above.
(c) The description of Monsanto Company common stock, $2.00 par value, and
the description of associated Preferred Stock Purchase Rights contained
in registration statements filed under the Exchange Act, including any
amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such
description.
Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded
for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement
contained herein or in any subsequently filed document which also is or is
deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such
statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed,
except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this
Registration Statement.
ITEM 4. DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.
Not applicable.
ITEM 5. INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.
The legality of the Common Stock to be issued pursuant to the Plan will be
passed upon for the Company by Karl R. Barnickol, Associate General Counsel
and Assistant Secretary of the Company. Mr. Barnickol beneficially owns
11,249 shares and holds options to purchase an additional 91,200 shares of
the Company's Common Stock.
ITEM 6. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.
Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware sets
forth provisions pursuant to which directors, officers, employees and agents
of the Company may be indemnified against any liability which they may incur
in their capacity as such.
Section 57 of the Company's By-Laws provides for indemnification of
directors, officers, employees and agents of the Company.
In addition, the Company has entered into indemnification agreements with its
directors and officers and maintains directors' and officers' liability
insurance for the benefit of its directors and officers.
ITEM 7. EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.
Not applicable.
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ITEM 8. EXHIBITS.
See Exhibit Index at page 7.
ITEM 9. UNDERTAKINGS.
(a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:
(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of
the Securities Act of 1933;
(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
after the effective date of the registration statement,
(or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof)
which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a
fundamental change in the information set forth in the
registration statement;
(iii) To include any material information with respect to the
plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the
registration statement or any material change to such
information in the registration statement;
provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii)
above do not apply if the information required to be included in
a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in
periodic reports filed by the registrant pursuant to Section 13
or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that
are incorporated by reference in the registration statement.
(2) That for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall
be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the
securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at that time be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering
thereof.
(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
amendment any of the securities being registered which remain
unsold at the termination of the offering.
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* * *
(b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each
filing of the registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a)
or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where
applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report
pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934)
that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement
shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the
securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at
that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering
thereof.
* * *
(h) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and
controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing
provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in
the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and
is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by
the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or
controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any
action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or
controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its
counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit
to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the
Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-8, and has duly caused this registration
statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the County of St. Louis, and the State of Missouri, on this
23rd day of April, 1996.
MONSANTO COMPANY
(Registrant)
By /s/ KARL R. BARNICKOL
-------------------------------
Karl R. Barnickol
Assistant Secretary
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration
statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on
the dates indicated.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Signature Title Date
--------- ----- ----
<C> <S> <C>
<F*>
- --------------------------- Chairman, President and Director April 23, 1996
(Robert B. Shapiro) (Principal Executive Officer)
<F*>
- --------------------------- Vice Chairman and Director April 23, 1996
(Nicholas L. Reding)
<F*>
- --------------------------- Senior Vice President April 23, 1996
(Robert B. Hoffman) (Principal Financial Officer)
<F*>
- --------------------------- Vice President and Controller April 23, 1996
(Michael R. Hogan) (Principal Accounting Officer)
<F*>
- --------------------------- Director April 23, 1996
(Joan T. Bok)
<F*>
- --------------------------- Director April 23, 1996
(Robert M. Heyssel)
<F*>
- --------------------------- Director April 23, 1996
(Gwendolyn S. King)
<F*>
- --------------------------- Director April 23, 1996
(Philip Leder)
<F*>
- --------------------------- Director April 23, 1996
(Howard M. Love)
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<PAGE> 7
<F*>
- --------------------------- Director April 23, 1996
(Richard J. Mahoney)
<F*>
- --------------------------- Director April 23, 1996
(Frank A. Metz, Jr.)
<F*>
- --------------------------- Director April 23, 1996
(Buck Mickel)
<F*>
- --------------------------- Director April 23, 1996
(Jacobus F.M. Peters)
<F*>
- --------------------------- Director April 23, 1996
(John S. Reed)
<F*>
- --------------------------- Director April 23, 1996
(William D. Ruckelshaus)
<F*>
- --------------------------- Director April 23, 1996
(John B. Slaughter)
<FN>
<F*>Karl R. Barnickol, by signing his name hereto, does sign this document on
behalf of the above noted individuals, pursuant to powers of attorney duly
executed by such individuals which have been filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission.
/s/ KARL R. BARNICKOL
---------------------------
Attorney-in-Fact
</TABLE>
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<TABLE>
EXHIBIT INDEX
-------------
These Exhibits are numbered in accordance with the Exhibit Table of Item 601
of Regulation S-K.
<CAPTION>
Exhibit No. Description
- ----------- -----------
<C> <S>
(4)(i) Form of Rights Agreement, dated as of January 26, 1990 between
the Company and The First National Bank of Boston (incorporated
herein by reference to Form 8-A filed on January 31, 1990)
(5) Opinion re legality
(15) Omitted - Inapplicable
(23) 1. Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP
2. Consent of Company Counsel - See Exhibit 5
(24) 1. Powers of Attorney (incorporated herein by reference to
Exhibit 24.1 to the Company's Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 1995)
(27) Not required
(28) Omitted - Inapplicable
(99) Omitted - Inapplicable
</TABLE>
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EXHIBIT 5
April 23, 1996
Securities and Exchange Commission
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20549
Gentlemen:
As Associate General Counsel of Monsanto Company, a Delaware Corporation
having its general offices at 800 North Lindbergh Boulevard, St. Louis,
Missouri 63167 (the "Company"), I am familiar with the Registration Statement
on Form S-8 being filed by the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, covering 300,000 shares of Monsanto Company Common Stock, $2 par
value, ("Common Stock") authorized for delivery to employees upon the
exercise of purchase awards under the Monsanto Executive Stock Purchase
Incentive Plan (the "Plan"). The Plan's authorizing delivery of the 300,000
shares was approved by the Company's Board of Directors on February 23, 1996
and will be voted on by the Company stockholders at the Annual Meeting to be
held on April 26, 1996.
I am also familiar with the Company's Restated Certificate of Incorporation
and its By-Laws, and with all corporate and other proceedings taken by the
Board of Directors relative to the authorization of the Plan, including the
proposed original issuance of 300,000 shares of Common Stock upon the
exercise of purchase awards thereunder.
It is my opinion that the Company is a corporation duly organized and validly
existing under the laws of the State of Delaware; that the Plan, including
the authority to issue up to 300,000 shares of Common Stock thereunder,
will, upon approval by the Company stockholders at the Annual Meeting, be
duly authorized by appropriate corporate action of the Company; and that the
aforesaid 300,000 shares of Common Stock, when issued and delivered pursuant
to the provisions of the Plan, will be legally issued, fully paid and
non-assessable.
I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to said
Registration Statement and to its use in connection therewith. I further
consent to the reference to Company counsel in the "Commitments and
Contingencies" note to the financial statements incorporated by reference in
the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1995
and incorporated by reference in said Registration Statement. My consent to
the reference to Company counsel in the note is not an admission that the
consent is required by Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933.
Very truly yours,
/s/ KARL R. BARNICKOL
Karl R. Barnickol
Associate General Counsel
Monsanto Company
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EXHIBIT 23.1
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
MONSANTO COMPANY:
We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement
of Monsanto Company on Form S-8 of our opinions dated February 23, 1996,
appearing in and incorporated by reference in your annual report on Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 1995.
/s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP
DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP
Saint Louis, Missouri
April 24, 1996
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