American Brands Inc

Monsanto Co. said Friday that its fourth-quarter earnings rose 1.1%, in line with expectations, to cap a year in which the company moved to shed its remaining chemicals business and establish itself as a dominant force in agricultural biotechnology. Profit from operations rose to $90 million, or 15 cents a share, from $89 million, also 15 cents a share, in the year-earlier period. The results were just short of the 16-cents-a-share forecast by analysts. St.

American Brands Inc. said Thursday that it plans to begin an $803-million tender offer for E-II Holdings Inc., the Beatrice Co. spinoff that owns about 5% of American Brands. American Brands' move apparently turns the tables on E-II, whose chairman, Donald Kelly, met last week with American Brands officials to discuss a friendly merger proposal between the two firms, industry analysts said.

American Brands Inc. said Tuesday that it is completing its exit from the tobacco business as the legal and regulatory climate for cigarette companies becomes tougher in the United States. American Brands, which also sells liquor, sports equipment and household hardware products, said it will spin off its British-based Gallaher tobacco business and then change its own name to Fortune Brands. American Brands stock rose $3.625 to close at $48.125 on the New York Stock Exchange. .

American Brands Inc. stock rose in heavy trading Tuesday, extending its huge gains from Friday on rumors that Anglo-Dutch consumer group Unilever or another suitor may bid for the tobacco and office products company. American Brands ended the day up $1.75 at $69.50 a share on the New York Stock Exchange. The stock soared $10.125 to $67.75 last Friday on speculation that Unilever, the consumer products company that owns Lever Brothers, was considering a $90-a-share bid.

The sudden move by American Brands Inc. to acquire its hostile suitor E-II Holdings Inc. marks a rare use of the controversial "Pac Man" takeover defense, and some analysts said that it might work. American Brands, a consumer products company based in Greenwich, Conn., on Friday began a $13-a-share tender offer for all of E-II's 61.8 million common shares outstanding, a deal worth about $805 million. On Friday, American Brands' stock closed at $47.37, up 61 cents, on the New York Stock Exchange.

American Brands Inc., acting on its plan to concentrate on its core businesses, said Wednesday it will sell its Franklin Life Insurance unit to American General Corp. for $1.17 billion in cash. American General, a Houston-based, diversified financial services holding company, has also been pursuing a $2.6-billion hostile takeover of another competitor, Unitrin Inc. Franklin Life, based in Springfield, Ill., focuses on the middle-income insurance market.

American Brands Inc. said Monday that it will pay $602 million in cash for Acco World Corp., a move that will almost double the office products revenue of the diversified packaged consumer goods company. It is the second major acquisition by American Brands in two months. In April, the Old Greenwich, Conn.-based company acquired the distilled spirits business of National Distillers & Chemical Corp. for $545 million.

Cobra Golf Inc., one of the nation's leading makers of golf clubs, said Monday that it agreed to be acquired by American Brands Inc. for $700 million. The $36-a-share deal would expand both companies' presence in the golf market. Carlsbad, Calif.-based Cobra manufactures high-quality, premium-priced clubs; American Brands makes Titleist clubs and balls, and Foot-Joy golf shoes.

FTC Challenges Tobacco Acquisition: The Federal Trade Commission followed through on its promise to challenge the proposed $1-billion purchase of American Brands Co.'s American Tobacco Co. by BAT Industries of London. The commission voted 3 to 0 to file an administrative complaint that alleges the buyout would reduce competition in the U.S. cigarette industry in violation of federal antitrust laws.

American Brands Inc., acting on its plan to concentrate on its core businesses, said Wednesday it will sell its Franklin Life Insurance unit to American General Corp. for $1.17 billion in cash. American General, a Houston-based, diversified financial services holding company, has also been pursuing a $2.6-billion hostile takeover of another competitor, Unitrin Inc. Franklin Life, based in Springfield, Ill., focuses on the middle-income insurance market.

American Brands Inc. is negotiating to sell its life insurance unit to American General Corp., a Houston-based insurer. The company said Tuesday that it is in "serious discussions" with American General over the possible sale of Franklin Life Insurance Co. The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed sources familiar with the negotiations, reported Tuesday that the estimated $1.2-billion deal would involve a combination of long-term debt and preferred shares.

With opposition to cigarettes growing while the popularity of smoking drops, American Brands on Tuesday agreed to sell its domestic tobacco subsidiary, which makes Lucky Strike and Carlton cigarettes, to BAT Industries of Britain for $1 billion. The move by the nation's fifth-largest tobacco company to dump its U.S. tobacco holdings follows exploration by the industry's giants--Philip Morris and RJR Nabisco--of deals that would split their cigarette and food divisions into separate companies.

American Brands Inc. said Tuesday that it is completing its exit from the tobacco business as the legal and regulatory climate for cigarette companies becomes tougher in the United States. American Brands, which also sells liquor, sports equipment and household hardware products, said it will spin off its British-based Gallaher tobacco business and then change its own name to Fortune Brands. American Brands stock rose $3.625 to close at $48.125 on the New York Stock Exchange. .

Cobra Golf Inc., one of the nation's leading makers of golf clubs, said Monday that it agreed to be acquired by American Brands Inc. for $700 million. The $36-a-share deal would expand both companies' presence in the golf market. Carlsbad, Calif.-based Cobra manufactures high-quality, premium-priced clubs; American Brands makes Titleist clubs and balls, and Foot-Joy golf shoes.

Pinkerton's Inc. reported a second-quarter profit of $2.76 million compared with a loss of $574,000 a year earlier, when a one-time charge of $2.8 million put the Van Nuys-based security services company in the red. Excluding that charge, Pinkerton's income jumped 24% from $2.22 million a year earlier, and its revenue in the quarter ended June 14 rose 6%, to $142.3 million from $134.1 million. For the first half of 1991, Pinkerton's earned $4.