Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, October 25, 1994                   TAG: 9412220052
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: C8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

IN BUSINESS

Norfolk Southern Corp. on Monday declared a common stock dividend of 48 cents per share, payable Dec. 10 to shareholders of Nov. 4.

- Staff report

Tobacco traders agree to merger

Monk-Austin Inc. of Farmville, N.C., and Dibrell Brothers Inc. of Danville, both tobacco traders, said they have entered into a merger agreement, valued at about $560 million.

The agreement calls for creation of a new parent company, DiMon Inc., of which Monk-Austin and Dibrell Brothers would be wholly owned subsidiaries.

The agreement provides that shareholders of Monk-Austin will receive one share of DiMon stock for each share of Monk-Austin stock, and the shareholders of Dibrell will receive 1.5 shares of DiMon stock for each share of Dibrell stock. The deal must be approved by shareholders at meetings to be held early next year.

- Staff report