Nestlé S.A. and Novartis AG have reached an agreement under which Nestlé will sell 74 million of its shares of Alcon, Inc. to Novartis in a cash transaction valued at $11 billion. Novartis would initially own a minority stake in Alcon of approximately 25%, but through option rights, plans to acquire Nestle’s remaining 52% stake for an additional $28 billion between January 2010 and July 2011.     “I welcome Novartis as a minority investor, and I believe the agreement validates Alcon’s leaders...