Weedkiller cancer claims drive Bayer to bigger loss

The loss was bigger than the 2.55 billion euros the firm lost in 2024, with Bayer pointing to the impact of "high special charges for litigations".

Bayer has spent more than $10 billion settling thousands of cases linked to the Roundup weedkiller ever since it acquired its US producer, the agrichemical group Monsanto, in 2018.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer considers glyphosate, one of Roundup's ingredients, a probable human carcinogen, but Bayer says scientific studies and US and European Union regulatory approvals show the weedkiller is safe.

Last month, Bayer said about 67,000 cases were still outstanding as it unveiled a proposed class settlement in a bid to bring an end to costly legal battles.

It also said in February it had set aside 11.8 billion euros to deal with litigation as of September 2025, up from 7.8 billion euros previously.

Asked at a press conference about Bayer's Plan B if the settlement failed to go through, company boss Bill Anderson would not be drawn and said that a judge would decide on approval shortly.

"I don't think we're going to speculate on a denial scenario," he said. "I would say the timeline is days, so you won't have to wait long for an answer there."

The settlement was necessary despite the Supreme Court agreeing to hear Bayer's appeal against damages to a Missouri man who claims Roundup caused his cancer, Anderson said, warning that the firm otherwise faced being bogged down in lawsuits.

"This settlement agreement is the right approach at the right time," he said. "The company needs to move on. This has been a huge drag on Bayer for almost a decade."

While expecting broadly stable sales and earnings for the coming year, Bayer nevertheless said cash flow would be "heavily impacted by settlement payments".

Bayer's core profit -- which strips out certain costs including tax and litigation -- fell 4.5 percent to 9.67 billion euros, partly reflecting currency effects.

Anderson said the company could be proud of its performance, pointing out it had achieved its guidance for the year after raising its outlook last July.

"We delivered that guidance, landing comfortably within the improved corridor," he said.