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Bayer shares dropped to cap risk from weedkiller cases

A bridge is decorated with the logo of a Bayer AG, a German pharmaceutical and chemical maker in Wuppertal, Germany August 9, 2019. REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay/File Photo
Ludwig Burger
Bayer (BAYGn.DE) shares dropped as much as 5% on Thursday after a U.S. judge rejected its plan to try and limit the cost of future class action claims that its Roundup weedkiller causes cancer.
The German group called into question the future sale of glyphosate-based products to residential users in the U.S., and said it would review plans to settle around 30,000 legal claims, after the judge called Bayer's plan to end years of litigation "unreasonable" on Wednesday.
"We will continue to assess financial risks as we move forward," finance chief Wolfgang Nickl said in an analyst call, when asked if the estimate of the potential financial burden had been revised.
Bayer will be spared payouts related to future cases it had outlined in its plan this year and next but will continue to set aside $2 billion for the looming risk of further claims, reflecting its view that there were no fundamental changes in the outlook.
Investors were less optimistic, with shares falling as much as 5.3% and trading 4.2% lower at 0855 GMT. Analysts at brokerage Bryan Garnier called it "the story that never ends". "This ruling will keep a Damocles sword on Bayer," even as demand for seeds and farming pesticides recovers, they added.
Bayer's top litigation lawyer William Dodero said the group would seek clearance from the U.S. supreme court on defeats suffered in jury trials and appellate courts even though the product has repeatedly been deemed safe by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
A petition to review rulings in favour of Roundup user Edwin Hardeman would be filed in late summer, with a final verdict expected in the middle of next year, said Dodero.
About 125,000 users have alleged the product caused their non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a blood cancer, 96,000 of which have been resolved and a $9.6 billion settlement also included provisions for the remaining claims.
Three cases have gone to trial and in each one, juries awarded tens of millions of dollars in damages for plaintiffs.
"We are determined to resolve the Roundup litigation and minimise the risk to our company from the existing and potential future lawsuits," said Bayer Chief Executive Werner Baumann.
"We remain open to settlement negotiations on the remaining lawsuits, as long as the terms are reasonable. However, we will review this approach in the future," he added.
U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria in San Francisco rejected as "unreasonable" Bayer's class action proposal, which would have provided compensation in return for placing limits on lawsuits. read more
Germany's Bayer acquired Roundup with its $63 billion purchase of Monsanto in 2018.
Announcing a new plan after the ruling, Bayer said it "will immediately engage with partners to discuss the future of glyphosate-based products in the U.S. residential market", which accounts for most cancer claims. read more
Bayer said that market segment was worth about 300 million euros in annual sales and one option included using a different active ingredient in Roundup, while no changes were foreseen for agricultural users.
Demand for the herbicide has remained robust throughout the litigation, Bayer added.
Reuters, May 27, 20211:57 PM EEST
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- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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