Bayer confirmed in an investor call on Wednesday the company is considering splitting business units following poor financial results.
“We are redesigning Bayer to focus only on what’s essential for our mission – and getting rid of everything else,” according to Bayer CEO Bill Anderson. Anderson, who has been at the company’s helm since June, says by the end of next year, Bayer will remove multiple layers of management and coordination. The company ruled out splitting into three divisions, but other options remain.
Anderson adds, “In terms of structural options, beyond maintaining three divisions, a separation of either Consumer Health or Crop Science remains under evaluation.”
Sales in the agricultural business were level year on year at 4.3 billion euros. Higher volumes in all regions were mostly offset by lower prices for glyphosate-based. Corn Seed and Traits sales rose by 21.2, while Fungicides were up 16.2 percent. The Soybean Seed and Traits business likewise posted double-digit percentage growth of 15.6 percent. By contrast, sales at Herbicides were down by 17.3 percent.