Weedkiller cancer claims drive Bayer to bigger loss

German agrichemical giant Bayer said Wednesday it made a loss of 3.62 billion euros ($4.20 billion) in 2025 after it booked extra charges related to claims that its popular weedkiller causes blood cancer.

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 US 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.

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.

Bayer CEO Bill 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.