Roundup Cancer Lawsuit News

Bayer Could Be Moving On From Monsanto and Glyphosate

Bayer's CEO is under pressure to account for last year's acquisition of Monsanto given what is now known about glyphosate causing cancer

Monday, June 17, 2019 - On June 7, 2018, just around one year ago. German Pharmaceutical giant Bayer acquired agro-chemical company Monsanto for $128 per share totaling a whopping $63-billion. At the time Bayer was transitioning into being a "life sciences" company and wanted a greater presence in the agricultural business. Because of the global nature of both companies, the transaction faced the scrutiny over 30 regulatory authorities, and of every industrialized nation on earth, including China. The two companies combined employ over 100,000 people. In 2017, Monsanto reported a net income of approximately 2.26 billion and those earning were expected to increase in the coming years as more and more farms adopt the usage of the weedkiller. What could possibly go wrong?

The $63 billion that Bayer paid for Monsanto is, in fact, turning into just a drop in the bucket compared to the potential legal liabilities Monsanto brings with it. Bayer has now paid more than twice Monsanto acquisition price when one considers that the company's stock price has been cut in half since the acquisition was concluded producing billions in losses for investors. As a result and in anticipation of future legal battles, investor confidence in Bayer is dwindling as is their confidence in Bayer CEO Werner Baumann.

According to an article in March 2019 by Reuters.com, CEO Baumann defended Bayer's move to acquire Monsanto, by saying it "was and is a good idea." Experts conclude, however, that Baumann was overconfident as to the outcomes of potential Monsanto lawsuits. At the most recent annual meeting of shareholders, only half expressed confidence in his ability and judgment, compared to over 90% in the past and demanded that the CEO prove himself or step aside.

The $2 billion in annual revenue was wiped out in one day last month when a California jury awarded two plaintiffs $1 billion each for cancer they developed from using Roundup herbicide on their properties. Prior to that, two other trials were also decided against Bayer for around $80 million each. The CEO statement in the company annual report revealed that another 13,000 lawsuits have been filed against Monsanto/Bayer from cancer victims.

As a result of the string of losses and the enormous adverse publicity surrounding the trials, investors have given Baumann nine months to turn the company around. In order to do so, however, the company may consider cutting their losses on future Monsanto legal liabilities. Insiders have speculated that the company may offer a settlement offer that could cost Bayer another $10 billion or more.

In an effort to regain investor confidence, Bayer is preparing to launch an initiative to find "alternatives weedkillers to glyphosate," the active ingredient in Roundup herbicide, Monsanto's flagship product, hardly a vote of confidence for the product. According to USRTK.org, Glyphosate will continue to play an important role in agriculture and in our portfolio. But nature is far from one-size-fits-all. With the global success of glyphosate came widespread use, weed resistance, and in some instances unintended misapplication. Farmers deserve more choice. That's why we will invest approximately 5 billion Euros in additional methods for combating weeds over the next decade. We are committed to equipping the world's farmers with the best in agricultural technology and locally informed training on how to use it," the email states."

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Lawyers for Roundup Cancer Lawsuits

Attorneys handling Roundup cancer lawsuits for leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and multiple myeloma offer free, no-obligation case review for individuals and families who believe they may have grounds to file a Roundup cancer lawsuit. Working on a contingency basis, these attorneys are committed to never charging legal fees unless they win compensation in your Roundup cancer lawsuit. The product liability litigators handling Roundup claims at the Onder Law Firm have a strong track record of success in representing families harmed by dangerous drugs and consumer products.