Bayer posts unexpected gain in adjusted profit on seed demand

FRANKFURT, Aug 4 (Reuters) - German pharmaceuticals and agriculture group Bayer on Tuesday posted an unexpected 1.9% gain in quarterly adjusted profit on a strong rebound in sales of seed technology related to its dicamba weedkiller.

Second-quarter earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA), adjusted for one-offs, came in at €2.14 billion ($2.46 billion), above market expectations of €1.94 billion in an analyst consensus posted on the group's website.

A ruling by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency a year ago cleared the use of several dicamba sprays, which had previously been halted over concerns they can be spread by the wind and damage neighbouring areas.

Farmers using dicamba require Bayer's compatible seeds.

The strong earnings are another boost for CEO Bill Anderson after the U.S. Supreme Court in June reined in thousands of lawsuits claiming Bayer's Roundup weedkiller causes cancer, removing a threat of billions of dollars in additional damages and settlements.

Based on Monday's close, Bayer shares have soared about 19% since the ruling. The stock gained another 3.7% in early trading on Tuesday following the results announcement.

AS ROUNDUP CLOUD LIFTS, INVESTORS LOOK TO CEO'S PLANS

With the uncertainty surrounding Bayer's liability over Roundup now largely resolved, investors are turning their attention to Anderson's longer-term ambitions regarding potential structural changes, drug development improvements and debt repayment.

The market has been looking for clues in particular on whether he will revive a strategic review of the group's diversified structure that was suspended in 2024.

Following the Supreme Court victory, Bayer moved its U.S. Roundup business into a unit dubbed Ruveon LLC and internally separated it from the rest of the organisation.

That fuelled hopes among some investors that more spinoffs or divestments might be in the offing.    

Bayer on Tuesday projected net debt at €29 billion to €30 billion in 2026, down from a range of €32 billion to €33 billion previously forecast.

That was mainly due to Bayer's move last month to sell a minority stake in a unit making intrauterine devices and other long-acting contraceptives to private equity group Apollo for €3 billion.   

($1 = 0.8690 euros)

(Reporting by Ludwig Burger and Patricia Weiss; Editing by Miranda Murray and Joe Bavier)