Bayer CropScience shares climb 10% as Q4 profit jumps 49%

Shares of Bayer CropScience surged 10.28 per cent to hit a high of Rs 5,657.25 in Tuesday's trade after the Indian subsidiary of German conglomerate Bayer AG posted a 49.27 per cent jump in its net profit for the fourth quarter of financial year 2024-25 (Q4 FY25), aided by higher revenue from operations.

The company posted a profit of Rs 143.3 crore for the January-March quarter, up from Rs 96 crore in the same period a year ago. Total income for the quarter rose to Rs 1,083.5 crore, compared to Rs 821.1 crore in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal.

However, despite the strong fourth-quarter results, Bayer CropScience's net profit for the full fiscal year 2024-25 declined to Rs 568 crore, down from Rs 740.5 crore in FY24.

Commenting on the performance, Simon Wiebusch, Vice-Chairman, Managing Director and CEO, said, "In Q4, our revenue from operations grew by 32 per cent over the previous year, driven by strong performance in spring corn and both strong performance and double-digit liquidation growth in the crop protection portfolio."

He attributed the Q4 growth to effective promotional investments made in the preceding quarter and noted that quarter-on-quarter deviations reflect the inherent seasonality of the agricultural sector. "Our focus on liquidation-led channel management aligns with market realities and demonstrates our commitment to delivering continuous value," Wiebusch added.

The company's board of directors has recommended a final dividend of Rs 35 per equity share of Rs 10 each for the financial year ending March 31, 2025. The dividend proposal is subject to shareholders' approval.

Bayer CropScience operates in India's agricultural inputs sector, offering seeds, crop protection solutions and digital farming services.