Bayer Publishes First Quarterly Report of 2015

Bayer has continued to improve its operating performance. Business expansion has occurred in all Consumer Health divisions, especially in Consumer Care where products acquired by Merck & Co., Inc. have contributed. Significant growth in sales and earnings were reported at HealthCare.

The CropScience business were improved over the previous year quarter however overall earnings were down. Performance was steady even in a weaker market environment.

MaterialScience felt an expected slight decline in sales due to lower raw material prices resulting in lower selling prices.

Due to the positive business development seen in the first quarter this year Bayer will be raising their Group guidance for 2015 due to currency effects. Groups sales rose to EUR 12.1 billion. Net income decreased 8.4% to EUR 1.3 billion. EBITDA before special items increased 9.6% to EUR 3 billion and EBIT decreased 4.7% to EUR 2 billion. Core earnings per share raised 7.7% to EUR 2.10.

READ THE FULL MANAGEMENT REPORT

Bayer AG publishes third quarter report for 2014

The Bayer Group continued its strong upward trend in the Life Science business - HealthCare and CropScience - for the third quarter of 2014.

"We saw robust sales growth for our recently launched pharmaceutical products and in our CropScience business in North and Latin America," said Bayer Management Board Chairman, Dr. Marijn Dekkers. 

Sales of the Bayer Group rose by 5.6% in the third quarter of 2014 to EUR 10,187 million. Gross cash flow rose by 9.1% to EUR 1,492 million due to improvement in EBITDA, while cash flow moved ahead by 5.1% to EUR 1,816 million. Net financial debt declined from EUR 9.9 billion on June 20, 2014, to EUR 8.5 billion on September 30, 2014.

Sales in the Consumer Health segment rose by 2.4% to EUR 1,921 million. This increase was driven by the Consumer Care and Animal Health divisions. In the Animal Health Division, sales of the Seresto™ flea and tick collar in Europe developed particularly well. 

READ THE REPORT 

Urban Animal Foundation Launches at Summit 2014

"Today is one of those sweet moments when 10 years of dreams and intentions becomes a reality", said Larry Evans, Treasurer, Urban Animal Foundation. 

The Urban Animal program began in 2005 with a meeting of industry leaders in Banff, Alberta. Driving a more collaborative Urban Animal industry began with the first Summit in 2006. By 2009 allies of the urban animal program had identified the need to change the culture and behaviors experienced by cats in our communities. The Year of the Cat in 2011, was the first continent wide initiative to increase the value of cats. By 2012, this initiative had morphed into 'Care for Cats' and in 2013, Bayer launched the Feline Friendly program which used collateral and concepts developed in this initiative.

The very successful Cat initiative demonstrated a need for a development environment that would be funded and governed separately from the commercial activities of PetLynx and other industry contributors. In 2013, planning commenced for The Urban Animal Foundation. The incorporation of the Foundation occurred in April 2014. The first Advisory Council and Board meetings will take place today, Wednesday, 22 October 2014, in Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada.

"I see this as a tree story, said Drew Van Niekerk, President of the Urban Animal Foundation. The tree is deeply rooted with a nine year investment to create and clarify the Urban Animal DNA. I expect this trust and subject matter expertise will develop the intentions of Urban Animal into the fruit so desired by the communities and pet owners we serve." 

Bayer Animal Health sees positive sales in Q2 2014

The Bayer Group was again successful in the second quarter of 2014. Sales of the Bayer Group rose by 0.9% in the second quarter to EUR 10,458 million (Q2 2013: EUR 10,360). Adjusted for currency and portfolio effects, sales advanced by 6,3%. EBIT rose by 14.5% to EUR 1.473 million (Q2 2013: EUR 1.287 million). 

Gross cash flow in the second quarter of 2014 advanced by 1.5% to EUR 1,705 million (Q2 2013: EUR 1,680 million) due to the improvement in EBITDA, while cash flow moved ahead by 4.2% to EUR 1,601 million (Q2 2013: EUR 1,536 million). Net financial debt increased from EUR 9.1 billion on March 31, 2014 to EUR 9.9 billion on June 30, 2014. 

READ MORE: Stockholders Newsletter Second Quarter 2014

Sales of HealthCare rose in the second quarter by 0.9% to EUR 4,485 million (Q2 2013: EUR 4,800 million). The Animal Health business developed positively with 5% growth to EUR 362 million (Q2 2013: EUR 358 million). The Seresto™ flea and tick collar contributed to this increase, partly on account of volume gains in the United STates. Sales of the Advantage™ line of flea, tick and worm control products showed a slight decrease. 

READ MORE: Bayer continues positive business development

Dieter Weinand to become President of Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals

Bayer Pharmaceuticals announced it has appointed Dieter Weinand, to take over the position of President at Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, effective August 1, 2014. 

Weinand will join Bayer HealthCare from Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization Inc., where he is currently responsible as President, Global Commercialization for a $13 billion revenue healthcare business. 

"We welcome Dieter Weinand to our management team," said Oliver Brandicourt, CEO of Bayer HealthCare. "Based on his extensive commercial experience in the pharmaceutical industry, Dieter Weinand will drive the growth of our pharmaceutical business further and maximize the value of our product portfolio." 

READ THE NEWS RELEASE

download

Collaboration aims to better understand and overcome barriers to routine veterinary care for cats

Bayer HealthCare Animal Health and the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) are partnering to improve the health of America's cats. The partnership will work to uncover and remove obstacles to routine veterinary care for cats. 

The impetus for this partnership, said Ian Spinks, president and general manager for Bayer's Animal Health Division, was the Bayer Veterinary Care Usage Study. The study, which appears in the May 15, 2011 issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), sets out to confirm the decrease in the number of patient visits, to identify the factors responsible and present the specific actions companion animal practitioners can take to encourage more frequent veterinary visits for dogs and cats. 

"Like dogs, cats require regular veterinary healthcare and, without it, there is a significant risk to their health," said Donna Stephens Manley, DVM, president of AAFP and principal veterinarian at Manley Veterinary Services in Chapel Hill, N.C. 

"Through the combined efforts of AAFP and Bayer HealthCare, we want to improve the healthcare provided to cats and overcome the barriers that veterinarians have encountered regarding routine visits for cats. If cats are seen more regularly, better care can be provided, especially relating to preventative care."