Bayer Draws Divergent Broker Calls as Sunharbo Clears Two Regulators and Roundup Deal Nears

Bayer's pipeline and its litigation calendar are moving in tandem, and the sell side is not reading the combination the same way. Deutsche Bank Research lifted its price target on the German life-sciences group from 60 to 65 euros, keeping a "Buy" rating, according to media reports. Jefferies, by contrast, reiterated "Hold" with a 48.50-euro target. Analyst Michael Leuchten argued that the US approval of Asundexian had arrived as expected — a view that leaves him recommending investors simply sit tight.

That approval, announced by the FDA under the brand name Sunharbo, covers risk reduction for further strokes in certain adults who have suffered a non-cardioembolic ischemic stroke or a high-risk TIA. Bayer describes the compound as the world's first approved factor XIa inhibitor. China's NMPA had already cleared Asundexian on 26 October under the same brand name for secondary stroke prevention.

Third-Quarter Numbers and a Raised Outlook

The company's third-quarter 2026 revenue reached 10.1 billion euros, with EBITDA before special items up 6.9% at 1.62 billion euros. On a currency- and portfolio-adjusted basis, sales grew 1.9%, while reported revenue rose 4.1%. Bayer raised its full-year guidance on 3 November, the same day it published those figures.

Investors greeted the US clearance warmly: the stock climbed 3.3% in the session after Reuters reported the FDA decision.

Goldman Sachs followed on 4 November, raising its target from 63.50 to 66.00 euros while leaving its "Buy" rating in place — a higher mark with an unchanged purchase recommendation.

Roundup Settlement Expected Before Christmas

On the legal front, CEO Bill Anderson said Bayer expects the proposed 7.25 billion US-dollar Roundup settlement to close before Christmas, according to Reuters on 3 November. The agreement was under review by a court in Missouri at the time.

Separately, Bayer said on 4 November that it will introduce 17 new biological products in Latin America by 2030. The lineup, per Reuters, includes biopesticides and agents designed to improve plant performance — a multi-year push confined to that region.

Bayer plans to publish its 2026 annual report on 24 February 2027.