Bayer
Bayer AG is a German life-sciences company operating three divisions — Pharmaceuticals, Consumer Health, and Crop Science — across 80+ countries, generating ~€45.6B FY2025 revenue from prescription drugs (Xarelto, Eylea, Nubeqa), OTC consumer brands (Aspirin, Claritin, Aleve), and agricultural seeds and crop protection products.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1863
- HeadquartersLeverkusen, Germany
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Bayer does
Bayer AG is a German multinational life-sciences company founded in 1863 and headquartered in Leverkusen, with three reporting divisions — Pharmaceuticals, Consumer Health, and Crop Science — operating in 80+ countries through 272 fully consolidated companies and employing 88,078 people worldwide as of FY2025. The Pharmaceuticals division sells prescription products across cardiology (Xarelto, Adempas, Aspirin Cardio), women's health (Mirena), oncology (Nubeqa), ophthalmology (Eylea, plus the newly acquired PER-001 via Perfuse Therapeutics), radiology (the newly FDA-approved AMBELVIST contrast agent), and nephrology (Kerendia); revenue is generated through prescription and hospital channels with pricing determined by regulatory approvals and insurance frameworks. Consumer Health distributes 150+ trusted OTC brands — Aspirin, Aleve, Bepanthen, Claritin, Elevit — through retail pharmacy and e-commerce. Crop Science sells high-value seeds (PRECEON, Intacta, XtendiFlex, Plenexos), biotechnology traits, crop protection products, and the FarmRise digital platform (5M+ registered Indian farmers) via agricultural retail networks and direct-to-farmer digital channels.
Bayer's underlying technology stack includes proprietary AI drug-discovery platforms (Enchant and NeuralPLexer, partnered with Iambic Therapeutics), AI-driven genomic selection for crop breeding, computer vision for seed contamination detection, satellite-and-AI precision spraying, and the SOLIDA-1 manufacturing facility at Chempark Leverkusen, which won ISPE Pharma 4.0 and Operational Excellence awards for AI-driven analytics and 70% CO2 reduction via geothermal energy. FY2025 recorded sales were €45.6B with €9.7B EBITDA (-4.5%) and €5.8B in R&D investment; the company is executing the Dynamic Shared Ownership restructuring (introduced January 2024) targeting €2B in organizational savings by 2026. The 2018 $63B Monsanto acquisition delivered the Crop Science franchise but also brought ~100,000+ Roundup-related lawsuits; the U.S. Supreme Court's June 2026 7-2 ruling in Durnell v. Monsanto provides major relief from warning-based claims, though Bayer has set aside nearly $16B for case settlements historically.
Bayer firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Bayer
- Legal name
- Bayer AG
- Website
- https://bayer.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1863
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- Bayer AG is a German life-sciences company operating three divisions — Pharmaceuticals, Consumer Health, and Crop Science — across 80+ countries, generating ~€45.6B FY2025 revenue from prescription drugs (Xarelto, Eylea, Nubeqa), OTC consumer brands (Aspirin, Claritin, Aleve), and agricultural seeds and crop protection products.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Bayer industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Life Sciences - Pharmaceuticals & Agriculture
- NAICS
- Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (3254), Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412)
- SIC
- Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), Ophthalmic Goods (3851)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Ophthalmology Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Respiratory & Allergy Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAH)
Keywords
Where Bayer is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Leverkusen
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices9 records
Markets served
Bayer business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others, Operations
Revenue model
- Pharmaceuticals: Prescription pharmaceutical products including Xarelto, Eylea, Nubeqa, Mirena, Adempas, and Aspirin Cardio sold through healthcare providers, hospitals, and pharmacies globally
- Consumer Health: Over-the-counter consumer health products including Aspirin, Bepanthen, Claritin, Elevit across 150+ trusted brands sold through retail pharmacies and e-commerce
- Crop Science: High-value seeds, biotechnology traits, crop protection products, and digital farming tools sold to farmers and agricultural distributors worldwide
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Pharmaceutical products sold via prescription through healthcare systems with pricing determined by regulatory approvals, insurance coverage, and regional healthcare policies |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Consumer health OTC products sold through retail pharmacies and e-commerce platforms at retail price points |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
Bayer product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Bayer is a life sciences company operating through three divisions: Pharmaceuticals (prescription drugs including Xarelto, Eylea, NUBEQA, Mirena, Adempas, KERENDIA, AMBELVIST for cardiology, oncology, ophthalmology, women's health, and radiology), Consumer Health (OTC brands including Aspirin, Aleve, Bepanthen, Claritin, Elevit sold through retail pharmacies), and Crop Science (high-value seeds, biotechnology traits, crop protection products, and digital farming tools). The company develops and commercializes these products globally across 80+ countries with €45.6 billion in FY 2025 sales, supported by €5.8 billion in annual R&D investment.
Product overview
Bayer operates as a life science company with three main divisions: Pharmaceuticals, Consumer Health, and Crop Science. The Pharmaceuticals division focuses on prescription products in cardiology (Xarelto, Adempas, Aspirin Cardio), women's healthcare (Mirena), oncology (NUBEQA), ophthalmology (Eylea), and radiology (AMBELVIST contrast agent). Consumer Health offers over 150 trusted self-care brands including Aleve, Bepanthen, Claritin, and Elevit for allergy, dermatology, pain relief, and nutrition. Crop Science provides high-value seeds (PRECEON, Intacta, XtendiFlex, Plenexos), innovative crop protection products, and digital farming tools (FarmRise platform) to help farmers produce more while restoring nature. The company is developing additional products including KERENDIA for chronic kidney disease and asundexian for stroke prevention.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Xarelto (rivaroxaban)
- Eylea (aflibercept)
- NUBEQA (darolutamide)
- Mirena
- Adempas
- Aspirin Cardio
- AMBELVIST (gadoquatrane)
- KERENDIA (finerenone)
- Asundexian
- Aleve
- Bepanthen
- Claritin
- Elevit
- PRECEON
- Intacta
- XtendiFlex
- Plenexos
- FarmRise Digital Platform
- PER-001
Quantifiable outcome
- €45.6 billion in recorded sales for FY 2025
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Bayer
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Bayer technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability11 records
Feature6 records
Bayer partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Iambic TherapeuticscoreDrug discovery collaboration using AI-powered Enchant and NeuralPLexer platforms to identify novel drug entry points and differentiated molecules against hard-to-drug targets in small-molecule discovery. Iambic receives upfront payment plus milestone and royalty payments. Collaboration aims to accelerate typically lengthy drug discovery processes.
- Perfuse TherapeuticscoreBayer completed acquisition paying $300M upfront with total potential value up to $2.45B including success-based milestones. Perfuse developing PER-001, first-in-class sustained-release endothelin receptor antagonist in Phase II for glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. Operations headquartered in South San Francisco with R&D in Durham, NC.
- Natur-Tec IndiaminorMoU to jointly develop biodegradable and compostable seedling cups to replace single-use plastic nursery containers. Combines Bayer's crop science expertise with Natur-Tec's compostable biopolymer technology. Trial runs scheduled in vegetable and fruit nurseries in India with global scaling planned.
- ISSCR (International Society for Stem Cell Research)minorBayer joined as founding member of ISSCR Consortium on Advanced Stem Cell-Based Models in Drug Discovery and Development. Initiative brings together academia, industry, and regulatory agencies including AstraZeneca and Weill Cornell Medicine to advance human stem cell-derived models.
- Aphea.BiominorStrategic partnership to develop biological pesticides targeting insect pests in agriculture. Leverages Aphea.Bio's R&D pipeline with Bayer's global market reach and product development capacity. Initially focusing on fruit crops (citrus, grapes) before potentially expanding to vegetables and arable crops.
- Tagros Chemicals IndiaminorTagros acquired Bayer's global Flubendiamide insecticide business covering Latin America, Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific. Brands include BELT, FAME, TIHAN. Represents Bayer's strategic exit from mature molecules.
- Blackford Analysis Ltd.coreAcquisition completed February 2023. Blackford provides AI solutions for medical imaging, operating independently as subsidiary while benefiting from Bayer's global infrastructure and resources to advance its technology.
- TargenomixcoreAcquisition of German biotech start-up spin-off from Max Planck Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology. Targenomix's systems biology and computational tools support Bayer's crop protection R&D pipeline against climate change and resistance challenges.
- Noria Therapeutics Inc. and PSMA Therapeutics Inc.coreAcquisition to expand oncology portfolio of targeted alpha therapies (TATs). Provides rights to differentiated alpha radionuclide investigational compound based on actinium-225 and PSMA-targeting small molecule.
- DKSH HealthcareminorPartnership for commercialization of Bayer cardiovascular products in Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. DKSH provides end-to-end commercialization platform for rare disease and specialty therapies in Asia-Pacific region.
- MustGrow BiologicsminorEMEA licensing partnership where MustGrow commercializes biological products. Also partnered with Sumitomo for Americas distribution. MustGrow's TerraSante biofertility product now registered in 10 US states under Organic OMRI certification.
- Rud Pedersen ItalyminorContributed to roundtable discussion on geopolitics of pharmaceuticals and industrial resilience in Rome, bringing together government officials, pharma industry representatives, and academics to discuss supply chain security.
- BASFminorMajor agricultural company also leveraging AI platforms for breeding, supply chain management, and precision agriculture alongside Bayer in the $180B GM foods market.
- NovartisminorMarketplace listing and competitive positioning. Novartis leads radioligand therapy with Pluvicto and Lutathera ($2.8B net sales 2024) while Bayer is one of companies entering the space projected to grow from $3.2B to $30B by 2034.
Scale indicators19 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Bayer competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Pfizer: Global pharmaceutical major with comparable prescription drug portfolio spanning cardiology, oncology, and vaccines. Closely comparable to Bayer's Pharmaceuticals division in scale, therapeutic breadth, and patent-cliff exposure.
- Roche: Swiss pharmaceutical major with strong oncology, ophthalmology (Lucentis predecessor to Eylea's market), and diagnostics franchises. Directly comparable to Bayer's prescription pharma business, particularly in oncology and ophthalmology where both compete.
- Novartis: Global pharmaceutical major with cardiology, oncology (radioligand therapy leadership via Pluvicto/Lutathera), and ophthalmology (Beovu). Direct competitor in cardiology and oncology; explicitly compared to Bayer in radioligand therapy space.
- Merck & Co. (MSD): U.S. pharmaceutical major with blockbuster oncology (Keytruda) and vaccines franchises. Comparable in scale and therapeutic area breadth, particularly competing with Bayer's oncology pipeline (NUBEQA, Noria TATs).
- Johnson & Johnson: Diversified healthcare major with pharmaceuticals (cardiology, oncology, immunology) and consumer health divisions. Direct peer to Bayer across both pharma and consumer health, and a co-investor in SonoThera alongside Bayer.
- Sanofi: European pharmaceutical major with prescription drugs, vaccines, and consumer healthcare (allergy via Allegra competing with Bayer's Claritin). Comparable in therapeutic breadth and consumer health focus.
- AstraZeneca: Global biopharmaceutical major with oncology, cardiovascular, and respiratory franchises. Co-participant with Bayer in ISSCR stem cell consortium; comparable in cardiology (Brilinta vs. Xarelto) and oncology pipeline depth.
- GSK: British pharmaceutical and consumer healthcare major with vaccines, specialty medicines, and oral health. Comparable to Bayer in its combined pharma + consumer health structure and allergy/respiratory overlap.
- Corteva: U.S. agricultural inputs and seeds company spun out from DowDuPont. Direct competitor to Bayer's Crop Science division in seeds, traits, and crop protection; explicit licensing partner (freedom-to-operate agreement) with Bayer.
Broad incumbents
- BASF: German chemical major with significant agricultural solutions division. Comparable to Bayer's Crop Science segment in crop protection chemistry; also leverages AI platforms for breeding and precision agriculture alongside Bayer.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Bayer social profiles
Digital presenceBayer financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Bayer leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Bayer subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries6 records
Bayer funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Bayer M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A22 records
Investments22 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Bayer
What does Bayer do?
Bayer is a life sciences company operating through three divisions: Pharmaceuticals (prescription drugs including Xarelto, Eylea, NUBEQA, Mirena, Adempas, KERENDIA, AMBELVIST for cardiology, oncology, ophthalmology, women's health, and radiology), Consumer Health (OTC brands including Aspirin, Aleve, Bepanthen, Claritin, Elevit sold through retail pharmacies), and Crop Science (high-value seeds, biotechnology traits, crop protection products, and digital farming tools). The company develops and commercializes these products globally across 80+ countries with €45.6 billion in FY 2025 sales, supported by €5.8 billion in annual R&D investment.
Is Bayer a public or private company?
Bayer is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Bayer founded?
Bayer was founded in 1863. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is Bayer based?
Bayer is headquartered in Leverkusen, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Bayer make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Pharmaceuticals are the primary driver. The others are consumer Health and crop Science.
Who are Bayer's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Pfizer, Roche, Novartis, Merck & Co. (MSD), Johnson & Johnson, Sanofi, AstraZeneca, GSK and Corteva. BASF is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Bayer have an API?
No public API is recorded for Bayer.
What industry is Bayer in?
Bayer's product category is Life Sciences - Pharmaceuticals & Agriculture. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAIACAK, Ophthalmology Specialty Pharmaceuticals, with a secondary code of HLAIAAAH, Respiratory & Allergy Pharmaceuticals. Its NAICS code is 3254 and its SIC code is 2834.