BASFY to Strengthen Solutions With AgBiTech Acquisition

BASF SE’s BASFY Agricultural Solutions unit signed an agreement to acquire AgBiTech from private equity firm Paine Schwartz Partners and other shareholders. AgBiTech specializes in biological insect control solutions.

Upon completion, BASFY will take full ownership of AgBiTech, including intellectual property rights, manufacturing operations, and R&D facilities and personnel. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2026, subject to approvals. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

AgBiTech pioneered the use of nucleopolyhedrovirus (“NPV”) technology to develop insect control solutions. The company operates across Brazil, the United States and Australia, serving farmers with solutions for growing major crops such as soybean, corn, cotton and selected specialty crops. The addition of AgBiTech to BASFY is expected to enhance the ability to offer differentiated, sustainable insect control solutions globally.

BASF said the acquisition will significantly strengthen its BioSolutions portfolio and further support its strategy of offering sustainable, holistic solutions. The deal is particularly strategic for Brazil, one of the world’s fastest-growing markets for biological crop protection.

Brazil’s farmers have been facing challenges from yield-robbing chewing insects, especially lepidopteran caterpillars. AgBiTech’s solutions are aimed at providing effective protection to this highly relevant segment. BASF’s BioSolutions portfolio already offers Integrated Pest Management programs that help manage resistance, reduce residues and improve stress tolerance.

BASFY stock has gained 17.4% over the past year against the industry’s 21.4% decline.

BASFY’s Zacks Rank & Key Picks

BASFY currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Some better-ranked stocks in the Basic Materials space are Agnico Eagle Mines Limited AEM, Kinross Gold Corporation KGC and Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. ASM.

At present, AEM and KGC sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) each, while ASM carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AEM’s 2025 earnings is pegged at $7.87 per share, indicating a rise of 86.05%. Its earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, with an average surprise of 11.63%. AEM’s shares have gained 133.8% over the past year.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for KGC’s 2025 earnings is pinned at $1.68 per share, indicating a 147.06% year-over-year increase. Its shares have surged 225.4% over the past year.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ASM’s 2025 fiscal-year earnings is pinned at 17 cents per share, indicating a 13.33% year-over-year increase. ASM’s shares have gained 491.2% over the past year.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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