A jury awarded plaintiff Dewayne Johnson $289 million after he claimed Monsanto’s weedkiller caused his cancer. A judge later cut that award to $78 million. (Photo by JOSH EDELSON / AFP)
By DAVID MEYER Fortune 4:00 AM EDT
Bayer has to pay out $81 million in damages to a man who claims the Roundup weedkiller caused his cancer, a jury ruled Wednesday. In a similar ruling last year, the sum was $289 million, reduced to $78 million on appeal. Since that first verdict, Bayer’s shares have lost 40% of their value—and there are still around 11,300 such cases waiting in the wings.
All of which begs the question: was it foolhardy for Bayer to buy Roundup maker Monsanto?
Đọt Chuối Non 