BASF is taking another step toward potentially spinning off its Agricultural Solutions business as a standalone public company, according to a company news release.
The company has selected Citi, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan as global coordinators to help prepare Agricultural Solutions for a potential initial public offering (IPO) on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. BASF is targeting mid-2027 to have the business ready for an IPO.
However, BASF has not yet made a final decision to move forward with the offering. Whether and when an IPO takes place will depend on several factors, including conditions in the capital markets.
Under BASF’s plans, Agricultural Solutions would be listed as a Societas Europaea (SE), a European public company structure. The potential IPO is a key part of BASF’s “Winning Ways” strategy and is intended to allow the agricultural business to operate as an independent, pure-play agriculture company.
The Agricultural Solutions business combines BASF’s crop protection business with seeds, traits, biological products and digital solutions designed to help farmers manage crops and improve production.
Where The Process Stands Currently
Meanwhile, BASF is continuing to separate Agricultural Solutions from the rest of the company. About 80% of the global Agricultural Solutions business has now moved into separate legal entities and onto a new, agriculture-specific enterprise resource planning (ERP) system.
BASF says the separation is designed to give Agricultural Solutions more flexibility to respond to the needs of agricultural markets, increase its agility and strengthen relationships with customers around the world.
The company also is building the governance and operational capabilities needed for Agricultural Solutions to function as a publicly traded company.
BASF plans to provide a broader look at the business during its Capital Markets Day on Nov. 24, 2026. All four members of the BASF Agricultural Solutions Management Board are expected to present at the event.
