Nufarm Limited
(ASX: NUF)Share Price and News
Overview of Nufarm
Nufarm is a multinational corporation specialising in crop protection chemicals and seed technologies, with a footprint spanning over 100 countries.
The company’s product range includes herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, and seed treatment products designed to protect and improve crop yields across various agricultural markets. The most important of these are omega-3 oil and carinata seeds.
Nufarm operates multiple manufacturing facilities worldwide, including key sites in Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. This global presence allows the company to service diverse agricultural economies, providing a buffer against regional market fluctuations.
Nufarm's Company History
Nufarm’s journey from a regional supplier to a global player has been marked by steady expansion and strategic repositioning.
It traces its origins to 1916 when New Zealand Farmers (NZFF) began as a developer of crop products. Nufarm Australia began in 1957 under the leadership of Max Fremder, and it merged with NZFF in 1988. It made a major foray overseas in the first half of the 1990s into North America.
A key turning point came in 2000 when Nufarm separated from Fernz Corporation, becoming an independent entity listed on the ASX. From then until 2015 it was led by Doug Rathbone. Over his tenrue there was more good than bad, but there was some bad - in 2010, glyphosate (a weedkiller ingredient) prices crashed, causing profits to fall, the company to breach debt covenants and investors to sue the company. Rathbone was replaced by Greg Hunt who has been CEO ever since.
In 2019, the company made a significant divestment, selling its South American crop protection and seed treatment businesses to Sumitomo Chemical for approximately US$900 million (A$1.188 billion).
Nufarm has faced challenges in integrating its seed technology operations profitably. These challenges, coupled with commodity price volatility and shifting regulatory landscapes, have influenced the company’s financial results and investor sentiment.
Future Outlook of Nufarm (ASX: NUF)
For the year ended 30 September 2025, Nufarm reported a statutory net loss after tax of A$165.3 m, largely due to non‑cash charges and a strategic review of its Seed Technologies business, though its underlying EBITDA remained resilient at about A$302.5m, slightly down on the prior year, with crop protection earnings up 18 % across regions.
Net debt was materially reduced, unwinding by roughly A$538m since the first half, and management expects leverage to fall to around 2.0× by the end of FY26. Nufarm is forecasting underlying EBITDA growth and positive cash generation in FY26, with capital expenditure targeted below A$200m and a focus on disciplined cost and working capital management.
The company is repositioning its seed and bioenergy platforms with a clearer cost focus and expects a roughly A$30m uplift in Seed Technologies earnings in FY26, while its core crop protection segment continues to benefit from stable demand.
Leadership transition also commenced with a new CEO (Rico Christensen) appointed to drive strategy forward, underlining a period of execution and structural realignment rather than aggressive expansion.
Is Nufarm a Good Stock to Buy?
Looking at Nufarm from an investment perspective, the stock represents a cyclical agribusiness with mixed near‑term signals.
Its underlying crop protection business remains a solid revenue generator with improving margins, and the company’s efforts to deleverage the balance sheet and streamline costs lay groundwork for more sustainable cash flows.
Forecasts from independent models suggest possible strong earnings growth over the next few years and eventual profitability improvements, though overall revenue growth is expected to be modest. However, Nufarm’s recent years have been marked by negative earnings, share price volatility and strategic pivots—factors that raise execution risk and investor uncertainty.
For long‑term investors who believe in secular trends toward sustainable agriculture and innovation in crop sciences, NUF could offer growth potential if key segments like Seed Technologies and bioenergy gain traction and earnings recovery materialises. Conversely, those prioritising stable dividends and near‑term profitability may find the current profile less compelling until operational turnaround and clearer guidance on earnings consistency are evident.
Our Stock Analysis
Nufarm (ASX:NUF): Hit by lower commodity prices, adverse weather and Trump’s tariffs
Have some sympathy for Nufarm (ASX:NUF). Companies capped at over $1bn rarely plunge 30% after reporting results unless the results…
Frequently Asked Questions
Nufarm currently offers a dividend yield of about 1.68%. However, recent dividends have been unfranked, meaning investors do not benefit from Australian tax credits attached to the payments.