Monsanto reported a fiscal first quarter loss, missing analyst estimates, but told investors it expects blockbuster product launches in 2010 to set the stage for continued strong growth.The company reported a net loss of $19 million (3 cts/share) for the quarter ended November 30, on sales down 36%, to $1.7 billion. The biggest decline in revenues came from Roundup and other glyphosate-based herbicides, where sales fell 63%, to $509 million. Most of the declines in that segment were in Brazil and Europe, Monsanto says. Analysts expected the company to break even for the quarter. Total gross profit margins for the company fell 15 percentage points, to 44%, largely as a result of pricing adjustments for Roundup and other glyphosate-based herbicides, Monsanto says. The company's seeds and genomics segment sales fell 6%, to $1.03 billion.
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