FRANKFURT, March 5 Reuters Bayer will hold off on plans to break apart the group for up to three years so that the new CEO can focus on problems including debt and litigation, leaving investors dubious about whether enough is being done to revive its fortunes.

Our answer is 39;not now39; and this shouldn39;t be misunderstood as 39;never39;, CEO Bill Anderson said on a media call, also citing separation costs and capital gains taxes on any asset disposals as reasons for the delay.

Anderson, who was hired last year to turn the business around, previously said he was examining options to separate, spin off or sell businesses. Reuters reported last month that no such action was on the cards for now.

The maker of drugs and farming supplies said that for the next 24 to 36 months it would seek to strengthen the pharmaceutical development pipeline, address litigation, reduce debt, and to further pursue job cuts and speed up decision making by managers.

The cutbacks will reduce annual costs by 2 billion euros 2.2 billion from 2026, it added.

Anderson faces a deluge of problems, most of which stem from the 2018 takeover of Monsanto for 63 billion.

These include U.S. litigation alleging harm from weedkiller glyphosate and other chemicals, a development setback for its most promising experimental medicine, weak agriculture markets and investor pressure to spin off or sell businesses.

The stock, which has lost close to 20 over the last 12 months, was down 1.6 at 1211 GMT,…