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Deere Q4 Earnings Miss Estimates, Sales Up Y/Y on Lower Volume

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Key Takeaways

  • Deere's Q4 EPS fell 14% as higher production costs and tariffs offset stronger equipment volumes.
  • Equipment operations sales rose 14% to $10.6B, with all major segments posting year-over-year growth.
  • Financial Services net income climbed on favorable financing spreads and lower provisions for credit losses.

Deere & Company (DE - Free Report) has reported fourth-quarter fiscal 2025 (ended Nov. 2, 2025) earnings of $3.93 per share, which missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.96. The bottom line decreased 14% from the prior-year quarter as gains from higher volumes were offset by higher production costs and tariff impacts.

Net sales of equipment operations (comprising Agriculture, and Turf, Construction and Forestry) were $10.6 billion, up 14% year over year, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $9.99 billion. Total net sales (including financial services and others) were $12.4 billion, up 11% year over year.

The cost of sales in the reported quarter was up 21% year over year to $7.94 billion. Total gross profit decreased 2.7% year over year to $4.45 billion. Selling, administrative and general expenses rose 3.6% to $1.28 billion from the prior-year period.

Total operating profit (including financial services) dipped 7% year over year to $1.35 billion in the fiscal fourth quarter.

Deere & Company Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Deere & Company Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Deere & Company price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Deere & Company Quote

DE’s Segmental Performances in Q4

The Production & Precision Agriculture segment’s sales rose 10% year over year to $4.74 billion on higher shipment volumes and favorable price realization. The figure beat our model’s estimated revenues of $4.27 billion for the quarter. Operating profit decreased 8% year over year to $604 million, on higher production costs and tariff impact, offset by higher shipment volumes/sales mix. Our estimate for the segment’s operating profit was $714 million.

Small Agriculture & Turf sales increased 7% to $2.46 billion from the year-earlier quarter, which came in higher than our projected sales of $2.11 billion on increased volumes. Operating profit slumped 89% year over year to $25 million on higher warranty expenses, tariffs and production costs. The figure beat our estimate of operating profit of $124 million for the segment.

Construction & Forestry sales were $3.38 million, up 27% year over year, on higher volumes. Our estimate for the segment’s revenues was $3.3 billion. Operating profit increased 6% year over year to $237 million as higher shipment volumes or sales mix were partially offset by increased production costs due to higher tariffs. Our estimate for the segment’s operating profit was $319 million.

Revenues in Deere’s Financial Services division were $1.55 billion in the reported quarter, up 2% year over year. Our estimate for the segment’s revenues was $1.56 billion. Net income of Deere’s Financial Services division was $293 million in the reported quarter compared with $173 million in the prior-year quarter. The upside was due to favorable financing spreads and a lower provision for credit losses.

Deere’s Cash & Debt Position

DE reported cash and cash equivalents of $8.28 billion at the end of fiscal 2025 compared with $7.32 billion at the end of fiscal 2024. The cash flow from operating activities was $7.5 billion in fiscal 2025 compared with $9.23 billion in the prior fiscal. 
At the end of the quarter, the long-term borrowing was $43.5 billion compared with $43.23 billion at the end of fiscal 2025.

DE’s Fiscal 2025 Guidance

Deere reported fiscal 2025 earnings of $18.50 per share, which missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $18.53. The bottom line decreased 28% from the prior fiscal. 

Net sales of equipment operations came in at $38.9 billion, down 13% year over year, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $38.3 billion. Total net sales were $46 billion, down 11.7% year over year.

DE’s Fiscal 2026 Guidance

Deere expects net income for fiscal 2026 between $4.00 billion and $4.75 billion.

Net sales for Production & Precision Agriculture are expected to decrease 5-10% year over year. Sales of Small Agriculture & Turf are expected to rise 10%. Sales of Construction & Forestry are projected to increase 10%. The Financial Services segment’s net income is expected to be $830 million.

Deere Stock Price Performance

DE shares have gained 5.7% in the past year compared with the industry’s growth of 4.5%.

Zacks Investment Research
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

DE’s Zacks Rank

Deere currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). 

You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Performances of Other Farm Equipment Stocks

Let us take a look at how other farm equipment stocks fared in their earnings releases.

Lindsay Corp. (LNN - Free Report) delivered adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of 99 cents in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025. The bottom line dipped 15% year over year and missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.04.

Lindsay generated revenues of $154 million, down 0.9% from $155 million in the year-ago quarter. The top line beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $151 million.

AGCO Corp. (AGCO - Free Report) delivered an adjusted EPS of $1.35 in the third quarter of 2025 compared with the prior-year quarter’s 68 cents. The reported figure topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.26.

AGCO’s revenues decreased 4.7% year over year to $2.47 billion in the September-end quarter. The top line missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.48 billion.

CNH Industrial (CNH - Free Report) reported third-quarter 2025 adjusted EPS of eight cents, which declined from 24 cents in the prior-year quarter. The figure also missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 13 cents.

In the third quarter, CNH Industrial’s revenues declined nearly 5% from the year-ago level to $4.4 billion but topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.3 billion.

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