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DE Removes Legal Overhang by Settling 'Right to Repair' Litigation

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Key Takeaways

  • DE settles multi-district 'right to repair' case with no wrongdoing found in Illinois court.
  • Deere will create a class settlement fund to cover legal and administrative costs for members.
  • DE reinforces focus on customer repair options and uptime solutions via PRO Service tools.

Deere & Company (DE - Free Report) announced that it settled the multi-district ‘right to repair’ litigation in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Addressing the complaints raised in 2022, the settlement ends the dispute with no finding of wrongdoing.

Under the agreement, Deere will create a class settlement fund that will be given to class members to cover administrative and legal fees post a court-approved distribution plan. The company aims to keep focusing on the maintenance, diagnosis, and repair of customers' equipment safely and easily.

Deere Operations Center PRO Service helps customers manage their equipment maintenance. This settlement further supports Deere’s commitment to customers’ choice of repair methods. The company expects to invest in customer uptime solutions to deliver industry-leading equipment and technology.

Deere’s Q1 Performance

DE reported first-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings of $2.42 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.92. However, the bottom line fell 24% from the prior-year quarter.

Net sales of equipment operations (comprising Agriculture, and Turf, Construction and Forestry) were $8 billion, up 17.5% from the prior-year quarter. Revenues beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $7.6 billion. Total net sales (including financial services and others) were $9.61 billion, up 13% from the year-earlier quarter. The upside was driven by higher shipment volumes, partially offset by higher tariffs.

DE’s Share Price Performance

The company’s shares have gained 37.6% in the past year compared with the industry’s 33.5% growth.

 

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Deere’s Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider

DE currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Some better-ranked stocks from the Industrial Products sector are Flowserve Corporation (FLS - Free Report) , Crane Company (CR - Free Report) and RBC Bearings Incorporated (RBC - Free Report) . FLS flaunts a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), whereas CR and RBC have a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Flowserve has an average trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 17.3%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for FLS’s 2026 earnings is pinned at $4.11 per share, which indicates year-over-year growth of 12.9%. The company’s shares have surged 94.9% in a year.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Crane’s 2026 earnings is pegged at $6.68 per share. The company has a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 9.6%. Crane’s shares have gained 30.7% in a year.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for RBC Bearings’ fiscal 2026 earnings is pegged at $12.42 per share. The company has a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 5.3%. RBC shares have surged 81.2% in a year.

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