DE Deere and Co

• Strong ag margins highlight continued value delivery amid market fluctuations.
• Global ag fundamentals are expected to remain weak as construction moderates.
• Full-year net income forecast unchanged despite challenging environment.

MOLINE, Ill., Aug. 15, 2024 /CNW/ -- Deere & Company reported net income of $1.734 billion for the third quarter ended July 28, 2024, or $6.29 per share, compared with net income of $2.978 billion, or $10.20 per share, for the quarter ended July 30, 2023. For the first nine months of the year, net income attributable to Deere & Company was $5.855 billion, or $21.04 per share, compared with $7.797 billion, or $26.35 per share, for the same period last year.

Worldwide net sales and revenues decreased 17 percent, to $13.152 billion, for the third quarter of 2024 and decreased 11 percent, to $40.572 billion, for nine months. Net sales were $11.387 billion for the quarter and $35.484 billion for nine months, compared with $14.284 billion and $41.765 billion last year, respectively.

"John Deere's third-quarter results showcase our disciplined execution in the face of challenging conditions in the global agricultural and construction sectors," said John C. May, chairman and chief executive officer. "Despite facing significant headwinds, our teams have demonstrated resiliency in adapting to market fluctuations, allowing us to remain focused on advancing our strategy and consistently providing exceptional value to our customers."

Company Outlook & Summary

Net income attributable to Deere & Company for fiscal 2024 is forecasted to be approximately $7.0 billion.

"In response to weak market conditions, we have taken steps to reduce costs and strategically align our production with customer needs," said May. "Although these decisions were difficult, they are vital for our continued success and competitiveness. Our commitment to our customers is at the heart of everything we do, and we are confident that these proactive measures will allow us to continue investing in innovative, high-quality products and solutions that improve our customers' lives."

Results for the presented periods were affected by special items. See Note 1 of the financial statements for further details.

Production and precision agriculture sales decreased for the quarter as a result of lower shipment volumes, partially offset by price realization. Operating profit decreased due to lower shipment volumes and employee-separation programs' expenses, presented as a special item below. These factors were partially offset by price realization and lower warranty expenses.

Small agriculture and turf sales decreased for the quarter as a result of lower shipment volumes, partially offset by price realization. Operating profit decreased primarily due to lower shipment volumes and higher warranty expenses, partially offset by price realization.

Construction and forestry sales decreased for the quarter due to lower shipment volumes. Operating profit decreased primarily due to lower shipment volumes / sales mix and unfavorable price realization.

Financial services net income for the quarter decreased due to a higher provision for credit losses and less-favorable financing spreads, partially offset by income earned on higher average portfolio balances and favorable discrete tax items.

Financial Services. Fiscal-year 2024 net income attributable to Deere & Company for the financial services operations is forecasted to be approximately $720 million. Results are expected to be higher than fiscal year 2023 due to income earned on higher average portfolio balances, partially offset by a higher provision for credit losses and less-favorable financing spreads. A correction of the accounting treatment for financing incentives offered to John Deere dealers impacted 2023 financial results. The cumulative effect of this correction, $173 million pretax ($135 million after-tax), was recorded in the second quarter of 2023.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements contained herein, including in the section entitled "Company Outlook & Summary," "Industry Outlook," "Deere Segment Outlook," and "Condensed Notes to Interim Consolidated Financial Statements" relating to future events, expectations, and trends constitute "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and involve factors that are subject to change, assumptions, risks, and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Some of these risks and uncertainties could affect all lines of the company's operations generally while others could more heavily affect a particular line of business.

Forward-looking statements are based on currently available information and current assumptions, expectations, and projections about future events and should not be relied upon. Except as required by law, the company expressly disclaims any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements. Many factors, risks, and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements. Among these factors are risks related to:

• changes in and compliance with U.S., foreign and international laws, regulations, and policies relating to trade, economic sanctions, data privacy, spending, taxing, banking, monetary, environmental (including climate change and engine emissions), and farming policies;
• political, economic, and social instability of the geographies in which the company operates, including the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East;
• adverse macroeconomic conditions, including unemployment, inflation, interest rate volatility, changes in consumer practices due to slower economic growth, and regional or global liquidity constraints;
• worldwide demand for food and different forms of renewable energy;
• the ability to execute business strategies, including the company's Smart Industrial Operating Model, Leap Ambitions, and mergers and acquisitions;
• the ability to understand and meet customers' changing expectations and demand for John Deere products and solutions;
• accurately forecasting customer demand for products and services and adequately managing inventory;
• the ability to integrate new technology, including automation and machine learning, and deliver precision technology and solutions to customers;
• changes to governmental communications channels (radio frequency technology);
• the ability to adapt in highly competitive markets;
• dealer practices and their ability to manage inventory and distribution of John Deere products and to provide support and service precision technology solutions;
• changes in climate patterns, unfavorable weather events, and natural disasters;
• governmental and other actions designed to address climate change in connection with a transition to a lower-carbon economy;
• higher interest rates and currency fluctuations which could adversely affect the U.S. dollar, customer confidence, access to capital, and demand for John Deere products and solutions;
• availability and price of raw materials, components, and whole goods;
• delays or disruptions in the company's supply chain;
• the company's equipment fails to perform as expected, which could result in warranty claims, post-sales repairs or recalls, product liability litigation, and regulatory investigations;
• the ability to attract, develop, engage, and retain qualified employees;
• the impact of workforce reductions on employee retention, morale, and institutional knowledge;
• security breaches, cybersecurity attacks, technology failures, and other disruptions to John Deere information technology infrastructure and products;
• loss of or challenges to intellectual property rights;
• legislation introduced or enacted that could affect the company's business model and intellectual property, such as right to repair or right to modify legislation;
• investigations, claims, lawsuits, or other legal proceedings;
• events that damage the company's reputation or brand, such as the recent social media campaign targeting the company's stance on certain social issues or the company's response thereto;
• the agricultural business cycle, which can be unpredictable and is affected by factors such as world grain stocks, available farm acres, acreage planted, soil conditions, harvest yields, prices for commodities and livestock, input costs, and availability of transport for crops; and
• housing starts and supply, real estate and housing prices, levels of public and non-residential construction, and infrastructure investment.

Further information concerning the company and its businesses, including factors that could materially affect the financial results, is included in the company's filings with the SEC (including, but not limited to, the factors discussed in Item 1A. "Risk Factors" of the company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10‑K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q). There also may be other factors that the company cannot anticipate or that are not described herein because the company does not currently perceive them to be material.

DEERE & COMPANY
Condensed Notes to Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
(In millions of dollars) Unaudited

(1)  Special Items

2024

Employee-Separation Programs

In the third quarter of 2024, the company implemented employee-separation programs for its salaried workforce in several geographic areas, including the United States, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. The programs' main purpose was to help meet the company's strategic priorities while reducing overlap and redundancy in roles and responsibilities. The programs were largely involuntary in nature with the expense recorded when management committed to a plan, the plan was communicated to the employees, and the employees were not required to provide service beyond the legal notification period.

The total programs' pretax expenses are estimated to be approximately $150 million, with $124 million recorded in the third quarter of 2024. The remaining expenses are expected to be recorded primarily in 2025. The expenses for the three months and nine months ended July 28, 2024 were recorded as follows in millions of dollars:

*Relates primarily to corporate expenses.

Annual pretax savings from these programs are estimated to be approximately $230 million, of which $100 million is estimated to be realized in 2024.

Banco John Deere

In the third quarter of 2024, the company's board of directors authorized the sale of 50 percent of the company's ownership in its wholly owned subsidiary, Banco John Deere S.A. (BJD). BJD, located in Brazil, is included in the company's financial services segment and finances retail and wholesale loans for agricultural, construction, and forestry equipment. The transaction will reduce the company's incremental risk as it continues to grow in the Brazilian market. As a result, the company classified the BJD business as held for sale, including a reversal of $38 million in allowance for credit losses, and the establishment of a $53 million valuation allowance on the assets held for sale. The net impact of these entries was a pretax and after-tax loss of $15 million recorded in "Selling, administrative and general expenses."

In August 2024, the company entered into an agreement with a Brazilian bank, Banco Bradesco S.A., to invest and become 50 percent owner of BJD.

2023

Brazil Tax Ruling

In the third quarter of 2023, the Brazil Superior Court of Justice published a favorable tax ruling regarding taxability of local incentives, which allowed the company to record a $243 million reduction in the provision for income taxes and $47 million of interest income.

Financial Services Financing Incentives Correction

In the second quarter of 2023, the company corrected the accounting treatment for financing incentives offered to John Deere dealers, which impacted the timing of expense recognition and the presentation of incentive costs in the consolidated financial statements. The cumulative effect of this correction, $173 million pretax ($135 million after-tax), was recorded in the second quarter of 2023 in "Selling, administrative and general expenses" by financial services.

Summary of 2024 and 2023 Special Items

The following table summarizes the operating profit impact of the special items recorded in millions of dollars for the three months and nine months ended July 28, 2024 and July 30, 2023.

(2)   The consolidated financial statements represent the consolidation of all Deere & Company's subsidiaries. The supplemental consolidating data is presented for informational purposes. Transactions between the equipment operations and financial services have been eliminated to arrive at the consolidated financial statements. In the supplemental consolidating data in Note 3 to the financial statements, the "Equipment Operations" represents the enterprise without "Financial Services" which include the company's production and precision agriculture operations, small agriculture and turf operations, and construction and forestry operations, and other corporate assets, liabilities, revenues, and expenses not reflected within "Financial Services."