Deere Q3 Earnings & Sales Beat Estimates, Dip Y/Y on Lower Volume

Core Insights - Deere & Company reported Q3 fiscal 2025 earnings of $4.75 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.62, but reflecting a 24% decline year-over-year due to lower shipment volumes [1][9] Financial Performance - Net sales from equipment operations were $10.36 billion, down 9% year-over-year, but above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $10.26 billion. Total net sales, including financial services, were $12.02 billion, down 8.6% year-over-year [2][9] - The cost of sales decreased by 3.5% year-over-year to $7.57 billion, while total gross profit fell 21.2% to $2.79 billion. Total operating profit, including financial services, dropped 31.7% year-over-year to $1.57 billion [3] Segment Performance - Production & Precision Agriculture segment sales fell 16% year-over-year to $4.27 billion, missing estimates. Operating profit decreased 50% to $580 million due to lower shipment volumes [4] - Small Agriculture & Turf sales decreased 1% to $3.03 billion, exceeding projections. Operating profit fell 2% to $485 million, impacted by lower shipment volumes and higher warranty expenses [5] - Construction & Forestry sales were $3.06 billion, down 5% year-over-year, with operating profit decreasing 47% to $237 million due to unfavorable price realization and higher production costs [6] Financial Services - Revenues in the Financial Services division were $1.42 billion, down 4% year-over-year, while net income increased to $205 million from $153 million in the prior-year quarter, attributed to lower provision for credit losses [7] Cash and Debt Position - Cash and cash equivalents stood at $8.58 billion, up from $7.32 billion at the end of fiscal 2024. Cash flow from operating activities was $3.46 billion in the first nine months of fiscal 2025, down from $4.14 billion in the prior-year period. Long-term borrowing increased to $44.43 billion from $43.23 billion year-over-year [8] Guidance - Deere narrowed its fiscal 2025 net income forecast to between $4.75 billion and $5.25 billion. Expected sales declines include 15-20% for Production & Precision Agriculture, 10% for Small Agriculture & Turf, and 10-15% for Construction & Forestry [10] Stock Performance - DE shares have increased by 39.5% over the past year, outperforming the industry's growth of 37.4% [11]