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

Core Insights - Deere & Company reported fourth-quarter fiscal 2025 earnings of $3.93 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.96, with a 14% decrease from the prior-year quarter due to higher production costs and tariff impacts offsetting gains from increased volumes [1][10] - Net sales of equipment operations reached $10.6 billion, up 14% year over year, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $9.99 billion, while total net sales were $12.4 billion, an 11% increase year over year [2][10] Financial Performance - The cost of sales increased by 21% year over year to $7.94 billion, leading to a total gross profit decrease of 2.7% to $4.45 billion [3] - Selling, administrative, and general expenses rose by 3.6% to $1.28 billion compared to the prior-year period, resulting in total operating profit (including financial services) dipping 7% year over year to $1.35 billion [3] Segment Performance - Production & Precision Agriculture segment sales rose 10% year over year to $4.74 billion, beating estimates, but operating profit decreased 8% to $604 million due to higher production costs [4] - Small Agriculture & Turf sales increased 7% to $2.46 billion, with operating profit slumping 89% to $25 million due to higher warranty expenses and tariffs [5] - Construction & Forestry sales were $3.38 billion, up 27% year over year, with operating profit increasing 6% to $237 million despite increased production costs [6] Financial Services - Revenues in the Financial Services division were $1.55 billion, up 2% year over year, with net income rising to $293 million from $173 million in the prior-year quarter due to favorable financing spreads and lower provisions for credit losses [7] Cash and Debt Position - Cash and cash equivalents at the end of fiscal 2025 were $8.28 billion, up from $7.32 billion at the end of fiscal 2024, while cash flow from operating activities decreased to $7.5 billion from $9.23 billion [8] Fiscal Guidance - For fiscal 2026, Deere expects net income between $4.00 billion and $4.75 billion, with net sales for Production & Precision Agriculture projected to decrease by 5-10%, while Small Agriculture & Turf sales are expected to rise by 10% and Construction & Forestry sales by 10% [12] Stock Performance - Deere shares have gained 5.7% over the past year, outperforming the industry's growth of 4.5% [13]