American Express Co., Deere & Co. and Johnson & Johnson have dropped diversity criteria for selecting new board directors, according to a conservative shareholder activist group.Goldman Sachs Group Inc. is considering a similar change, Bloomberg confirmed earlier this week. The moves are the latest ways that pressure from conservatives is changing corporate management and governance. American Express signed an agreement in October with the nonprofit National Legal and Policy Center, an activist shareholder ...

Key Takeaways Deere (DE) beat earnings estimates and raised FY2026 outlook, sending the stock sharply higher.Strong shipment volumes and demand recovery lifted Deere despite tariff concerns.Agri ETFs VEGI, KROP and FTAG rose as Deere's rally boosted the broader agriculture space.Deere & Company (DE) has reported first-quarter fiscal 2026 (ended Feb. 1, 2026) earnings of $2.42 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.92 on Feb. 19, 2026 before market open. However, the bottom line fell 24% from ...

Group 1 - The iShares MSCI Agriculture Producers ETF (VEGI) has reached a 52-week high and is up 42.7% from its low price of $33.13 per share, indicating strong momentum for investors [1][5] - The underlying index for VEGI measures the equity performance of agriculture companies in both developed and emerging markets, focusing on those engaged in agricultural input and production [2] - The recent rise in VEGI is attributed to a significant increase in shares of Deere & Company, which rose over 11% following positive earnings and guidance, boosting agriculture-related ETFs [3][5] Group 2 - The positive momentum for VEGI is supported by a weighted alpha of 31.39, suggesting potential for further gains in the near term [4][5]

Key Takeaways Deere's Q1 EPS was $2.42, beating estimates; equipment sales rise 17.5% y/y.DE gross profit slips 2.9% as tariffs and higher costs weigh on margins.Deere raises the FY26 net income view to $4.5-$5B; expects mixed segment sales trends.Deere & Company (DE) has reported first-quarter fiscal 2026 (ended Feb. 1, 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 ...

Group 1 - Walmart is set to release its quarterly earnings report, the first under new CEO John Furner, after recently achieving a market capitalization of $1 trillion, making it the first big box store to reach that size [1] - In its last report, Walmart posted a 4.2% increase in comparable sales and raised its full-year sales forecast, indicating strong performance [1] - Other companies expected to report earnings this week include John Deere, Analog Devices, Palo Alto Networks, Carvana, and DoorDash, with John Deere facing lower-than-expected annual net income due to difficult market conditions [1][1] Group 2 - The PCE inflation report for December is scheduled for release, which is closely monitored by the Federal Reserve and could influence interest rate decisions [1] - The GDP report for Q4 will provide insights into economic growth, following a strong Q3 growth revision of 4.4% [1] - New home sales and housing starts data for November and December, along with pending home sales for January, will be released, offering indicators for the housing market [1]

Core Viewpoint - Analyzing AGCO's international operations is crucial for understanding its financial strength and growth potential, especially given its global presence [1][2]. Group 1: International Revenue Performance - AGCO's total revenue for the quarter was $2.92 billion, reflecting a 1.1% increase from the previous year [4]. - Revenue from Asia/Pacific/Africa was $176.8 million, contributing 6.1% to total revenue, exceeding the consensus estimate by 13.14% [5]. - South America generated $259.9 million, accounting for 8.9% of total revenue, which was a 16.48% shortfall from expectations [6]. - Europe/Middle East contributed $2.02 billion, or 69.1% of total revenue, surpassing analyst expectations by 9.41% [7]. Group 2: Future Revenue Projections - Analysts project AGCO's revenue for the current fiscal quarter to be $2.15 billion, a 4.7% increase year-over-year, with contributions expected from Asia/Pacific/Africa (4.5%), South America (10.8%), and Europe/Middle East (68.3%) [8]. - For the full year, total revenue is anticipated to reach $10.51 billion, up 4.2% from the previous year, with specific contributions from Asia/Pacific/Africa (5.2%), South America (11.6%), and Europe/Middle East (66.1%) [9]. Group 3: Market Dynamics and Stock Performance - AGCO's reliance on international markets presents both opportunities and challenges, making it essential to monitor international revenue trends for future projections [10]. - The company's stock has increased by 20.2% over the past month, outperforming the S&P 500, which remained unchanged [13]. - Over the past three months, AGCO's shares gained 30.1%, compared to a 3.7% increase in the S&P 500 [13].

Group 1 - The company is expanding its operations by establishing a new distribution center in Indiana [1] - Additionally, the company is setting up an excavator factory in North Carolina [1]

Core Insights - Deere & Co's chief financial officer, Joshua Jepsen, will resign from the company to take the same role at Honeywell's aerospace unit, ending a career of over two decades at Deere [1] Company Summary - Joshua Jepsen has been with Deere & Co for more than 20 years, indicating a significant leadership change within the company [1] - The transition of Jepsen to Honeywell's aerospace unit may impact Deere's financial strategies and operations moving forward [1] Industry Summary - The departure of a long-serving CFO like Jepsen could signal potential shifts in the agricultural equipment industry, particularly in how companies manage financial operations and strategic direction [1]

Core Insights - Lindsay Corporation (LNN) reported earnings per share of $1.54 for Q1 fiscal 2026, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.46, although this represents a 2% decline year over year [1] - The company's revenues were $156 million, down from $166 million in the same quarter last year, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $168 million [1] - LNN's backlog as of Nov. 30, 2025, was approximately $119 million, a decrease from about $168 million a year earlier [1] Financial Performance - The cost of operating revenues decreased by 9.1% year over year to around $106 million, while gross profit remained flat at $50 million, resulting in a gross margin of 32.2%, up from 30% in the previous year [2] - Operating expenses rose by 4.8% year over year to $30.4 million, leading to an operating income of roughly $20 million, down from $21 million in the prior year [2] Segment Performance - The Irrigation segment's revenues fell by 9% year over year to approximately $133 million, with North American irrigation revenues declining by 4% to around $74 million due to lower unit sales volume, and international irrigation revenues dropping by 15% to about $59 million [3] - Operating income for the Irrigation segment decreased by 7% year over year to $23 million [3] - Conversely, the Infrastructure segment's revenues increased by 17% year over year to roughly $22 million, driven by higher sales of road safety products, with operating income rising by 9% to $4.5 million [4] Financial Position - As of the end of Q1 fiscal 2026, LNN had cash and cash equivalents of $199.6 million, up from $194.1 million a year earlier, while long-term debt remained stable at around $115 million [5] Future Outlook - The company anticipates that demand for irrigation equipment in North America will remain challenging until commodity prices and farm income improve, but it expects growth opportunities in Brazil [6] - LNN plans to manage a robust pipeline of Road Zipper System projects in fiscal 2026, although it does not expect to deliver any large projects [6] Stock Performance - Lindsay's shares have decreased by 0.5% over the past year, contrasting with the industry's growth of 11.7% [9]

Deere said it is helping US farmers “substantially” cut costs, after President Donald Trump pressured farm-equipment manufacturers to drop prices for tractors https://t.co/cePEpRsG9Q ...