D&
DEERE & CO (DE)·Q2 2025 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- Q2 FY2025 delivered resilient execution amid tariff uncertainty: revenue $12.76B, EPS $6.64, and net income $1.804B; equipment net sales were $11.17B with equipment operations margin “just under 19%” sequentially stronger .
- Results were broad-based: PPA margin 22.0%, SAT margin 19.2%, and C&F margin 12.9%, with lower volumes offset by production cost favorability and price realization; financial services net income was $161M .
- Strong beats versus S&P Global consensus: EPS $6.64 vs $5.62*, revenue $12.76B vs $10.79B*, and EBITDA $2.92B vs $2.26B*; management widened FY2025 net income guidance to $4.75–$5.50B due to fluid tariff environment (was $5.0–$5.5B) .
- Strategy and catalysts: Deere highlighted precision tech adoption (Precision Essentials renewals near two-thirds YTD), See & Spray utilization scaling, Wirtgen tech integration, Brazil growth, and a planned $20B U.S. investment over the next decade; dividend maintained at $1.62/quarter .
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
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What Went Well
- “Exceptional execution” delivered favorable production costs and higher-than-expected volumes; equipment operations margin improved sequentially to ~19% despite ~$100M tariff headwind in Q2 .
- Precision tech traction: nearly 10,000 Precision Essentials orders in H1 and ~70% first-year renewal target with ~two-thirds renewed; See & Spray orders >1,000 with rising utilization; engaged acres +15% to ~475M .
- Wirtgen roadbuilding tech and record orders at Bauma; extending Deere’s centralized tech stack (operations center) to roadbuilding for digitalization and automation .
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What Went Wrong
- Tariffs and pricing: Q2 incurred ~$100M pretax tariff costs; full-year tariff impact forecast ~>$500M, with heavier back-half weighting pressuring margins; C&F price realization negative (~1.5 pts) .
- Volume/mix headwinds: PPA sales -21% YoY and C&F -23% YoY; margins compressed YoY (e.g., C&F margin 12.9% vs 17.4% prior year) due to lower shipment volumes and unfavorable mix .
- Used inventory and demand uncertainty: high-horsepower tractor used inventory pace remains uncertain, with macro volatility and rates weighing on replacement demand; turf and CUE softness in U.S. impacted SAT outlook .
Financial Results
Values with asterisk (*) retrieved from S&P Global.
Guidance Changes
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
Management Commentary
- “We are prepared to invest $20 billion in the U.S. over the next decade as we spearhead new product development, cutting-edge technologies and more advanced manufacturing.” — John May, CEO .
- “Margins exceeded projections despite tariff headwinds due to better-than-expected sales and favorable production costs stemming from efficiency gains.” — Josh Jepsen, CFO .
- “It’s important to contextualize that equipment operations results were net of roughly $100 million in incremental tariff headwinds [in Q2].” — Josh Beal .
- “We successfully certified eligible products for USMCA and ag-use-only exemptions… and are optimizing global trade flows.” — Josh Jepsen .
Q&A Highlights
- Precision tech SaaS pipeline: foundational digital licenses (G5, Precision Essentials), usage-based solutions (See & Spray), and future autonomy offered as SaaS; bundling expected to simplify customer adoption .
- Tariff impact and margin protection: total FY tariff headwind ~>$500M, with intent to protect margins via cost actions and measured pricing; early order programs structured in phases to retain price flexibility .
- Large ag decrementals and back-half margins: lower price favorability and less material tailwinds, combined with back-half tariff weighting, drive softer implied margins despite smaller YoY sales changes .
- Used inventory dynamics: high-HP tractors remain elevated; progress depends on macro stability, farm bill certainty, and commodity demand drivers (e.g., ethanol); dealer support funds in place .
Estimates Context
- Beat across key metrics versus S&P Global consensus: revenue $12.76B vs $10.79B*, EPS $6.64 vs $5.62*, EBITDA $2.92B vs $2.26B*; 17 EPS estimates and 9 revenue estimates underpin consensus breadth. Adjustments likely move higher for SAT and PPA margins given cost favorability but back-half tariffs temper FY margin trajectory .
Values with asterisk (*) retrieved from S&P Global.
Key Takeaways for Investors
- Core beat: Substantial revenue/EPS/EBITDA beats reflect operational execution and cost control; the widened FY guide is a function of tariff uncertainty, not demand collapse .
- Margin resilience: Sequential margin improvement to ~19% equipment operations despite ~$100M tariff cost in Q2 suggests mitigating levers (production cost, sourcing) are working .
- Tech growth vector: Precision Essentials renewals, See & Spray scaling, and Wirtgen tech integration should support multi-year monetization via SaaS and utilization; mid-cycle valuation could re-rate as adoption compounding continues .
- Segment outlook reset: PPA and SAT margin guides trimmed primarily on tariffs; C&F price realization negative near-term. Watch early order program pricing phases for ’26 visibility .
- Regional stabilization: Europe sentiment improving; Brazil growth and investor day (June 10) are incremental positives; U.S. large ag remains cyclical but used normalization and policy clarity are catalysts .
- Capital returns intact: Dividend maintained at $1.62 with balanced use-of-cash priorities; liquidity strong; EO cash flow guide steady .
- Trading implications: Near-term—stock should respond to consensus beat and margin resilience; medium-term—monitor tariff trajectory, early order pricing, used inventory turnover, and precision tech KPIs for estimate revisions and multiple support .