Deere & Co. 10-Q 2023-07-30

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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

(Mark One)

☒ QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period ended July 30, 2023

or

☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from ____ to ____

Commission file no: 1-4121

DEERE & COMPANY

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

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One John Deere Place

Moline**,** Illinois 61265

(Address of principal executive offices)

Telephone Number: (309) 765-8000

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Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).

Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).

Yes ☐ No ☒

At July 30, 2023, 288,000,577 shares of common stock, $1 par value, of the registrant were outstanding.

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PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

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See Condensed Notes to Interim Consolidated Financial Statements.

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RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Overview

Organization

The Company generates net sales from the sale of equipment to John Deere dealers and distributors. The Company manufactures and distributes a full line of agricultural equipment; a variety of commercial and consumer equipment; and a broad range of equipment for construction, roadbuilding, and forestry. These operations (collectively known as the “equipment operations”) are managed through the production and precision agriculture, small agriculture and turf, and construction and forestry operating segments. The Company’s financial services segment provides credit services, which finance sales and leases of equipment by John Deere dealers. In addition, the financial services segment provides wholesale financing to dealers of the foregoing equipment, finances retail revolving charge accounts, and offers extended equipment warranties.

Smart Industrial Operating Model and Leap Ambitions

The Company’s Smart Industrial operating model is focused on making significant investments, strengthening the Company’s capabilities in digitalization, automation, autonomy, and alternative propulsion technologies. These technologies are intended to increase worksite efficiency, improve yields, lower input costs, and ease labor constraints. The Company’s Leap Ambitions are goals designed to boost economic value and sustainability for the Company’s customers. The Company anticipates opportunities in this area, as the Company and its customers have a vested interest in sustainable practices.

Trends and Economic Conditions

Industry Trends for Fiscal Year 2023 – Industry sales of large agricultural machinery in the U.S. and Canada for 2023 are forecasted to increase approximately 10 percent compared to 2022. Industry sales of small agricultural and turf equipment in the U.S. and Canada are expected to be down 5 to 10 percent in 2023. Industry sales of agricultural machinery in Europe are forecasted to be flat to up 5 percent, while South American industry sales of tractors and combines are expected to be flat to down 5 percent in 2023. Asia industry sales of agricultural machinery are forecasted to be down moderately in 2023 as volumes in India remain subdued. On an industry basis, U.S. and Canada construction, U.S. and Canada compact construction, and global roadbuilding equipment sales are expected to be flat to up 5 percent in 2023. Global forestry industry sales are expected to be flat to down 5 percent.

Company Trends – Customers’ demand for integration of technology into equipment is a market trend underlying the Company’s Smart Industrial operating model and Leap Ambitions. Customers have sought to improve profitability, productivity, and sustainability through technology. The Company’s approach to technology involves hardware and software; guidance, connectivity and digital solutions; automation and machine intelligence; machine autonomy; and alternative propulsion technologies. This technology is incorporated into products within each of the Company’s operating segments.

Customers continue to adopt technology integrated in the John Deere portfolio of “smart” machines, systems, and solutions. The Company expects this trend to persist for the foreseeable future.

Demand for the Company’s equipment remains strong, as order books are full throughout 2023. Agricultural fundamentals are expected to remain solid through 2023 with farm net income in the U.S. and Canada expected to be near historical highs. Crop prices remain favorable to our customers in part due to weather conditions putting downward pressure on yields. The Company expects sales volume of large agricultural equipment to be greater in 2023 than 2022 in North America. Sales volume for small agriculture and turf equipment is expected to be lower compared to 2022 due to less demand for consumer-oriented products, partially offset by stronger demand for mid-sized equipment. Construction equipment markets are forecasted to be steady. Strong U.S. infrastructure spending, industrial construction, rental inventory restocking, and housing stabilization are expected to more than offset moderation in office and commercial real estate construction. Roadbuilding demand remains strongest in the U.S. and emerging markets in South America and India, largely offsetting flat fundamentals in Europe. Net income for the Company’s financial services operations is expected to be lower than fiscal year 2022 due to less-favorable financing spreads, a correction of the accounting treatment for financing incentives offered to John Deere dealers recorded in the second quarter of 2023, a higher provision for credit losses, higher selling, administrative and

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general expenses, and lower gains on operating lease dispositions. These factors are expected to be partially offset by income earned on a higher average portfolio.

Additional Trends – The Company has experienced supply chain improvements over 2022 beginning in the second quarter of 2023. The reduction in supply chain disruptions contributed to higher levels of production compared to 2022. As a result, the production schedules in 2023 are more aligned with the customers’ seasonal use of the Company’s products, marking a return to historical seasonal production patterns. Additionally, supply chain improvements have contributed to meaningful reductions in production costs including premium freight and material costs. Supply chain disruptions impacted many aspects of the business in 2022, including receiving past due deliveries from suppliers, parts availability, increased production costs, and higher inventory levels.

Central bank policy interest rates increased in the first nine months of 2023. Most retail receivables are fixed rate, while wholesale financing receivables are variable rate. The Company has both fixed and variable rate borrowings. The Company manages the risk of interest rate fluctuations by balancing the types and amounts of its funding sources to its financing receivable and equipment on operating lease portfolios. Accordingly, the Company enters into interest rate swap agreements to manage its interest rate exposure. Historically, rising interest rates impact the Company’s borrowings sooner than the benefit is realized from the financing receivable and equipment on operating lease portfolios. As a result, the Company’s financial services operations experienced $133 million (after-tax) of less favorable financing spreads in the first nine months of 2023 compared to 2022. The Company expects spread compression to persist for the remainder of 2023.

Remaining supply chain disruptions and rising interest rates are driven by factors outside of the Company’s control, and as a result, the Company cannot reasonably foresee when these conditions will subside.

Other Items of Concern and Uncertainties – Other items of concern include global and regional political conditions, economic and trade policies, imposition of new or retaliatory tariffs against certain countries or covering certain products, capital market disruptions, changes in demand and pricing for new and used equipment, significant fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, and volatility in the prices of many commodities. These items could impact the Company’s results. The Company is making investments in technology and in strengthening its capabilities in digitalization, automation, autonomy, and alternative propulsion technologies. As with most technology investments, marketplace adoption, monetization, and regulation of these features holds an elevated level of uncertainty.

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2023 Compared with 2022

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See the Company’s most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K (Part II, Item 7A). There has been no material change in this information.

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The Company’s principal executive officer and its principal financial officer have concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act)) were effective as of July 30, 2023, based on the evaluation of these controls and procedures required by Rule 13a-15(b) or 15d-15(b) of the Exchange Act. During the third quarter of 2023, there were no changes that have materially affected or are reasonably likely to materially affect the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

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PART II. OTHER INFORMATION

The Company is subject to various unresolved legal actions which arise in the normal course of its business, the most prevalent of which relate to product liability (including asbestos-related liability), retail credit, employment, patent, trademark, and antitrust matters. The Company believes the reasonably possible range of losses for these unresolved legal actions would not have a material effect on its consolidated financial statements.

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See the Company’s most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K (Part I, Item 1A). There has been no material change in this information. The risks described in the Annual Report on Form 10-K, and the “Forward-Looking Statements” in this report, are not the only risks faced by the Company. Additional risks and uncertainties may also materially affect the Company’s business, financial condition, or operating results. One should not consider the risk factors to be a complete discussion of risks, uncertainties, and assumptions.

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Item 2.  Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

The Company’s purchases of its common stock during the third quarter of 2023 were as follows:

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Item 3.  Defaults Upon Senior Securities

None.

Item 4.  Mine Safety Disclosures

Not applicable.

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Amendment to Bylaws

On August 30, 2023, the Board of Directors of the Company adopted amendments to the Company’s bylaws (as amended, the “Amended Bylaws”), effective as of such date. The amendments set forth in the Amended Bylaws, among other things, (1) revise the procedures and disclosure requirements for the nomination of directors and the submission of proposals for consideration at annual meetings of the stockholders of the Company, including, among other things, adding a requirement that a stockholder seeking to nominate director(s) at an annual meeting deliver to the Company reasonable evidence that it has complied with the requirements of Rule 14a-19 of the Exchange Act within eight business days of the meeting; (2) revise the majority voting provision to clarify when an election of directors will be deemed contested; (3) allow for the establishment of rules, regulations, or procedures of a meeting of the Company’s stockholders by the Board of Directors and/or the presiding person of a meeting and clarify the power of the chair of a stockholder meeting to adjourn any meeting of stockholders; (4) adopt gender-neutral terms when referring to particular positions, offices, or title holders; and (5) make certain administrative, modernizing, clarifying, and conforming changes, including making updates to reflect recent amendments to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

The foregoing description of the Amended Bylaws is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Bylaws, as amended, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 3.2 hereto and is incorporated herein by reference.

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Amended & Restated Change in Control Severance Program

On August 29, 2023, the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors (the “Committee”) of the Company adopted amendments to the Company’s Amended and Restated Change in Control Severance Program (the “Program”). The amendments to the Program, among other things, reduced the multiplier applicable to cash severance payments in the event of a change in control and a qualifying termination for the Chief Executive Officer of the Company from 3.0x to 2.99x base salary. The multiplier for the Tier 1 and Tier 2 Participants, as those terms are defined in the Program, were unchanged and remain at 2.0x and 1.5x, respectively. The amendments to the Program result from the Committee’s periodic review of the Company’s executive compensation program, which includes consideration of shareholder feedback.

The foregoing description of the amendments to the Program is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Amended & Restated Change in Control Severance Program, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 hereto and is incorporated herein by reference.

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Director and Executive Officer Trading Arrangements

On June 2, 2023, Ryan D. Campbell, President, Worldwide Construction & Forestry and Power Systems adopted a trading plan intended to satisfy the affirmative defense of Rule 10b5-1(c). The plan covers the exercise of 6,073 employee stock options and the related sale of such shares. The plan expires on May 31, 2024.

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Certain instruments relating to long-term borrowings constituting less than 10 percent of the registrant’s total assets are not filed as exhibits herewith pursuant to Item 601(b)(4)(iii)(A) of Regulation S-K. The registrant will furnish copies of such instruments to the Commission upon request of the Commission.

* Incorporated by reference.

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

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