Tractor maker’s earnings dip

Earnings Feb-April dropped 30% to US$690.6 million, on revenues down 20% to US$ 7.40b, much less than forecast.

Samuel Allen, chairman and chief executive, said “JD expects to be solidly profitable in 2015 despite a pullback in the farm machinery sector. All in all we remain confident in the company’s direction and our ability to meet our customers’ needs.”

First quarter results were noteworthy in light of the weakness blighting the global agricultural sector.

Deere agricultural sales fell 25% to US$ 5.77b; the construction division gained 2% to finish at US$ 1.63 billion.

Lower commodity prices and falling farm incomes put pressure on demand for agricultural machinery, particularly larger items such as combine harvesters and large tractors traditionally bought by Canadian and North American grain farmers.

Deere predicts the market in Brazil will fall by 15-20% due to economic uncertainty and the high-interest government loans normally used to fund agriculture. 

The Canadian and US markets look likely to fall by only 25% as the the livestock sector show signs of rallying on the back of low grain prices.