Deere profits fall as farmers face trade war, weather

Tractor and construction equipment maker Deere and Co. has projected profits in 2020 of $2.7 billion to $3.1 billion, less than this year, citing U.S.-China trade tensions and bad weather that hurt farmers who buy the machinery.
Tractor and construction equipment maker Deere and Co. has projected profits in 2020 of $2.7 billion to $3.1 billion, less than this year, citing U.S.-China trade tensions and bad weather that hurt farmers who buy the machinery.

Deere's profit during the fourth quarter dropped 8% and it issued a weak forecast for 2020 as U.S. trade disputes and bad weather squeeze its biggest customer, the American farmer.

It's the first time that the manufacturer laid out its expectations for next year.

The company expects sales of agriculture and turf machinery to slide 5% to 10% compared with this year, and sales of construction and forestry equipment to fall 10% to 15%.

That outlook, the company said, reflects slowing construction activity, which has been an area of strength.

"John Deere's performance reflected continued uncertainties in the agricultural sector," said Chief Executive Officer John May. "Lingering trade tensions coupled with a year of difficult growing and harvesting conditions have caused many farmers to become cautious about making major investments in new equipment."

Quarterly profits were $722 million, or $2.27 per share. Adjusted per share earnings were $2.14, a penny better than expected, according to a survey by Zacks Investment Research.

Adjusted revenue was $8.7 billion, also better than expected. Annual revenue rose 5% to $39.26 billion.

But that was overshadowed by the first peek into 2020. The Moline, Ill., company said Wednesday that it expects to book profits of between $2.7 billion and $3.1 billion.

That would be less than the $3.25 billion it made this fiscal year even if it reaches the high end of its guidance.

The outlook "appears overly conservative," said Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Chris Ciolino. "It's a case of a new CEO setting a low bar and taking a very cautious approach given some of the uncertainties facing farmers."

Farmers have pulled back on buying machinery with so much uncertainty about what comes next in the trade war between the U.S. and China, the world's two biggest economies.

Last quarter, Deere announced cost cuts and said it would lower output compared with retail demand to manage growing inventories.

Farmers in the Midwest and South whose planting this year was interrupted by wet weather got a break in the fall, though a few Northern states have seen harvest prospects go from bad to worse.

Early rain and snow in Minnesota and the Dakotas hampered an already difficult harvest.

Deere has focused on factors it can control, and May said despite a tough environment right now, the longer-term outlook for the company is healthy.

"We are committed to the successful execution of our strategic plan and have initiated a series of measures to create a leaner organizational structure that can operate with more speed and agility," May said in a prepared statement.

President Donald Trump began imposing punitive tariffs on Chinese exports about a year and half ago.

Since then, tariffs have been raised by both sides on billions of dollars' worth of exports from each country, squeezing farmers and manufacturers.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has set aside nearly $16 billion in aid for farmers for the current crop year to help offset some of the losses caused by the trade war.

"Farm fundamentals should still be positive, with pent-up replacement demand both in North American and South American large agriculture, and significant government payments helping support farm income," analysts at Jefferies LLC including Stephen Volkmann said in a report Monday.

But there is confusion about the state of trade relations between the two economic powerhouses.

On Tuesday, China's Commerce Ministry said negotiators for both sides had spoken on the phone and agreed to more talks aimed at reaching a deal. On the same day, Trump said the two sides were "in the final throes of a very important deal."

Shares of Deere & Co. are still up 15% this year.

Information for this article was contributed by Matt Ott and Dave Kolpack of The Associated Press and by Lydia Mulvany and Michael Hirtzer of Bloomberg News.

Business on 11/28/2019

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