Deere beats profit estimates, raises full-year forecasts

[BENGALURU] Deere & Co reported a better-than-expected quarterly profit, helped by improving demand for its farm equipment, particularly in South America, and the company raised its full-year sales and profit forecasts for the third time.

Deere said it now expects fiscal 2017 equipment sales to rise 10 per cent, compared with its previous forecast of an increase of about 9 per cent.

The company said it expects 2017 net income attributable to Deere to be about US$2.1 billion, up from US$2.0 billion estimated previously.

The US farm equipment maker is benefiting from higher demand for farm machinery in South America, where farmers have enjoyed big gains in corn and soybean output.

Net income attributable to Deere jumped 31.3 per cent to US$641.8 million, or US$1.97 per share, in the third quarter ended July 30, from a year earlier.

Total sales and revenue rose to US$7.81 billion from US$6.72 billion.

Analysts on average had expected earnings of US$1.95 per share and revenue of US$6.92 billion, according to Thomson Reuters.

REUTERS

BT is now on Telegram!

For daily updates on weekdays and specially selected content for the weekend. Subscribe to t.me/BizTimes