Company Overview
About Deere & Company
Deere & Company is the world's leading manufacturer of agricultural machinery and precision farming technology, founded in 1837 when blacksmith John Deere invented the self-scouring steel plow in Grand Detour, Illinois, and now headquartered in Moline, Illinois. The company trades on NYSE (DE) and reported approximately $51.7 billion in net sales for fiscal year 2024 (ending October 31), a significant decline from the record $61.3 billion in FY2023 as the agricultural equipment cycle normalized from pandemic-era farm income highs. Under CEO John May, Deere has articulated a "Smart Industrial" strategy transforming the company from a hardware manufacturer into a technology and outcomes-as-a-service platform, integrating precision GPS, machine learning, and automation into every major product line.
Business Model & Competitive Advantage
Deere's three operating segments are Production & Precision Agriculture (large tractors, combines, planters), Small Agriculture & Turf (utility tractors, lawn equipment), and Construction & Forestry (excavators, motor graders, forestry machines). The precision agriculture portfolio—See & Spray technology that uses AI computer vision to detect and spray only weeds rather than blanketing fields, ExactEmerge high-speed planters, and autonomous tractor guidance—creates a technology subscription model where Deere earns recurring software revenue above equipment sales. The 2024 launch of fully autonomous electric tractor prototypes and ongoing development of fully autonomous combines demonstrate the company's long-term software and AI ambitions in field operations.
Competitive Landscape 2025–2026
In 2025-2026, Deere faces a pronounced farm equipment down-cycle driven by lower commodity prices (corn, soybeans, wheat) following exceptional 2021-2023 farm income years, high dealer inventories requiring normalization, and reduced farmer capital spending as equipment prices elevated during supply chain disruptions now meet affordability resistance. The company's Construction & Forestry segment, serving infrastructure, mining, and residential construction, partially offsets agricultural softness and benefits from U.S. infrastructure spending under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Deere competes with CNH Industrial (Case IH, New Holland brands) and AGCO Corporation (Fendt, Massey Ferguson, Challenger) globally, with each company racing to incorporate precision agriculture technology and autonomous capabilities that will define the next equipment platform generation.
The Deere & Company Story
Founders
Company Timeline
Major milestones in Deere & Company's journey
Leadership Team
Meet the leaders behind Deere & Company
John C. May
John C. May became CEO in November 2019 and serves as Chairman of the Board. He joined Deere in 1997 and became part of senior management in 2012 as President, Agricultural Solutions and Chief Information Officer. May has extensive experience across Deere's divisions and previously served as Managing Director of Deere's China operations.
Joshua Jepsen
Joshua Jepsen was elected CFO effective September 16, 2022. He previously served as Deputy Financial Officer starting March 2022 and as Director of Investor Relations from 2018 to 2022, bringing deep financial expertise and investor relations experience to the role.
Rajesh Kalathur
Rajesh Kalathur oversees John Deere Financial and serves as Chief Information Officer. A 25-year company veteran, he previously served as CFO for six years between September 2012 and March 2019 before transitioning to his current dual role leading financial services and technology.
Jahmy J. Hindman
Jahmy J. Hindman has served as Chief Technology Officer since June 2023, leading Deere's technology strategy and innovation initiatives. He joined John Deere in 1996 as a Test Engineer for backhoes and crawlers, bringing nearly three decades of engineering and technology leadership experience.
Cory Reed
Cory Reed serves on Deere's senior leadership team, contributing to strategic decision-making and operational excellence across the company's global operations.
Aaron Wetzel
Aaron Wetzel is a member of Deere's senior leadership team, helping guide the company's strategy and execution in key business areas.
Open Positions
Reddit Discussions
Key Differentiators
Market Leader
Deere & Company is recognized as a market leader in the Manufacturing sector, demonstrating strong industry presence and customer trust.
Enterprise Scale
With $51700M in revenue, Deere & Company operates at enterprise scale with proven market validation.
Frequently Asked Questions
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