John Deere (DE): analysis in plain words

Is John Deere cheap or expensive? How it makes money, whether it grows and its risks, explained in plain words and with its official accounts.

John Deere (DE) is listed on the NYSE and we classify it in industrials. Below are its key dated figures, how it makes money, how it compares with its sector, what works for and against John Deere according to those figures, and the questions people ask most about the stock. No buy or sell tips.

John Deere (DE) key figures as of November 4, 2026

The John Deere figures come from Yahoo Finance, the same source the Fintols analysis uses, retrieved on November 4, 2026. Any DE figure that is not available shows as N/A: we do not estimate it.

How John Deere makes money

Deere & Company, known for its John Deere brand, builds machinery. Production & Precision Agriculture, its largest segment, sells large tractors and combines with precision farming technology. Small Agriculture & Turf sells smaller tractors and mowers, Construction & Forestry makes earthmoving and forestry equipment, and Financial Services funds customers and dealers.

Over the last 12 months, John Deere brought in revenue of $47.9 billion. For every 100 it sells, John Deere keeps 25.2 after the direct cost of what it sells (gross margin) and 13.4 after all operating costs (operating margin). With 73,100 full-time employees, that is about $656,000 of revenue per employee.

John Deere against its sector

To know whether a John Deere figure is high or low you have to put it next to similar companies. This table compares John Deere with the median of the 20 industrials companies Fintols covers, with data as of November 4, 2026.

In short, against the typical industrials company, John Deere trades on a higher P/E, grows more slowly and earns a thinner margin. By size, John Deere ranks number 3 of 15 industrials companies quoted in USD on Fintols.

The bull case for John Deere

These are the strengths in the John Deere figures as of November 4, 2026:

• Analysts expect John Deere earnings to rise: its P/E on the next 12 months of estimated earnings is 29.5x, below the current 37.6x.
• John Deere earns 18.2% a year on its shareholders' money (return on equity).

The main risk for John Deere

Debt is heavy: John Deere carries net debt equal to 6.7x its annual EBITDA. With high interest rates or a weak year, interest payments eat into what it can invest or pay out.

And, like the rest of industrials, John Deere is exposed to the economic cycle: when industry and trade slow, its orders fall.

Frequently asked questions about John Deere

Is it a good time to buy John Deere stock?

Fintols does not tell you whether to buy or sell John Deere, and nobody knows what the price will do tomorrow. What we can show you is where it stands today. As of November 4, 2026, John Deere stock trades at $676.50, 6% below its 52-week high ($721.22) and 48% above its low ($455.91). Its P/E is 37.6x against a industrials median of 27.3x, and 29.5x on the earnings analysts expect over the next 12 months. With John Deere, as with any stock, timing matters less than understanding the business, investing for the long run and not betting everything on a single company.

Does John Deere pay a dividend?

Yes. As of November 4, 2026, John Deere pays $6.48 per share a year, which at today's price is a yield of 0.97%. It uses 36% of its profit to pay it, which leaves room to keep paying it if profit dips. Its average dividend yield over the last five years is 1.21%. The industrials median on Fintols is 1.60%.

Is John Deere stock expensive?

It depends on what you compare it with. On P/E, John Deere trades at 37.6x its last 12 months of earnings: more expensive than the industrials median (27.3x). Including its debt, John Deere is valued at 27.6x its EBITDA (EV/EBITDA). A high P/E alone does not make John Deere expensive: it can be justified if earnings grow fast, and a low one can reflect a business in trouble.

Who are John Deere's competitors?

On Fintols we compare John Deere with Caterpillar, Honeywell and Union Pacific, which are also in industrials. As of November 4, 2026, Caterpillar is worth $271.8 billion and trades on a P/E of 23.2; Honeywell is worth $72.4 billion and trades on a P/E of 11.3; Union Pacific is worth $183.3 billion and trades on a P/E of 24.1. Each has a side-by-side comparison with John Deere below.

John Deere competitors

• Caterpillar (CAT) analysis · John Deere vs Caterpillar comparison
• Honeywell (HON) analysis · John Deere vs Honeywell comparison
• Union Pacific (UNP) analysis · John Deere vs Union Pacific comparison

To understand John Deere better

• DCF and WACC Explained: A Practical Valuation Guide
• How to Read a Balance Sheet: A Beginner's Guide

More companies like John Deere: industrials stocks, S&P 500 companies and S&P 100 companies. Open the full DE analysis with its valuation and scenarios. Educational content about John Deere, not investment advice.