Deere & Company (DE)’s Strong Quarter Raises the Stakes for an Agricultural Recovery

Deere & Company (NYSE: DE ) delivered a stronger-than-expected third quarter, with the company benefiting from a surprising source: the construction boom linked to AI data centers and infrastructure spending. Construction & Forestry sales increased 18% year over year, making it the company's fastest-growing major segment. Deere also reported a 7% increase in quarterly net income to $1.38 billion, while EPS rose to $5.10 from $4.75 a year earlier.

The improvement was enough for Deere to raise its 2026 net income outlook to $4.75 billion-$5 billion, up from the previous lower end of $4.5 billion. The company also continues to believe that 2026 will mark the bottom of the current agricultural equipment cycle.

Still, Deere & Company (NYSE:DE)'s core farm-equipment business remains under pressure. Production & Precision Agriculture sales fell 6% in the quarter as farmers continue to deal with weak commodity prices and difficult farm economics. At the same time, Small Agriculture & Turf sales increased 12%, helped by better milk and beef prices.

The biggest reason to be bullish on Deere & Company (NYSE:DE) is the growing strength of its construction business. The 18% increase in Construction & Forestry sales shows that the company is benefiting from spending that has little to do with the current farm cycle. AI data-center construction, infrastructure projects, and other large-scale development are creating demand for Deere's equipment. The company says customer backlogs now extend well into fiscal 2027, giving it strong visibility into future demand.

This diversification could become particularly valuable if the agricultural market takes longer to recover. Deere does not need its farm-equipment business to rebound immediately for the company to continue generating solid earnings. Construction is currently helping fill that gap, while the 12% increase in Small Agriculture & Turf sales provides another source of support.

There is also a potential recovery story developing in the agricultural business. Deere believes the current equipment cycle is close to its bottom, and early order trends, improving used-equipment inventories, and greater adoption of technology could support a gradual recovery. If farm conditions improve, Deere & Company (NYSE:DE) could benefit from both a recovering agriculture market and continued construction demand.

The latest results also show that Deere can manage through a difficult cycle. Revenue and earnings beat expectations, and the company raised the lower end of its full-year profit forecast. That suggests management is seeing enough stability across the business to become more confident about the remainder of 2026.