Deere & Company: 10-K Risk Factor Changes

Efforts to grow our businesses depend in part upon access to and developing and maintaining market share and profitability in additional geographic markets, including, but not limited to, Argentina, Brazil, CIS, China, India, and South Africa. Particularly, we have invested significant resources to grow our operations in Brazil, and in 2024, we built a research and development center in Indaiatuba. We may not realize the benefits from our investment in Brazil or in other regions and may be unable to grow our market share for a variety of reasons. For example, some countries where we operate have greater political and economic volatility and greater infrastructure vulnerability than others. There are various risks associated with our global footprint, including, but not limited to, the following: The occurrence of one or more of these events has, from time to time, impacted, and may in the future impact, our business in a variety of ways, including reducing demand for our products, increasing costs, limiting our ability to operate in certain jurisdictions, disrupting our ability to deliver products to customers on time and at competitive prices, subjecting us to fines, penalties, and sanctions, harming our competitive position, devaluation of assets, and impacting our financials. Please also refer to the risk factors in the “Legal and Regulatory Compliance Risks” section below that address our legal and regulatory risks associated with our international operations. 15 15 15 Table of ContentsChanging worldwide demand for food and different forms of renewable energy can impact the price of farm commodities and consequently the demand for our equipment. This could result in higher research and development costs related to changing machine fuel requirements.Changing worldwide demand for farm outputs to meet the world’s growing food and renewable energy demands, driven in part by government policies, including those related to climate change, and a growing world population, is likely to result in fluctuating agricultural commodity prices, which directly affect sales of agricultural equipment. Lower agricultural commodity prices directly affect farm incomes, which negatively affect sales of agricultural equipment and result in higher credit losses. While higher commodity prices benefit our crop-producing agricultural equipment customers, they could result in greater feed costs for dairy and livestock producers, which in turn may result in lower levels of equipment purchased by those customers. International buyers can also change the source of imported agricultural products, such as corn and soy, from the U.S. to other countries, impacting the profitability of our customers and demand for our equipment.In addition, changing energy demand may cause farmers to change the types or quantities of the crops they raise, with corresponding changes in equipment demands. The growing demand for biofuels has led to a corresponding increased demand for agriculturally based feedstocks used in their production, such as corn in the U.S. and Europe and sugar cane in Brazil. This increased demand may increase the demand for agricultural equipment to be used in the production of such crops. However, the economic feasibility of biofuels can be impacted by the price of oil. As the price of oil falls, biofuels become a less attractive alternative energy source, and as a result, there is uncertainty with respect to any benefits we may realize with respect to our investments related to renewable energy.Furthermore, changes in governmental policies regulating fuel utilization, including biofuel, affect commodity demand and commodity prices, demand for our diesel-fueled equipment, and result in higher research and development costs related to equipment fuel standards. OPERATIONAL AND MANUFACTURING RISKSRestructuring, rationalization, and relocation of manufacturing facilities may cause capacity constraints, inventory fluctuations, and other issues. The rationalization or restructuring of our manufacturing facilities, including relocating production or closing facilities, requires significant investment and places temporary constraints on our ability to produce the quantity of products necessary to fill orders, and thereby complete sales in a timely manner. In addition, decisions regarding the rationalization, restructuring or relocation of facilities, and any similar actions, could also subject us to additional or new tariffs, reputational risks, and other issues relating to the importation of products. In 2024, we shifted production of small-frame skid steer loaders and compact track loaders to Mexico. As a result, these products became subject to additional tariffs on imports from Mexico in 2025. Even though we are taking actions to qualify for an exemption under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) to mitigate the elevated costs, there is no guarantee that we will be able to obtain such qualification.Furthermore, our manufacturing processes are dependent on water. Increasing competition for water resources, regulatory restrictions on water, and environmental changes can lead to water scarcity. Any significant reduction in water availability could disrupt our manufacturing processes, increase our operational costs, and limit our ability to meet customer demand. Inability to accurately forecast customer demand for products and services, and to adequately manage inventory, could adversely affect our operating results.To ensure adequate inventory supply, we must forecast inventory needs and expenses and place orders sufficiently in advance with suppliers and contract manufacturers. These forecasts are based on estimates of future demand for products and services. Failure to accurately forecast our needs results in unmet market demand, parts shortages, manufacturing delays or inefficiencies, increased costs, or excess inventory. Our ability to accurately forecast demand could be affected by many factors, including changes in customer demand for our products and services, used equipment inventory outstanding, changes in demand for the products and services of competitors, unanticipated changes in agricultural and general market conditions, and the weakening of economic conditions or customer confidence in future economic conditions. In 2025, elevated used inventory levels in late model-year machines impacted demand for our products in North America resulting in lower price realization and actions to reduce our inventory level. If the forecasts used to manage inventory are not accurate, we may experience excess inventory levels, shortage of available products, or reduced manufacturing efficiencies.16 Table of Contents Table of Contents Table of Contents Changing worldwide demand for food and different forms of renewable energy can impact the price of farm commodities and consequently the demand for our equipment. This could result in higher research and development costs related to changing machine fuel requirements.Changing worldwide demand for farm outputs to meet the world’s growing food and renewable energy demands, driven in part by government policies, including those related to climate change, and a growing world population, is likely to result in fluctuating agricultural commodity prices, which directly affect sales of agricultural equipment. Lower agricultural commodity prices directly affect farm incomes, which negatively affect sales of agricultural equipment and result in higher credit losses. While higher commodity prices benefit our crop-producing agricultural equipment customers, they could result in greater feed costs for dairy and livestock producers, which in turn may result in lower levels of equipment purchased by those customers. International buyers can also change the source of imported agricultural products, such as corn and soy, from the U.S. to other countries, impacting the profitability of our customers and demand for our equipment.In addition, changing energy demand may cause farmers to change the types or quantities of the crops they raise, with corresponding changes in equipment demands. The growing demand for biofuels has led to a corresponding increased demand for agriculturally based feedstocks used in their production, such as corn in the U.S. and Europe and sugar cane in Brazil. This increased demand may increase the demand for agricultural equipment to be used in the production of such crops. However, the economic feasibility of biofuels can be impacted by the price of oil. As the price of oil falls, biofuels become a less attractive alternative energy source, and as a result, there is uncertainty with respect to any benefits we may realize with respect to our investments related to renewable energy.Furthermore, changes in governmental policies regulating fuel utilization, including biofuel, affect commodity demand and commodity prices, demand for our diesel-fueled equipment, and result in higher research and development costs related to equipment fuel standards. OPERATIONAL AND MANUFACTURING RISKSRestructuring, rationalization, and relocation of manufacturing facilities may cause capacity constraints, inventory fluctuations, and other issues. The rationalization or restructuring of our manufacturing facilities, including relocating production or closing facilities, requires significant investment and places temporary constraints on our ability to produce the quantity of products necessary to fill orders, and thereby complete sales in a timely manner. In addition, decisions regarding the rationalization, restructuring or relocation of facilities, and any similar actions, could also subject us to additional or new tariffs, reputational risks, and other issues relating to the importation of products. In 2024, we shifted production of small-frame skid steer loaders and compact track loaders to Mexico. As a result, these products became subject to additional tariffs on imports from Mexico in 2025. Even though we are taking actions to qualify for an exemption under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) to mitigate the elevated costs, there is no guarantee that we will be able to obtain such qualification.Furthermore, our manufacturing processes are dependent on water. Increasing competition for water resources, regulatory restrictions on water, and environmental changes can lead to water scarcity. Any significant reduction in water availability could disrupt our manufacturing processes, increase our operational costs, and limit our ability to meet customer demand. Inability to accurately forecast customer demand for products and services, and to adequately manage inventory, could adversely affect our operating results.To ensure adequate inventory supply, we must forecast inventory needs and expenses and place orders sufficiently in advance with suppliers and contract manufacturers. These forecasts are based on estimates of future demand for products and services. Failure to accurately forecast our needs results in unmet market demand, parts shortages, manufacturing delays or inefficiencies, increased costs, or excess inventory. Our ability to accurately forecast demand could be affected by many factors, including changes in customer demand for our products and services, used equipment inventory outstanding, changes in demand for the products and services of competitors, unanticipated changes in agricultural and general market conditions, and the weakening of economic conditions or customer confidence in future economic conditions. In 2025, elevated used inventory levels in late model-year machines impacted demand for our products in North America resulting in lower price realization and actions to reduce our inventory level. If the forecasts used to manage inventory are not accurate, we may experience excess inventory levels, shortage of available products, or reduced manufacturing efficiencies.