Continuing solid sales of farm equipment and industrial machinery in North America and Europe, together with the effect of a depreciating yen produced strong results for Kubota Corp. in its recent third quarter and 9 months ended Dec. 31, 2014.
A little over a year ago, Jim Tibbles, executive vice president of Osmundson Mfg., a manufacturer of tillage tools in Perry, Iowa, told us that he believed softening ag equipment sales in 2014 would represent a return to normal levels rather than a falloff.
Despite reporting a decrease in net sales of $2.5 billion for the fourth quarter of 2014, a drop of 13% compared to 2013’s $2.9 billion, and forecasting continued softness in the market for ag machinery in 2015, analysts expected worse.
Deere & Co. will report its 4QFY14 earnings on Wednesday (Nov. 26), but most analysts don’t expect results much different than what most other ag equipment manufacturers have already reported.
Italy’s Maschio Gaspardo group plans to spend €130 million ($177 million) in capital investments over the next 5 years to build on the €120 million ($163 million) investment it has made in the 3 years from 2011 to 2013.
Farm equipment dealers in the U.S. and Canada are gearing up for a slowdown in new ag machinery in the year ahead. The dealers’ outlook for used equipment is only slightly more upbeat.
Italy’s Maschio Gaspardo group plans to spend €130 million ($177 million) in capital investments over the next 5 years to build on the €120 million ($163 million) investment it has made in the 3 years from 2011 to 2013.
If falling grain prices weren’t enough for U.S. agriculture to contend with, a strong dollar could further stunt any hope for growth in the year ahead for American farmers and equipment manufacturers.
Despite falling grain prices and instability in its Ukrainian market, Titan Machinery reported its earnings for the second quarter on September 9 and said that it is on plan with its equipment inventory reduction and cashflow goals.
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In this episode of On the Record, brought to you by Associated Equipment Distributors, we take an initial look at the Dealer Business Outlook & Trends Report and what dealers are forecasting for 2025.