Deere & Company (DE)
Deere is the leading maker of agricultural and construction equipment, sold under the John Deere brand. It is layering precision-agriculture technology and autonomy onto its machinery to lift farmer productivity.
Industrials stock comparison
DE vs ITW: which business are you actually underwriting?
Compare Deere & Company with Illinois Tool Works Inc. using their business models, SEC classifications, fiscal calendars, current primary filings, and the research questions that matter. This is a thesis framework—not a price target or automatic winner.
- Sector
- Industrials
- Industry
- Different SIC
- Shared themes
- 1
- Updated
- 2026-02-13
DE vs ITW: quick comparison
| Company fact | DE | ITW |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Deere & Company | Illinois Tool Works Inc. |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Headquarters | Moline, Illinois | Not recorded |
| Founded | 1837 | Not recorded |
| SEC industry | Farm Machinery & Equipment | General Industrial Machinery & Equipment |
| Fiscal year-end | November 1 | December 31 |
| Latest annual filing | 10-K · 2025-12-18 | 10-K · 2026-02-13 |
How the businesses differ
Why this pair belongs in the comparison set
DE and ITW have different SEC industry classifications, but both map to the maintained Economic trends research theme inside the Industrials sector. A shared classification or theme makes the pair useful for a defined research question; it does not mean the companies have identical products, economics, or risks.
Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW)
Illinois Tool Works makes engineered fasteners, equipment, and consumables across diversified industrial markets.
The useful starting point is not which ticker has performed better. It is whether the two companies convert the same economic forces into revenue and cash flow in the same way. DE is classified by the SEC as Farm Machinery & Equipment, while ITW is classified as General Industrial Machinery & Equipment. The different industry codes are a warning against treating sector membership as proof of identical economics.
Which thesis does each company fit?
Use the distinction below to decide which filing deserves deeper work. It is a research routing rule, not a recommendation or prediction.
Study DE when…
- Capital-spending and manufacturing PMIs
- Reshoring and supply-chain reconfiguration
- Defense budgets and geopolitical conflict
- Freight rates and logistics demand
Study ITW when…
- Capital-spending and manufacturing PMIs
- Reshoring and supply-chain reconfiguration
- Defense budgets and geopolitical conflict
- Freight rates and logistics demand
Shared research themes
Economic trends
SEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence
Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable.DE's fiscal year ends November 1, while ITW's ends December 31. Normalize the reporting periods before comparing growth, margins, capital intensity, or guidance.
The current verified House Clerk snapshot contains 0matched transaction rows for DEand 0 for ITW. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.
DE primary filings
ITW primary filings
What this comparison cannot tell you
This page does not contain licensed live prices, a valuation model, earnings estimates, portfolio constraints, or a forecast of future returns. SEC classifications can be broad, company descriptions can lag strategic change, and the latest annual filing may predate a material acquisition or divestiture. Read subsequent quarterly and current reports before making a decision.
A stronger business is not automatically the better stock. Starting valuation, expectations, capital structure, cyclicality, dilution, and the probability of each thesis determine the investment outcome. Use this comparison to frame the work, then verify the numbers in the linked filings and current company disclosures.
More comparisons involving DE or ITW
DE vs ITW FAQs
Are DE and ITW direct competitors?
Deere & Company and Illinois Tool Works Inc. sit in the same Industrials sector but have different SEC industry classifications. The comparison is most useful for portfolio role and sector exposure, not as a claim that every product competes directly.
Which is better, DE or ITW?
There is no context-free winner. Compare the operating exposures, filing evidence, valuation, balance sheet, and risks against the specific thesis you are testing. This page deliberately does not turn a static profile into a buy or sell recommendation.
Does this DE vs ITW comparison include live prices?
No. Yield Theory does not republish unlicensed real-time market data. Use a regulated broker or licensed quote provider for current prices, then use the primary filings here to test the business thesis.
Where does the company information come from?
Company classifications, fiscal year-ends, and filing links come from the SEC EDGAR submissions API snapshot refreshed 2026-08-12. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.
Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-08-12. Independent educational research; not investment advice.
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