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ACQUISITIONS AND DISPOSITIONS
12 Months Ended
Oct. 31, 2016
ACQUISITIONS AND DISPOSITIONS  
ACQUISITIONS AND DISPOSITIONS

4. ACQUISITIONS AND DISPOSITIONS

In March 2016, the company acquired an 80 percent interest in Hagie Manufacturing Company, LLC, the U.S. market leader in high-clearance sprayers located in Clarion, Iowa, for a cost of approximately $53 million, net of cash acquired of $3 million. The fair values assigned to the assets and liabilities related to the acquired entity were approximately $2 million of trade receivables, $33 million of inventories, $17 million of property and equipment, $33 million of goodwill, $22 million of identifiable intangible assets, $3 million of other assets and $43 million of accounts payable and accrued expenses, with a $14 million redeemable noncontrolling interest. The identifiable intangibles were primarily related to technology, trade name and customer relationships, which have a weighted average amortization period of eight years. The goodwill is expected to be deducted for tax purposes. If certain events occur, the minority interest holder has the right to exercise a put option that would require the company to purchase the holder’s membership interest. The company also has a call option exercisable after a certain period of time. The put and call options cannot be separated from the noncontrolling interest. Due to the redemption features, the minority interest holder’s value is classified as a redeemable noncontrolling interest in the company’s consolidated balance sheet.

In February 2016, the company acquired Monosem for a cost of approximately $146 million, net of cash acquired of $20 million. Monosem, with four facilities in France and two in the U.S., is the European market leader in precision planters. The fair values assigned to the assets and liabilities related to the acquired entity were approximately $5 million of trade receivables, $2 million of other receivables, $29 million of inventories, $24 million of property and equipment, $62 million of goodwill, $42 million of identifiable intangible assets, $23 million of other assets, $22 million of accounts payable and accrued expenses and $19 million of deferred tax liabilities. The identifiable intangibles were primarily related to trade name, customer relationships and technology, which have a weighted average amortization period of nine years. The goodwill is not expected to be deducted for tax purposes.

For both 2016 acquisitions, the entities were consolidated and the results of these operations have been included in the company’s consolidated financial statements in the agriculture and turf operating segment since the date of acquisition. The pro forma results of operations as if the acquisitions had occurred at the beginning of the current or comparative fiscal year would not differ significantly from the reported results.

In March 2015, the company closed the sale of all of the stock of its wholly-owned subsidiaries, John Deere Insurance Company and John Deere Risk Protection, Inc. (collectively the Crop Insurance operations) to Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Company of Iowa. These operations were included in the company’s financial services operating segment. At January 31, 2015, the total assets of $381 million and liabilities of $267 million were classified as held for sale in the consolidated financial statements, which consisted of $13 million of cash and cash equivalents, $79 million of marketable securities, $265 million of other receivables, $4 million of other intangible assets-net and $20 million of other assets. The related liabilities held for sale consisted of accounts payable and accrued expenses. The total amount of proceeds from the sale was approximately $154 million, including $5 million of cash and cash equivalents sold, with a gain recorded in other income of $42 million pretax and $40 million after-tax. The tax expense was partially offset by a change in a valuation allowance on a capital loss carryforward. The company provided certain business services for a fee during a transition period.

In May 2014, the company closed the sale of the stock and certain assets of the entities that compose the company’s Water operations to FIMI Opportunity Funds. At April 30, 2014, the total assets of $85 million and liabilities of $50 million were classified as held for sale in the consolidated financial statements. The total amount of proceeds from the sale was approximately $35 million with a loss recorded in other operating expenses of $10 million pretax and after-tax in addition to the impairments recorded (see Note 5). The company provided certain business services for a fee during a transition period.

In December 2013, the company sold 60 percent of its subsidiary John Deere Landscapes, LLC (Landscapes) to a private equity investment firm affiliated with Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, LLC (CD&R). At October 31, 2013, the total assets of $505 million and liabilities of $120 million for these operations were classified as held for sale in the consolidated financial statements and written down to realizable value. The total amount of proceeds from the sale at closing was approximately $305 million with no significant additional gain or loss, after recording a non-cash charge in the fourth quarter of 2013 of $45 million pretax and after-tax to write down Landscapes to net realizable value. The proceeds consisted of $174 million equity contribution and third party debt raised by Landscapes.

The equity contribution was in the form of newly issued cumulative convertible participating preferred units representing 60 percent of the voting rights (on an as converted basis), which were converted to common shares in May 2016 (see Note 5).

The company initially retained 40 percent of the Landscapes business in the form of common stock. As of January 2014, the company deconsolidated Landscapes and began reporting the results as an equity investment in unconsolidated affiliates. Due to the company’s continuing involvement through its initial 40 percent interest, Landscapes’ historical operating results are presented in continuing operations. Landscapes was rebranded to SiteOne Landscapes Supply, Inc. during 2015.