John Deere says farm sector shows 'early signs of stabilization'

Deere & Co. reported Friday that it saw signs of stabilization in the farm sector in the first quarter of the year. The Moline, Illinois-based tractor maker (NYSE: DE) reported that its net income grew to $517 million, or $1.63 per share, in the first quarter of the year, compared with net income of $498 million, or $1.54 per share, a year earlier. The earnings outpaced expectations of analysts polled by Thomson Reuters First Call, who expected first-quarter earnings of only $1.26 per share. “John…