Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, farm equipment maker Deere (NYSE: DE) has earned a respected four-star ranking.

With that in mind, let's take a closer look at Deere's business and see what CAPS investors are saying about the stock right now.

Deere facts

Headquarters (founded) Moline, Ill. (1837)
Market Cap $30.8 billion
Industry Farm and construction machinery
Trailing-12-Month Revenue $33.8 billion
Management Chairman/CEO Samuel Allen
CFO Raj Kalathur
Return on Equity (average, past 3 years) 31.4%
Cash/Debt $2.7 billion / $29.8 billion
Dividend Yield 2.4%
Competitors Caterpillar
CNH Global
Kubota

Sources: S&P Capital IQ and Motley Fool CAPS.

On CAPS, 95% of the 2,835 members who have rated Deere believe the stock will outperform the S&P 500 going forward.

Just yesterday, one of those Fools, AlpahBetaOmega, touched on the strong tailwind working in Deere's favor: "Global projection is for 9 billion humans on earth [by 2050]. Someone has to feed them, and [Deere] is the company that is likely to sell those farmers/agribusinesses the equipment necessary to grow all that food."

If you want market-beating returns, you need to put together the best portfolio you can. Owning exceptional stocks is a surefire way to secure your financial future. Of course, despite a strong four-star rating, Deere may not be your top choice.

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Want to see how well (or not so well) the stocks in this series are performing? Follow the TrackPoisedTo CAPS account.