CTVA vs DE: How Corteva and Deere & Company Compare (2026)
Last updated August 2026
Short answer
DE is the larger of the two ($159.98B market cap): the incumbent the market prices for continued execution (26.07x forward earnings, beta 0.90). CTVA is the smaller challenger ($52.64B), cheaper on forward earnings (19.09x): more room to run, but more to prove. The real question is which set of drivers you believe, and whether owning one (or both) leaves you over-concentrated.
CTVA vs DE: the tie-breaker metrics
Same yardstick, side by side (as of August 2026). Valuation lined up like this is most meaningful for two names in the same corner of the market, which these are. Figures are approximate; verify before investing.
| Metric | CTVA | DE | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Market cap | $52.64B | $159.98B | Size. The larger name is the incumbent; the smaller has more room to grow and more to prove. |
| Forward P/E | 19.09 | 26.07 | Valuation on next year's expected earnings, the same yardstick for both. Lower is cheaper for that growth; higher means the market is paying up. |
| Trailing P/E | 47.70 | 33.56 | Valuation on the last 12 months. A big drop from trailing to forward means the market expects earnings to jump, so more growth is already in the price. |
| Beta | 0.56 | 0.90 | Volatility vs the market. Above 1 swings harder than the index; below 1 is steadier. Higher beta means bigger drawdowns to hold through. |
| Price vs 52-week range | 60% of range | 66% of range | Where today's price sits between the 52-week low and high. Near the high is momentum with less margin of safety; near the low is out of favor or a discount, depending on why. |
| Price / book | 2.16 | 5.84 | How much you pay over book value. Very high can signal an asset-light, high-return business or a rich price. |
Reading it: CTVA is the cheaper of the two on forward earnings, but cheaper is not the same as better. Pair the valuation with growth (how far the forward P/E sits below the trailing P/E) and risk (beta) before you decide.
Before you buy: how CTVA and DE affect your concentration
The metrics above tell you which is the marginally better business. The bigger risk for most people is not picking the slightly worse stock, it is over-concentrating. CTVA and DE share themes, so owning both, or adding either to what you already hold, can quietly push a large share of your portfolio into one bet.
This is the part a generic comparison page cannot answer, because it depends on what you own. Connect your brokerage and Walnut shows your real, combined CTVA and DE exposure, flags overlap with your existing positions, and tells you if adding one would tip you past a concentration you are comfortable with, read-only by default, with your login staying at your broker. Walnut is not an investment adviser.
What does Corteva (CTVA) do?
Corteva is one of the largest agricultural input companies in the world, formed in 2019 when DowDuPont spun off its agriculture business. The company operates two main segments. Seed develops and sells genetically improved corn, soybean, canola, and other crop seeds. Crop Protection develops and sells herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and biological products to protect crops from weeds, insects, and diseases.
What does Deere & Company (DE) do?
Deere & Company is the largest manufacturer of agricultural equipment in the world (the John Deere brand) and a major manufacturer of construction, forestry, turf, and utility equipment. The company is also one of the largest captive finance operators serving agriculture and construction. The agricultural equipment business is the largest and most strategically important, with the John Deere brand being one of the most recognized industrial brands globally.
CTVA vs DE: how do they differ?
Both fit overlapping themes, but they are not interchangeable. The useful comparison is which set of drivers and risks you want exposure to.
- CTVA drivers: Seed technology pipeline; Biological products growth.
- DE drivers: Precision agriculture technology; Commodity crop and farmer income cycles.
Which fits which kind of investor
A faster-growing, richer-valued name usually swings harder, so it suits a longer horizon and a higher tolerance for volatility; a steadier, more cash-generative business suits a more conservative or income-minded investor. The honest test is which set of risks you could hold through a drawdown: Commodity crop price cycles affect farmer purchasing power and Corteva revenue. For DE, commodity crop cycle volatility affects farmer purchasing power.
CTVA or DE: which should you pick?
Growth-minded investors who believe the theme has years to run tend to accept the richer multiple for more upside; value-minded investors lean toward the cheaper forward earnings and steadier profile. Pick CTVA if you believe its drivers more; DE if you believe its. Many investors hold both, but since they share themes, that is a concentrated bet, not diversification. Decide deliberately and check overlap. For the full detail, see the CTVA and DE guides.
CTVA vs DE: the full fundamentals
CTVA. Corteva trades at a premium to traditional chemicals and materials peers reflecting the pure-play agricultural input exposure, the durable seed franchise, and the biologicals growth story. The multiple compresses during commodity crop downturns when farmer income weakens.
DE. Deere trades at a premium to traditional industrials reflecting the precision agriculture technology story, the dominant agricultural equipment market position, and the demonstrated through-cycle operating discipline. The multiple compresses during commodity crop down-cycles when equipment demand weakens.
Headline figures (approximate, early 2026): CTVA shows revenue (ttm) ~$17 billion, operating margin ~13%, net income (ttm) ~$1.5 billion, eps (ttm) ~$2.20; DE shows revenue (ttm) ~$50 billion, operating margin ~17% (cyclical), net income (ttm) ~$7 billion, eps (ttm) ~$25.00.
The bottom line: CTVA vs DE
CTVA and DE are related but distinct: same themes, different businesses and risks. Neither wins in the abstract; the right pick is whichever thesis you actually believe, sized so you are not over-concentrated in one theme. Walnut can show your combined CTVA and DE exposure against your real portfolio. It is not an investment adviser.
Wondering how CTVA or DE fits the portfolio you already own? Walnut is an AI investing app that connects your brokerage read-only and answers questions like that about your actual holdings: overlap, concentration, and how each position tracks the S&P 500. Compare the best AI portfolio analyzers or see the best AI investing apps in 2026.
Investing in Corteva with AI
Connect the broker you already use and ask Walnut's AI how CTVA fits what you actually hold: whether you own it already through a fund, what it would do to your concentration, and how it has tracked the S&P 500. Read-only by default, and you approve anything before it reaches your broker.
FAQ
What is the difference between CTVA and DE?
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Corteva is one of the largest agricultural input companies in the world, formed in 2019 when DowDuPont spun off its agriculture business. Deere & Company is the largest manufacturer of agricultural equipment in the world (the John Deere brand) and a major manufacturer of construction, forestry, turf, and utility equipment. They show up together because they share investment themes, but they are different businesses, so the better fit depends on which thesis you are expressing.
Is CTVA or DE the better stock?
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Neither is universally better. DE is the larger incumbent; CTVA is the smaller challenger and looks cheaper on forward earnings. Walnut is informational, not investment advice. Compare what each does, the tie-breaker metrics above, and the risks, then decide which fits your thesis and what you already own.
Which is cheaper, CTVA or DE?
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On forward P/E (as of August 2026), CTVA trades at 19.09x and DE at 26.07x, so CTVA is the cheaper of the two on next year's expected earnings. A lower multiple is not automatically the better buy: a richer valuation can be justified by faster growth, and a lower one can reflect real risk. Weigh the multiple against how fast each business is compounding.
Should you own both CTVA and DE?
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Because they share themes, owning both concentrates you in that theme. That can be intentional (a focused bet) or accidental (less diversification than it looks). Walnut can show your combined exposure across both, and whether adding either over-concentrates you, before you buy.
What are the risks of CTVA vs DE?
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CTVA: Commodity crop price cycles affect farmer purchasing power and Corteva revenue. Weather conditions affect crop years and product demand. Regulatory pressure on certain herbicides (atrazine, paraquat) creates product-level risks. DE: Commodity crop cycle volatility affects farmer purchasing power. Trade policy (tariffs and retaliatory tariffs in agricultural exports) affects farmer income. Construction cycle. Precision agriculture technology investment must continue to drive premium pricing for the multiple to hold.
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Walnut is informational, not investment advice. This page is descriptive and not a recommendation to buy or sell CTVA or DE; figures are approximate and dated (as of August 2026). Verify current data before investing.