CNH Announces Agreement to Form a Joint Venture by Selling a 70% Interest in its Construction Equipment Business to Kobelco Construction Machinery
CNH Industrial N.V. (NYSE: CNH)announced a definitive agreement with Kobelco Construction Machinery Co., Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Kobe Steel, Ltd. (collectively, “Kobelco”), to establish a joint venture that will operate CNH’s Construction Equipment business (“CE JV”). Kobelco will be the majority owner of the CE JV. The transaction continues CNH's transformation into a leading, pure-play agriculture equipment, technology, and services company with a strengthened financial profile and gives it enhanced capacity to invest in products, precision technology, and its global dealer network.
The transaction values CNH’s Construction Equipment business at an enterprise value of $1 billion. CNH expects to receive $700 million in cash consideration for 70% of the business, subject to adjustments for net debt, working capital, and other customary items. CNH expects to use these net cash proceeds to reduce debt and strengthen its balance sheet. CNH will retain a 30% equity ownership position in the CE JV. Each party will be subject to a three-year lock-up period.To provide continuity and facilitate a smooth business transition, CNH will continue to remain a strategic partner to the CE JV.
The joint venture will be established through the creation of two companies that will jointly operate as the CE JV.
The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2027, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.
“This transaction significantly advances CNH’s portfolio simplification and sharpens our focus on agriculture in line with our Path to 2030,” said Suzanne Heywood, Chair of the CNH Board of Directors. “As the largest pure-play agriculture machinery OEM, CNH will be better positioned than ever to invest with conviction and create value for farmers, dealers, and shareholders at every point in the cycle.”
“We are confident that this is the right next step for CNH, our dealers, customers, and colleagues,” said Gerrit Marx, Chief Executive Officer of CNH. “As the agriculture industry moves toward recovery, this transaction strengthens CNH’s ability to invest in the products and technologies that matter most to farmers. At the same time, by creating a stronger construction equipment player, both CNH and CE JV dealers, along with their customers, will benefit from a suite of high-quality, cost-competitive construction machines that incorporate leading technology.”
Marx continued, “We undertook a comprehensive process to evaluate how best to position our Construction Equipment business, and it was clear that Kobelco is the right long-term steward, and that our joint venture approach will ensure a smooth transition for the business and our team members who support it. The CE JV will be a leader with the scale, focus, and agility to invest, accelerate innovation, and better serve global construction customers.”
At closing, CNH will continue to provide full-line agriculture applications through the Case IH, New Holland, STEYR, and CNH Tech brands, including the Raven precision technology platform. CNH agriculture dealers will have continued access to a suite of competitive construction equipment machines supplied by the CE JV. CNH Capital will remain part of CNH. The transaction is expected to be accretive to CNH's margins.
This transaction marks the next step in CNH’s multi-year strategic transformation journey to sharpen its technology-led focus on agriculture, which began with the acquisition of Raven Industries in 2021 and the separation of the on-highway commercial vehicles business through the spin-off of Iveco Group in 2022. This transaction now enables CNH to deploy its resources entirely to the products and technologies that matter most to farmers.
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