Quad Cities-based Deere & Company is posting record second-quarter earnings. One-point-five-six billion dollars, or $2.61 per share — that’s how much Deere & Company earned in the second quarter ended April 30, and that boosts the full-year earnings forecast to more than three and a third billion bucks.

Worldwide net sales and revenues increased 12 percent, to more than $10 billion for the second quarter. Some are suggesting all of this might be a prediction of U.S. economic recovery.

 Noting that Deere has had eight consecutive quarter of record earnings, chairman and C.E.O. Samuel R. Allen says the results are a reflection of positive conditions in the global farm economy, which he says is continuing to show strength and endurance.

Deere is Iowa’s largest manufacturing employer.

By Phil Roberts, Davenport

Radio Iowa