Determining Bond Prices, Interest Rates, and Financial Statement Effects Deere & Company’s 2015 10-K reports the following footnote relating to long-term debt for its equipment operations subsidiary. Deere’s borrowings include $300 million, 7.125% notes, due in 2031 (highlighted below).

Long-term borrowings at October 31 consisted of the following in millions of dollars:

Notes and Debentures 2015 2014 4.375% notes due 2019 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 750 $ 750 8-1/2% debentures due 2022. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 105 2.60% notes due 2022 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,000 1,000 6.55% debentures due 2028 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200 200 5.375% notes due 2029 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 500 500 8.10% debentures due 2030 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 250 7.125% notes due 2031 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300 300 3.90% notes due 2042 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,250 1,250 Other notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 288 Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $4,461 $4,643 A recent price quote (from Yahoo! Finance Bond Center) on Deere’s 7.125% notes follows.
Type Issuer Price Coupon (%) Maturity YTM (%)
Current Yield (%)
Fitch Rating Callable Corp Deere & CO 142.72 7.125 2031 3.623 4.992 A No This price quote indicates that Deere’s 7.125% notes have a market price of 142.72 (142.72% of face value), resulting in a yield to maturity of 3.623%.

a. Assuming that these notes were originally issued at par value, what does the market price reveal about interest rate changes since Deere issued its notes? (Assume that Deere’s credit rating has remained the same.)

b. Does the change in interest rates since the issuance of these notes affect the amount of interest expense that Deere reports in its income statement? Explain.

c. How much cash would Deere have to pay to repurchase the 7.125% notes at the quoted market price of 142.72%? (Assume no interest is owed when Deere repurchases the notes.) How would the repurchase affect Deere’s current income?

d. Assuming that the notes remain outstanding until their maturity, at what market price will the notes sell on their due date in 2031?