a) What is the amount paid to repurchase common shares during fiscal year 2017? (b) Suppose instead of repurchasing shares into treasury, John Deere repurchased shares for retirement. For each of the financial statement items listed below, circle whether the balance would increase, decrease or remained unchanged under the alternate assumption. Explain your reasoning.

Common Stock Increase Decrease No change Explanation: Total Shareholders’ Equity Increase Decrease No change Explanation: 

Equipment Operations U.S. dollar notes and debentures: 4.375% notes due 2019 8-1/2% debentures due 2022 2.60% notes due 2022 6.55% debentures due 2028 5.375% notes due 2029 8.10% debentures due 2030 7.125% notes due 2031 3.90% notes due 2042 Euro notes: Medium-term notes due 2020-2023: (principal 850 - 2017) Other notes Less debt issuance costs Total Financial Services Notes and debentures: Medium-term notes due 2018 - 2027: (principal $18,678 - 2017, $17,203 - 2016) based on market interest rates of 1.7% -2017, 2% - 2016 5% senior note due 2022: ($500 principal) Other notes Less debt issuance costs Total Long-term borrowings $ 750 $ 105 1,000 200 500 250 300 1,250 990 166 20 5,491 750 105 1,000 200 500 250 300 1,250 231 21 4,565 18.601 17.434 502 519 1,339 1,221 42 36 20,400 19,138 $25,891 $23,703