Deere & Company manufactures, distributes, and finances a full range of agricultural equipment; a broad range of industrial equipment for construction, forestry, and public works; and a variety of lawn and grounds care equipment. The company also provides credit, health care, and insurance products for businesses and the general public. Consider the following information from the Deere & Company 2000 Annual Report: (in millions) Sales 1997 1998 1999 2000 12,791 13,822 11,751 13,137 Cost of goods sold 8,481 9,234 8,178 8,936 Gross margin 4,310 4,588 3,573 4,201 1. Prepare a statement showing the trend percentages for each item using 1997 as the base year. 2. Comment on the trends noted in part (1).