Fiat has been shopping CNH around, looking for a buyer, for some time, albeit a low keyed approach. At one point, it looked very much like AGCO would pick them up. AGCO was doing quite well at the time and didn't see the need to assume a tremendous amount of debt. That turned out to be a wise move in light of the economic downturn of recent years. CNH is still a profitable brand, which is actually a great time to sell, while there is a marketable "worth". Fiat wanted to convert CNH to cash to further their auto/truck industry position. That said, no way NH is folding up their tent and closing.
Deere has taken a LOT of flack for closing "Marginal" dealers and consolidating several into more "regional" dealers, or chains of outlets under the control of one dealer. Deere has a tendency to make management decisions way ahead of the rest of the industry. That's why Deere has survived and everyone else has been sold, merged, traded, or closed. Now that we're down to 3 major players in the full line ag industry, those 3 are all having their hand forced...Put service, technology, parts, and inventory under one roof and cut numbers of old school dealers, OR, suffer the effects....No matter how you arrange the deck chairs, the Titanic will still sink. The only way to make it work is to dodge the iceberg. CNH and AGCO are following suit and cutting dealers within their brand that compete directly against each other. That allows the survivors to remain competitive, carry (and keep BUSY) a trained service staff, and to keep enough inventory in one spot to justify stocking adequately.
"Smaller" short line brands/Newer brands without 100+ years of product to support don't have nearly as long of a list of concerns. Brands like Kubota, Mahindra, ect, don't have 60 or 70 years of combines to support, nor do they have hay balers, planters, ect........Their inventory (and associated in store technology) isn't as vast and demanding. In that regard, they can still function like "the old days" for a few more years.
Look for the big box "Superstore" concept to become more common as time goes by, in regards to AG equipment/outdoor power equipment. It's just hitting the "big boys" first. That stratagy might not always be popular, but like it or not, it's the way of the future.