FORM 11-K

               FOR ANNUAL REPORTS OF EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE, SAVINGS
                 AND SIMILAR PLANS PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE
                           SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


(Mark One)
[ X] ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF
1934
For the fiscal year ended         December 31, 1996
                         -------------------------------
                                          OR
[ ] TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE
ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from              to
                              --------------   ---------------

Commission file number       1-8649
                      -------------------

    A.  The Toro Company Investment and Savings Plan
    B   The Toro Company
        8111 Lyndale Avenue South
        Minneapolis, MN  55420

                                 REQUIRED INFORMATION



The following financial statements shall be furnished for the plan:
 1. An audited statement of financial condition as of the end of the latest two
fiscal years of the plan (or such lesser period as the plan has been in
existence).
 2. An audited statement of income and changes in plan equity for each of the
latest three fiscal years of the plan (or such lesser period as the plan has
been in existence).
 3. The statements required by Items 1 and 2 shall be prepared in accordance
with the applicable provisions of Article 6A of Regulation S-X (17 CFR
210.6A-01-.6A-05).
 4. In lieu of the requirements of Items 1-3 above, plans subject to ERISA may
file plan financial statements and schedules prepared in accordance with the
financial reporting requirements of ERISA. To the extent required by ERISA, the
plan financial statements shall be examined by an independent accountant, except
that the "limited scope exemption" contained in Section 103(a)(3)(C) of ERISA
shall not be available.



 Note:    A written consent of the accountant is required with respect to the
plan annual financial statements which have been incorporated by reference in a
registration statement on Form S-8 under the Securities Act of 1933. The consent
should be filed as an exhibit to this annual report. Such consent shall be
currently dated and manually signed.


                                  SIGNATURES

 The Plan.   Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, the trustees (or other persons who administer the employee benefit plan)
have duly caused this annual report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                 The Toro Company Savings and Investment Plan
                                (Name of Plan)

Date  June 30, 1997               /s/ Stephen P. Wolfe
     -------------                --------------------

                                  Stephen P. Wolfe
                                  Vice President - Finance
                                  Chief Financial Officer





                                   THE TORO COMPANY
                             INVESTMENT AND SAVINGS PLAN

                          Financial Statements and Schedule

                         Year ended December 31, 1996 and the
                      five-month period ended December 31, 1995




                             INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT





The Plan Administrator
The Toro Company Investment and Savings Plan:



We have audited the accompanying statements of net assets available for plan
benefits of The Toro Company Investment and Savings Plan (the Plan) as of
December 31, 1996 and 1995, and the related statements of changes in net assets
available for plan benefits for the year ended December 31, 1996 and the
five-month period ended December 31, 1995. These financial statements are the
responsibility of the Plan's management. Our responsibility is to express an
opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting
the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes
assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by
management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.
We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in
all material respects, the net assets available for plan benefits as of December
31, 1996 and 1995 and the changes in net assets available for plan benefits for
the year ended December 31, 1996 and the five-month period ended December 31,
1995 in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.

Our audits were performed for the purpose of forming an opinion on the basic
financial statements taken as a whole. The supplemental schedule of assets held
for investment purposes is presented for the purpose of additional analysis and
is not a required part of the basic financial statements, but is supplementary
information required by the Department of Labor's Rules and Regulations for
Reporting and Disclosure under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of
1974. The fund information in the statement of net assets available for plan
benefits and the statement of changes in net assets available for plan benefits
is presented for purposes of additional analysis rather than to present the net
assets available for plan benefits and changes in net assets available for plan
benefits of each fund. The supplemental schedule and fund information have been
subjected to the auditing procedures applied in the audits of the basic
financial statements and, in our opinion, are fairly stated in all material
respects in relation to the basic financial statements taken as a whole.




                                          2




The Plan has not presented the schedule of reportable transactions (transactions
in excess of 5% of the current value of plan assets at the beginning year).
Disclosure of this information is required by the Department of Labor's Rules
and Regulations for Reporting and Disclosure under the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974.





                                  KPMG Peat Marwick LLP




June 24, 1997






                               THE TORO COMPANY INVESTMENT AND SAVINGS PLAN

                            Statement of Net Assets Available for Plan Benefits

                                            December 31, 1996

Putnam Putnam Putnam Putnam Asset Asset Asset Growth Allocation Allocation Allocation Putnam and Fund Fund Fund Overseas Toro Stable Income (Growth (Balanced (Conservative Growth Value Fund Fund Portfolio) Portfolio) Portfolio) Fund - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Assets held by trustee: Investments $ 37,129,761 28,800,695 6,197,085 8,420,008 4,235,289 4,268,244 - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net assets available for plan benefits $ 37,129,761 28,800,695 6,197,085 8,420,008 4,235,289 4,268,244 - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Toro Putnam Company Voyager Common Fund Stock Total - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Assets held by trustee: Investments 27,832,278 17,485,950 134,369,310 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net assets available for plan benefits 27,832,278 17,485,950 134,369,310 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See accompanying notes to financial statements. 1 THE TORO COMPANY INVESTMENT AND SAVINGS PLAN Statement of Net Assets Available for Plan Benefits December 31, 1995
Putnam Putnam Putnam Putnam Asset Asset Asset Growth Allocation Allocation Allocation Putnam and Fund Fund Fund Overseas Toro Stable Income (Growth (Balanced (Conservative Growth Value Fund Fund Portfolio) Portfolio) Portfolio) Fund - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Assets held by trustee: Investments $ 39,398,061 20,781,618 4,404,954 6,534,932 3,165,037 2,781,412 Employer contribution receivable 0 0 0 0 0 0 Employer contribution receivable 0 0 0 0 0 0 - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net assets available for plan benefits $ 39,398,061 20,781,618 4,404,954 6,534,932 3,165,037 2,781,412 - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Toro Putnam Company Voyager Common Unallocated Fund Stock contributions Total - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Assets held by trustee: Investments 21,055,823 16,019,914 0 114,141,751 Employer contribution receivable 0 0 13,582 13,582 Employer contribution receivable 0 0 43,150 43,150 - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net assets available for plan benefits 21,055,823 16,019,914 56,732 114,198,483 - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See accompanying notes to financial statements. 2 THE TORO COMPANY INVESTMENT AND SAVINGS PLAN Statement of Changes in Net Assets Available for Plan Benefits Year ended December 31, 1996
Putnam Putnam Putnam Putnam Asset Asset Asset Growth Allocation Allocation Allocation Putnam and Fund Fund Fund Overseas Toro Stable Income (Growth (Balanced (Conservative Growth Value Fund Fund Portfolio) Portfolio) Portfolio) Fund - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Investment income: Interest and dividends, net of plan expenses $ 1,301,562 2,413,654 327,202 604,156 265,079 57,647 Net appreciation in the fair value of investments 994,110 2,549,264 588,030 604,983 137,106 484,682 - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net investment income 2,295,672 4,962,918 915,232 1,209,139 402,185 542,329 Employer contributions 384,011 725,942 172,030 201,917 51,918 119,329 Employee contributions 645,683 1,499,130 424,444 429,955 113,006 317,597 Rollover contributions 5,207 31,931 12,209 11,871 10,776 11,621 - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total contributions 1,034,901 2,257,003 608,683 643,743 175,700 448,547 Benefit payments (2,801,479) (824,506) (62,915) (195,030) (65,457) (58,254) Transfers between funds (2,826,759) 1,570,320 327,212 225,541 556,141 541,765 Transfers from other plans 29,365 53,342 3,919 1,683 1,683 12,445 - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Increase (decrease) in net assets available for plan benefits (2,268,300) 8,019,077 1,792,131 1,885,076 1,070,252 1,486,832 Net assets available for plan benefits: Beginning of year 39,398,061 20,781,618 4,404,954 6,534,932 3,165,037 2,781,412 - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of year $ 37,129,761 28,800,695 6,197,085 8,420,008 4,235,289 4,268,244 - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Toro Putnam Company Voyager Common Unallocated Fund Stock contributions Total - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Investment income: Interest and dividends, net of plan expenses 1,747,782 235,428 0 6,952,510 Net appreciation in the fair value of investments 1,216,708 1,793,168 0 8,368,051 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net investment income 2,964,490 2,028,596 0 15,320,561 Employer contributions 791,504 1,781,729 0 4,228,380 Employee contributions 2,123,524 272,353 0 5,825,692 Rollover contributions 66,833 4,511 0 154,959 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total contributions 2,981,861 2,058,593 0 10,209,031 Benefit payments (806,314) (983,527) 0 (5,797,482) Transfers between funds 1,314,305 (1,651,793) (56,732) 0 Transfers from other plans 322,113 14,167 0 438,717 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Increase (decrease) in net assets 6,776,455 1,466,036 (56,732) 20,170,827 available for plan benefits Net assets available for plan benefits: Beginning of year 21,055,823 16,019,914 56,732 114,198,483 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of year 27,832,278 17,485,950 0 134,369,310 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See accompanying notes to financial statements. 3 THE TORO COMPANY INVESTMENT AND SAVINGS PLAN Statement of Changes in Net Assets Available for Plan Benefits Five-month period ended December 31, 1995
Putnam Putnam Putnam Putnam Asset Asset Asset Growth Allocation Allocation Allocation Putnam and Fund Fund Fund Overseas Toro Stable Income (Growth (Balanced (Conservative Growth Value Fund Fund Portfolio) Portfolio) Portfolio) Fund - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Investment income: Interest and dividends, net of plan expenses $ 1,221,334 1,112,039 192,575 309,307 130,075 54,604 Net appreciation in the fair value of investments 0 1,065,772 89,045 108,071 60,389 101,675 - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net investment income 1,221,334 2,177,811 281,620 417,378 190,464 156,279 Employer contributions 94,133 152,050 36,922 42,522 10,867 22,339 Employee contributions 350,532 698,337 210,265 213,293 52,778 154,587 Rollover contributions 2,760 8,134 709 0 0 7,808 - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total contributions 447,425 858,521 247,896 255,815 63,645 184,734 Benefit payments (3,263,682) (210,490) (40,184) (24,399) (6,146) (7,280) Transfers between funds (36,275,502) 10,368,725 (1,264,864) 5,886,138 2,917,074 2,447,679 Transfers from other plans 30,894,325 2,662,790 876,733 0 0 0 - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Increase (decrease) in net assets available for plan benefits (6,976,100) 15,857,357 101,201 6,534,932 3,165,037 2,781,412 Net assets available for plan benefits: Beginning of period 46,374,161 4,924,261 4,303,753 0 0 0 - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of period $ 39,398,061 20,781,618 4,404,954 6,534,932 3,165,037 2,781,412 - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Toro Putnam Company Voyager Common Unallocated Fund Stock contributions Total - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Investment income: Interest and dividends, net of plan expenses 1,112,269 63,836 0 4,196,039 Net appreciation in the fair value of investments 837,371 2,091,930 0 4,354,253 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net investment income 1,949,640 2,155,766 0 8,550,292 Employer contributions 152,177 175,902 13,582 700,494 Employee contributions 978,443 128,069 43,150 2,829,454 Rollover contributions 29,317 0 0 48,728 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total contributions 1,159,937 303,971 56,732 3,578,676 Benefit payments (202,592) (817,684) 0 (4,572,457) Transfers between funds 18,148,838 2,027,479 (4,255,567) 0 Transfers from other plans 0 12,350,382 2,029,099 48,813,329 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Increase (decrease) in net assets 0 available for plan benefits 21,055,823 16,019,914 (2,169,736) 56,369,840 Net assets available for plan benefits: Beginning of period 0 0 2,226,468 57,828,643 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of period 21,055,823 16,019,914 56,732 114,198,483 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See accompanying notes to financial statements. 4 THE TORO COMPANY INVESTMENT AND SAVINGS PLAN Notes to Financial Statements December 31, 1996 and 1995 (1) SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES BASIS OF STATEMENT PRESENTATION Effective August 1, 1995, The Toro Company (the Company) merged four of its profit sharing and retirement plans (the Toro Company Profit Sharing Plan and Trust Agreement for Minneapolis Factory Employees, the Toro Company Profit Sharing Plan and Trust Agreement for Windom Factory Employees, the Toro Company Profit Sharing Plan and Trust Agreement for Hourly Employees, and the Toro Company Matching Stock Plan) with the Toro Company Profit Sharing Plan and Trust Agreement for Office Employees. As a result of this merger, the net assets of the four plans were transferred to the Toro Company Profit Sharing Plan and Trust Agreement for Office Employees on August 1, 1995. The surviving plan, The Toro Company Profit Sharing Plan and Trust Agreement for Office Employees, was then renamed and restated as the Toro Company Investment and Savings Plan (the Plan). The fiscal year end of the Plan was changed from July 31st to December 31st effective August 1, 1995. The periods presented in the accompanying financial statements of the Plan represent the transitional period for the change in the Plan's fiscal year and includes statements of net assets available for plan benefits as of December 31, 1996 and 1995 and statements of changes in net assets available for plan benefits for the year ended December 31, 1996 and the five-month period ended December 31, 1995. The accompanying financial statements of the Plan are presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. INVESTMENTS Currently, the Company maintains one fund, the Toro Stable Value Fund, within the master trust agreement for three profit sharing and retirement plans which are sponsored by the Company. The three plans include the Toro Company Profit Sharing Plan and Trust Agreement for Plymouth Union Employees, the Toro Company Investment and Savings Plan, and the Toro Company Employee Stock Ownership Plan. The purpose of the master trust is to pool investment transactions and achieve uniform rates of return on comparable funds under all plans. On August 1, 1995, the investment assets of the Toro Company Profit Sharing Plan and Trust Agreement for Minneapolis Factory Employees, the Toro Company Profit Sharing Plan and Trust Agreement for Windom Factory Employees, the Toro Company Profit Sharing Plan and Trust Agreement for Hourly Employees, and the Toro Company Matching Stock Plan were transferred to the Plan. (Continued) 5 THE TORO COMPANY INVESTMENT AND SAVINGS PLAN The Plan's investments were held by Putnam Fiduciary Trust Company (the Trustee) as of December 31, 1996. Plan investments are invested in the following investment funds: (a) The Toro Stable Value Fund is invested in investment contracts with insurance companies, major banks, and other financial institutions. The fund's holdings may also include U.S. government agency mortgage-backed securities, AAA-rated asset-backed securities, high-quality debt securities, and money market investments. (b) The Putnam Growth and Income Fund is invested in common stock of companies with current income and capital growth. (c) The Putnam Asset Allocation Fund (Growth Portfolio) is invested in approximately 80% equity securities (primarily common stock) and 20% debt securities. (d) The Putnam Asset Allocation Fund (Balanced Portfolio) is invested in approximately 65% equity securities (primarily common stock) and 35% debt securities. (e) The Putnam Asset Allocation Fund (Conservative Portfolio) is invested in approximately 35% equity securities (primarily common stock) and 65% debt securities. (f) The Putnam Overseas Growth Fund is invested primarily in equity securities of companies located outside North America. (g) The Putnam Voyager Fund is invested primarily in common stocks of small to medium sized companies that have the potential for long-term capital appreciation. (h) The Toro Company's common stock. The Plan's share of net investment income from the master trust is determined by the Trustee based on the ratio of the fair value of the Plan's equity in the investment funds to the total net assets of the investment fund at the beginning of the plan year. The investment securities are stated at market values based upon published quotations or, in the absence of available quotations, at fair values determined by the Trustee. Purchases and sales of securities are recorded on a trade-date basis. The short term securities of the Toro Stable Value Fund are stated at cost, which approximates market. The Toro Stable Value Fund includes various fully benefit responsive investment contracts. These contracts are valued in the Plan at contract value, which includes cost plus accrued interest. These contracts have stated interest rates ranging from 5.41% to 8.98% and maturities ranging from the year 1997 through the year 2001. (Continued) 6 THE TORO COMPANY INVESTMENT AND SAVINGS PLAN ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. (2) DESCRIPTION OF PLAN The Plan is a defined contribution profit sharing plan sponsored by the Company. The Company, as administrator of the Plan, absorbs the major portion of administrative costs and trustee fees of the Plan. A general description of the Plan is contained in the Plan document dated July 20, 1995. Participants should refer to the Plan document for more complete information. Contributions are made under control of the plan administrator. Unallocated contributions represent contributions receivable which have not yet been allocated to the above-mentioned funds in the participants' predetermined allocation percentages. The allocation of the participants' and Company contributions to these investment funds is selected by the participants. Benefit payments and transfers of participants' interests are made under control of the Trustee. Company matching contributions, together with income attributable thereto, will vest at the rate of 20% after one year of vesting service, with an additional 20% being accumulated annually thereafter until the participant is 100% vested. (3) CONTRIBUTIONS The Company's funding policy is to make annual contributions to the Plan in amounts determined by a formula set forth in the Plan. The contribution formula is based on 5.5% of the participants' total compensation earned during the plan year plus 5.5% of the participants' compensation above the Social Security taxable wage base as of the beginning of the plan year. In addition, the Company is required to make a matching contribution equal to 50% of the participants' contributions to the Plan not to exceed two percent of the participant's total compensation. The contribution formula specifies a minimum annual contribution to the Plan. The Company contribution is allocated to participants based on compensation earned during the plan year. Investment income is allocated based on participants' account balances. The employee contributions consist of salary reduction elections under a 401(k) feature and rollover funds from other qualified plans. (Continued) 7 THE TORO COMPANY INVESTMENT AND SAVINGS PLAN (4) PARTY-IN-INTEREST TRANSACTIONS Putnam Fiduciary Trust Company and The Toro Company are parties-in-interest with respect to the Plan. In the opinion of the Plan's legal counsel, transactions between the Plan and the Trustee and the Company are exempt from being considered as "prohibited transactions" under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) Section 408(b). (5) PLAN TERMINATION The Company has voluntarily agreed to make contributions to the Plan. Although the Company has not expressed any intent to terminate the profit sharing plan agreement, it may do so at any time. Upon termination of the Plan, the interest of the participants in the Plan shall fully vest. (6) INVESTMENTS Under the terms of the trust agreement, the Trustee manages investment funds on behalf of the Plan. The Trustee has been granted discretionary authority concerning the purchases and sales of the investments of the investment funds. In accordance with the trust agreement, certain assets of the Plan are held together with assets of other plans sponsored by the Company in the master trust. Guaranteed investment contracts of the Toro Stable Value Fund of $2,132,761 issued by Confederation Life Insurance Company (CL) were held as of December 31, 1996. On August 12, 1994, CL was placed under court supervised rehabilitation. Beginning August 1, 1995, payments from the CL annuity contracts have been suspended pending further court action until such time as the fair market value of the CL annuity contracts can be determined. The action suspending distributions was consistent with procedures published by the Internal Revenue Service. Effective August 1, 1995, a loan agreement has been established between the Company and the Plan providing the Company to fund payments to plan participants (or their beneficiaries) for 100% of the interests of plan participants in the CL annuity contracts based on the valuation of the CL annuity contracts as of August 11, 1994. The CL annuity contracts are recorded in the accompanying financial statements and schedule at cost plus accrued interest as of August 11, 1994. No earnings have been recorded in the Plan's financial statements since August 11, 1994 related to these contracts. As of the date of this report, the Company is not aware of any principal loss associated with these investments. Accordingly, no provision for loss on the CL annuity contracts has been recognized in the accompanying financial statements. (Continued) 8 THE TORO COMPANY INVESTMENT AND SAVINGS PLAN The net assets available for benefits of the master trust totaled $38,396,941 at December 31, 1996. The net assets available for benefits of the master trust at December 31, 1995 were as follows: Toro Stable Value Fund ----------------------------------------------------------- Investments: Short term investment funds $824,163 Separate accounts 4,502,914 Guaranteed investment contracts 35,200,461 ----------------------------------------------------------- Total assets available for benefits $40,527,538 ----------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------- The changes in net assets available for benefits of the master trust for the year ended December 31, 1996 were as follows: Toro Stable Value Fund ----------------------------------------------------------- Investment income (interest and dividends) $2,379,455 Deposits by participating plans 1,085,723 Withdrawals by participating plans (5,595,775) ------------------------------------------------------------ Decrease in net assets (2,130,597) Net assets available for benefits: Beginning of year 40,527,538 ----------------------------------------------------------- End of period year $38,396,941 ----------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------- (Continued) 9 THE TORO COMPANY INVESTMENT AND SAVINGS PLAN The changes in net assets available for benefits of the master trust for the year ended December 31, 1995 were as follows: Toro Stable Value Fund ----------------------------------------------------------- Investment income (interest and dividends) $1,251,849 Deposits by participating plans 3,288,117 Withdrawals by participating plans (42,581,535) ----------------------------------------------------------- Decrease in net assets (38,041,569) Net assets available for benefits: Beginning of year 78,569,107 ----------------------------------------------------------- End of year $40,527,538 ----------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------- The Plan's proportionate share of net investment income from the master trust is based upon the percentage of the fair value of the Plan's investment in the master trust's assets. The Plan's percentage interest in the net assets of the master trust was approximately 97% as of December 31, 1996. The following investments represent 5% or more of the Plan's net assets available for plan benefits as of December 31, 1996: Toro Stable Value Fund $37,129,761 Putnam Growth and Income Fund 28,800,695 Putnam Asset Allocation Fund (Balanced Portfolio) 8,420,008 Putnam Voyager Fund 27,832,278 The Toro Company common stock 17,485,950 (7) FEDERAL INCOME TAXES The plan administrator has received a determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service dated July 18, 1996 stating that the Plan is qualified under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code and that the trust created under the Plan is exempt from federal income taxes under Section 501(a) of the Code. The plan administrator believes that the Plan and its related trust continue to qualify under the provisions of Sections 401(a) and 501(a) of the Code and are exempt from federal income taxes. 10 SCHEDULE 1 THE TORO COMPANY INVESTMENT AND SAVINGS PLAN Item 27a--Schedule of Assets Held for Investment Purposes December 31, 1996
Face amount Market Description or shares Cost value - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Toro Stable Value Fund* 36,048,312 $ 36,171,281 37,129,761 Putnam Growth and Income Fund* 1,598,263 25,091,973 28,800,695 Putnam Asset Allocation Fund (Growth Portfolio)* 551,833 5,459,628 6,197,085 Putnam Asset Allocation Fund (Balanced Portfolio)* 802,670 7,739,733 8,420,008 Putnam Asset Allocation Fund (Conservative Portfolio)* 442,097 4,053,325 4,235,289 Putnam Overseas Growth Fund* 283,982 3,698,280 4,268,244 Putnam Voyager Fund* 1,726,568 26,018,927 27,832,278 The Toro Company common stock* 479,067 11,647,495 17,485,950 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total investments $ 119,880,642 134,369,310 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Party-in-interest. See accompanying independent auditor's report. 1


                            INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' CONSENT


The Board of Directors
The Toro Company:


We consent to the incorporation by reference in the registration statements of
The Toro Company on Forms S-3 and S-8 (File Nos. 333-20901, 33-26268, 33-31586,
33-38308, 33-44668, 33-51563, 33-55550, 33-59563, and 333-4521) of our report
dated June 24, 1997, relating to the statements of net assets available for plan
benefits of  The Toro Company Investment and Savings Plan as of December 31,
1996 and 1995, and the related statements of changes in net assets available for
plan benefits for the year ended December 31, 1996 and the five-month period
ended December 31, 1995.


                                  KPMG Peat Marwick LLP


Minneapolis, Minnesota
June 30, 1997