Caterpillar Reports First-Quarter 2024 Results

IRVING, Texas, April 25, 2024 – Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) announced first-quarter 2024 results. Sales and revenues for the first quarter of 2024 were $15.8 billion, about flat to the first quarter of 2023, due to lower sales volume, which was mostly offset by favorable price realization.

Operating profit margin was 22.3% for the first quarter of 2024, compared with 17.2% for the first quarter of 2023. Adjusted operating profit margin was 22.2% for the first quarter of 2024, compared with 21.1% for the first quarter of 2023. First-quarter 2024 profit per share was $5.75, compared with first-quarter 2023 profit per share of $3.74. Adjusted profit per share in the first quarter of 2024 was $5.60, compared with first-quarter 2023 adjusted profit per share of $4.91. In the first quarter of 2024 and 2023, adjusted operating profit margin and adjusted profit per share excluded restructuring income/costs.

For the three months ended March 31, 2024, enterprise operating cash flow was $2.1 billion, and the company ended the first quarter with $5.0 billion of enterprise cash. In the quarter, the company deployed $4.5 billion of cash for repurchases of Caterpillar common stock and $0.6 billion of cash for dividends.

“I’m pleased with our team’s performance that resulted in higher adjusted operating profit margin, record adjusted profit per share and strong ME&T free cash flow. Our strong balance sheet and ME&T free cash flow allowed us to deploy a record $5.1 billion of cash for share repurchases and dividends in the first quarter,” said Chairman and CEO Jim Umpleby. "We continue to execute our strategy for long-term profitable growth.”