Caterpillar Reports Third-Quarter 2018 Results
October 23, 2018
Caterpillar Reports Third-Quarter 2018 Results
Record Third-Quarter Profit Per Share Driven by Higher Sales and Strong Operational Performance
- Third-quarter sales and revenues up 18 percent
- Best third-quarter profit per share in company history
- Contributed $1 billion to pension plans; repurchased $750 million of shares; paid $511 million in dividends
- Profit per share outlook $10.65 to $11.65; maintained adjusted profit per share outlook at $11.00 to $12.00
DEERFIELD, Ill. — Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) today announced third-quarter 2018 sales and revenues of $13.5 billion, compared with $11.4 billion in the third quarter of 2017, an 18 percent increase. Third-quarter 2018 profit per share of $2.88 was a third-quarter record. Profit per share was $1.77 in the third quarter of 2017. Excluding restructuring costs and a net tax benefit to adjust deferred tax balances, adjusted profit per share in the third quarter of 2018 was $2.86, compared with third-quarter 2017 adjusted profit per share of $1.95.
During the third quarter of 2018, Machinery, Energy & Transportation (ME&T) operating cash flow was $848 million. In the quarter, the company deployed significant capital, including a discretionary pension contribution of $1.0 billion, the repurchase of $750 million of Caterpillar common stock and a dividend payment of $511 million. The enterprise cash balance at the end of the third quarter of 2018 was $8.0 billion.
“This was the best third-quarter profit per share in our company’s history,” said Caterpillar CEO Jim Umpleby. “Our global team continues to do excellent work focusing on our customers’ success and executing our strategy for profitable growth.”
2018 Outlook
The company’s 2018 profit per share outlook is a range of $10.65 to $11.65. The company is maintaining the adjusted profit per share outlook range of $11.00 to $12.00. The current profit per share outlook now includes a net tax benefit of $95 million that was recorded in the third quarter of 2018 to adjust deferred tax balances. The outlook for adjusted profit per share excludes restructuring costs of about $400 million and the net tax benefit.
Most end markets continue to improve. Order rates and backlog remain healthy. In the fourth quarter, price realization, operational excellence and cost discipline are expected to more than offset higher material and freight costs, including tariffs.
The outlook does not include a mark-to-market gain or loss for remeasurement of pension and other postemployment benefit (OPEB) plans and any additional changes to provisional estimates recorded in 2017 for U.S. tax reform.
Notes:
- Glossary of terms is included on pages 11-12; first occurrence of terms shown in bold italics.
- Information on non-GAAP financial measures is included on page 13.
- Caterpillar will conduct a teleconference and live webcast, with a slide presentation, beginning at 10 a.m. Central Time on Tuesday, October 23, 2018, to discuss its 2018 third-quarter financial results. The accompanying slides will be available before the webcast on the Caterpillar website at http://www.caterpillar.com/investors/events-and-presentations.
Reports
About Caterpillar:
For more than 90 years, Caterpillar Inc. has been making sustainable progress possible and driving positive change on every continent. Customers turn to Caterpillar to help them develop infrastructure, energy and natural resource assets. With 2017 sales and revenues of $45.462 billion, Caterpillar is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives. The company principally operates through its three primary segments - Construction Industries, Resource Industries and Energy & Transportation - and also provides financing and related services through its Financial Products segment. For more information, visit caterpillar.com. To connect with us on social media, visit caterpillar.com/social-media.
Click here to download the full version of the Caterpillar Inc. 3Q 2018 results release.
Click here to download the Caterpillar Inc. 3Q 2018 quarterly highlights.
Caterpillar contact: Corrie Scott, 224-551-4133 (Office), 808-351-3865 (Mobile) or [email protected]