Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT) has surpassed expectations with a double-digit increase in operating profit, propelling its shares to a record high. The Texas-based company’s strong performance is attributed to robust demand for mining equipment and higher prices across its machinery divisions.
Caterpillar’s shares rose by 5% following the announcement of its impressive operating profit. The demand for heavy machinery remained steady among commercial clients, and dealer inventories experienced a noteworthy decline of $900 million, the first drop in four quarters. This decrease is seen as an encouraging sign that spending remains resilient, bolstered by President Joe Biden’s $1 trillion infrastructure law aimed at upgrading transportation infrastructure.
Analysts anticipate that Caterpillar’s strong position in commercial construction, which constitutes 75% of its business, will help safeguard the company’s margins this year, even in the face of an anticipated global economic growth slowdown.
The stock has become a significant barometer for the industrial and global economy, demonstrating unexpected resilience. Kristen Owen, Executive Director at Oppenheimer & Co Inc., noted that Caterpillar has been more resilient than expected.
Chief Financial Officer Andrew Bonfield expressed optimism during a conference call, stating that top-line estimates would be relatively similar to last year, emphasizing the achievable nature of the bottom end of the range.
Retail sales in North America increased by 11% year-on-year, while purchases for commercial customers in the Asia Pacific region decreased by 5%, influenced by challenges in China’s property market.
Caterpillar’s profit margins have been supported by a substantial $28.1 billion order backlog for construction equipment and demand from customers in oil and gas, power generation, rail, and defense over the past year.
Despite signs of weakening drilling at North American oil rigs, Caterpillar continues to benefit from higher purchase volumes for haul trucks and other mid- to large-sized mining equipment.
The company’s full-year operating margin was aided by purchases of heavy machinery from the construction and mining industries. Profit in the energy and transportation segment, making Caterpillar the world’s largest construction company, rose by 21% from the previous year.
In the fourth quarter, Caterpillar’s operating profit margin increased to 18.4%, up from 10.1% a year earlier. The company reported a fourth-quarter profit of $2.68 billion, or $5.28 per share, exceeding consensus estimates of $4.75 per share. Sales and revenue for the quarter, ending on Dec. 31, aligned with analysts’ forecasts, rising to $17.1 billion from $16.6 billion.
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