Replies to post #1059 on Caterpillar Inc (CAT)

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CAT does not provide specific guidance for sales or EPS, but it expects 2024 sales to be similar to 2023 (see slide #18 at the link in the previous message).

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Excluding restructuring costs from non-GAAP EPS is a policy that I take issue with insofar as a multinational, multifaceted business such as CAT’s has restructuring costs continually. In 4Q23, however, non-GAAP EPS came in slightly lower than GAAP EPS due to the exclusion from non-GAAP EPS of one-time tax and OPEB benefits.

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The stock, +5% in the PM session, is trading at an all-time high.

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CAT 4Q23 CC transcript:

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/q4-2023-caterpillar-inc-earnings-042056993.html

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CAT independent director bought $110K of stock on the open market last Friday:

https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/18230/000110465924027620/xslF345X05/tm247306-1_4seq1.xml

You don’t often see insider buying when a stock is trading within a hair of its all-time high.

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CAT reports 1Q24 results—shares_slide_on_soft 2Q24 guidance:

https://www.caterpillar.com/content/dam/caterpillarDotCom/releases/1q24/1q24-caterpillar-inc-financial-results.pdf

1Q24 sales were $15.8B, flat YoY, with price increases offsetting lower volume. Sales in the Construction and Resources Industries (mining equipment) segments were -5% and -7% YoY, respectively, while sales in the Energy & Transportation segment were +7% YoY. The E&T segment comprised 45% of CAT’s product sales in 1Q24.

1Q24 non-GAAP EPS was $5.60, up from $4.91 in 1Q23. 1Q24 GAAP EPS was $5.75 up/down from $3.74 in 1Q23.

CAT does not provide specific guidance for sales or EPS, but it expects full-year 2024 sales to be similar to 2023. However, CAT guided to lower 2Q24 sales compared to 2Q23 (see slide #17), and this is apparently what caused today’s rather sharp selloff.