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CATERPILLAR INC Annual Report, Year Ended Dec 31, 2020

Filing Date
Filed February 17, 2021
Period End
December 31, 2020
Security
CAT
One revenue dollarkept$0.07
In the record · 2016–202610-K1110-Q328-K184

CAT filed 11 annual reports (10-K), 32 quarterly reports (10-Q) and 184 current reports (8-K) between 2016 and 2026.

  1. Material agreement8-K · Sep ’17Sep ’17
  2. Material agreement8-K · Apr ’20Apr ’20
  3. Leadership change8-K · Feb ’23Feb ’23
  4. Leadership change8-K · Oct ’26Oct ’26

Summary

Summary of the 10-K filed February 17, 2021. Cited figures are marked; the original filing is the authoritative source.

Caterpillar Inc. reported a significant year-over-year decline in sales and revenues for 2020, with a total of $41.748 billiona, a 22% decrease from 2019.

This downturn was primarily attributed to lower end-user demand for equipment and services, exacerbated by the global economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and a reduction in dealer inventories. Profit per share also saw a substantial decrease, from $10.74 in 2019 to $5.46b in 2020. The company's primary segments, Construction Industries, Resource Industries, and Energy & Transportation, all experienced sales declines.

The Financial Products segment also saw a revenue decrease. Despite the challenges, Caterpillar maintained a strong liquidity position, ending 2020 with $9.4 billionc in enterprise cash and over $14 billion in available liquidity sources. The company's strategic priorities include maintaining a strong financial position, funding operational requirements, and returning capital to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases, though share repurchases were temporarily suspended in the latter half of 2020 due to economic uncertainty.

Key Highlights

  1. 2020 sales and revenues decreased by 22% to $41.748 billion compared to $53.800 billion in 2019.
  2. Profit per share decreased significantly to $5.46 in 2020 from $10.74 in 2019.
  3. All three primary segments (Construction Industries, Resource Industries, and Energy & Transportation) experienced lower sales volumes due to reduced end-user demand and inventory adjustments.
  4. The company maintained a strong liquidity position with $9.4 billion in enterprise cash and over $14 billion in available liquidity sources at the end of 2020.
  5. Short-term incentive compensation expense was suspended for much of 2020, contributing to lower SG&A and manufacturing costs, but also impacting profit.
  6. Dealers reduced machine and engine inventories by approximately $2.9 billion in 2020, a reversal from an increase in 2019.
  7. The company ended 2020 with $9.4 billion in enterprise cash and more than $14 billion of available liquidity sources, indicating financial resilience despite reduced sales.

Follow one dollar

Of each $1.00 of revenue in FY2020, Caterpillar Inc kept $0.07.

  1. Revenue$41.75B100.0%
  2. Cost of revenue−$29.08B69.7%
  3. Gross profit$12.67B30.3%
  4. Operating costs−$8.11B19.4%
  5. Operating income$4.55B10.9%
  6. Interest, other & tax−$1.55B3.7%
  7. Net income$3.00B7.2%
Computed from 10-KFY2020filed February 17, 2021Computed from this filing’s revenue, gross profit, operating income and net income · right columngrey figure: share of revenue

Where FY2020 revenue went

$41.75B
  • Cost of revenue: $29.08B, 70% of revenue
  • Net income: $3.00B, 7.2% of revenue
  • R&D: $1.42B, 3.4% of revenue
  • SG&A: $4.64B, 11% of revenue
  • Other operating costs: $2.06B, 4.9% of revenue
  • Interest, other & tax: $1.55B, 3.7% of revenue

Kept 7.2% as net incomeNet income $3.00B · 7.2%

Full revenue history →

Financial Statements

FY2020 against FY2019

Line itemFY2020FY2019Change
Revenue$41.75B$53.80B−22.4%
Cost of Revenue$29.08B$36.63B−20.6%
Gross Profit$12.67B$17.17B−26.2%
R&D Expenses$1.42B$1.69B−16.4%
SG&A Expenses$4.64B$5.16B−10.1%
Operating Expenses$37.20B$45.51B−18.3%
Operating Income$4.55B$8.29B−45.1%
Net Income$3.00B$6.09B−50.8%
EPS (Basic)$5.51$10.85−49.2%
EPS (Diluted)$5.46$10.74−49.2%
Shares Outstanding (Basic)544.10M561.60M−3.1%
Shares Outstanding (Diluted)548.60M567.50M−3.3%

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What was the primary driver for Caterpillar's sales decline in 2020?

    The primary driver for Caterpillar's sales decline in 2020 was lower end-user demand for equipment and services, significantly impacted by the global economic conditions stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, a reduction in dealer inventories contributed to the decrease.

  2. How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect Caterpillar's financial performance?

    The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted Caterpillar's financial performance by reducing end-user demand for its products and services, leading to lower sales and revenues. It also caused supply chain disruptions and economic uncertainty, which affected customer and dealer financial health. The company implemented safeguards to protect its workforce and operations during the pandemic.

  3. What is Caterpillar's approach to managing its financial liquidity and capital resources?

    Caterpillar prioritizes maintaining a strong financial position, which includes robust liquidity. The company generates significant capital from operations and utilizes diverse funding sources. At the end of 2020, it had substantial cash and liquidity reserves. Its capital allocation strategy focuses on maintaining a mid-A credit rating, funding operations, investing in strategic growth, and returning capital to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases, although share repurchases were temporarily suspended in late 2020.

  4. How did Caterpillar's Financial Products segment perform in 2020?

    The Financial Products segment experienced a revenue decrease of 11% in 2020, primarily due to lower average financing rates and a reduction in average earning assets. Segment profit also declined, mainly attributed to a higher provision for credit losses, an unfavorable impact from returned or repossessed equipment, and lower net yield on earning assets, partially offset by reduced SG&A expenses.