Summary
Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) has filed an 8-K report on August 13, 2018, to provide supplemental information on its retail sales statistics. This data, which is based on unaudited reports from independent dealers and OEMs, offers insights into the demand trends for Caterpillar's machinery and power systems. The report highlights rolling three-month retail sales figures by geographic region for the Construction Industries and Resource Industries segments, as well as by end-use for the Energy & Transportation segment. Investors should note that this information is intended to indicate trends and is not a substitute for audited financial statements, and Caterpillar does not undertake to update this information. The key takeaway from the provided data for the rolling three-month period ending July 2018, shows robust year-over-year growth in retail machine sales globally, up 24%. This growth is broad-based, with North America showing a strong 27% increase, Asia/Pacific up 30%, and EAME up 13%. Resource Industries saw particularly strong performance with global retail sales up 34%, driven by significant gains in North America (34%) and EAME (43%). The Energy & Transportation segment also experienced positive momentum, with global retail sales up 11%, led by a strong 24% rise in Oil & Gas. These positive retail sales trends suggest healthy demand in the industries Caterpillar serves, particularly in mining (Resource Industries) and oil and gas (Energy & Transportation), as well as a generally positive outlook for construction machinery. While the data is supplemental and unaudited, it provides a valuable, near-real-time indicator of the company's market engagement and operational environment, which is crucial for investors seeking to understand underlying business momentum beyond reported financial quarters.
Key Highlights
- 1Caterpillar is providing supplemental, unaudited retail sales data for machines and power systems to give investors a better understanding of market trends.
- 2Global retail sales of machines showed a strong increase of 24% for the rolling three-month period ended July 2018, compared to the prior year.
- 3The Resource Industries segment experienced particularly robust growth, with global retail sales up 34% for the period.
- 4The Construction Industries segment also demonstrated positive momentum, with global retail sales increasing by 22%.
- 5North America was a significant contributor to growth, with machine retail sales up 27% and Resource Industries up 34%.
- 6The Energy & Transportation segment reported global retail sales up 11%, with Oil & Gas retail sales showing a substantial 24% increase.
- 7The data is based on dealer and OEM reports, is not subject to internal controls, and is intended to indicate trends rather than serve as a predictor of audited financial results.