Caterpillar Now Makes Almost as Much Selling Power as It Does Selling Construction Equipment
The power business now earns more profit than the famous yellow machines do.
Overview
Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT) reported second-quarter results on Tuesday, and the headline number was a company first. Sales and revenues rose 24% year over year to $20.5 billion -- the first time Caterpillar has cleared $20 billion in a single quarter. Shares were up about 6% in Tuesday trading as of this writing, to around $880.
The more interesting story sits one layer down, in the segment results. Construction industries (the bulldozers, excavators, and loaders most investors picture when they hear the name) produced $8.3 billion of sales. Power and energy, the segment that sells generator engines and turbines, produced $8.2 billion -- with much of that demand now coming from data centers.
Details
In other words, Caterpillar now sells nearly as much power equipment as construction equipment. And on the profit line, the power business has arguably already pulled ahead.
Source
Originally published at www.fool.com.