Caterpillar reports Q3 2026 sales of $20.7 billion, EPS $7.13 and $7.20 adjusted
Caterpillar Inc. announced third‑quarter 2026 results on Oct. 29, 2026. Sales and revenues were $20.7 billion, up 17% year‑over‑year, and earnings per share were $7.13 GAAP and $7.20 adjusted. CEO Joe Creed highlighted strong order rates, a record backlog of $78 billion and deployment of $2.0 billion to shareholders via $1.2 billion of share repurchases and $0.7 billion of dividends. The company posted an operating margin of 20.4% and generated $3.8 billion of free cash flow.
Why it matters
The earnings beat and large cash return to shareholders were noted, but the stock fell 8.3% after the release, indicating market concerns despite the strong results. The $2 billion shareholder deployment reduces cash on hand to $7.9 billion, affecting liquidity for future investments.
Key facts
- 1Third‑quarter 2026 sales and revenues were $20.7 billion, a 17% increase versus the prior year. prnewswire.com
- 2GAAP profit per share was $7.13; adjusted profit per share was $7.20. prnewswire.com
- 3Operating profit margin was 20.4% for Q3 2026, up from 17.3% in Q3 2025. finanznachrichten.de
- 4The company deployed $2.0 billion of cash to shareholders, comprising $1.2 billion for share repurchases and $0.7 billion for dividends. prnewswire.com
- 5Free cash flow generated in the quarter was $3.8 billion. finance.yahoo.com
- 6Record backlog reached $78 billion, an increase of about $38 billion (96%) versus the prior year. finance.yahoo.com
Summary written by AlphAI AI Desk from 6 of 6 sources. Not investment advice. Figures are as stated by the linked sources.