Caterpillar reports third-quarter 2021 results

Picture credit: Bloomberg

● Third-quarter 2021 sales and revenues increased 25% to $12.4 billion

● Third-quarter 2021 profit per share of $2.60; adjusted profit per share of $2.66

● Strong balance sheet; returned $2.0 billion to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases in the quarter

Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) today announced third-quarter 2021 sales and revenues of $12.4 billion, a 25% increase compared with $9.9 billion in the third quarter of 2020. The increase was primarily due to higher sales volume, driven by higher end-user demand for equipment and services, and favorable price realization.

Operating profit margin was 13.4% for the third quarter of 2021, compared with 10.0% for the third quarter of 2020. Third-quarter 2021 profit per share was $2.60, compared with third-quarter 2020 profit per share of $1.22. Adjusted profit per share in the third quarter of 2021 was $2.66, compared with third-quarter 2020 adjusted profit per share of $1.52. Third-quarter 2021 adjusted profit per share of $2.66 reflected strong operational performance and a lower-than-expected effective tax rate. Adjusted profit per share for both quarters excluded restructuring costs, while the third quarter of 2020 also excluded re measurement losses of $0.12 per share, resulting from the settlements of pension obligations. Please see a reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP financial measures in the appendix on page 13.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2021, enterprise operating cash flow was $5.8 billion and the company ended the third quarter with $9.4 billion of enterprise cash. In the quarter, the company repurchased $1.4 billion of Caterpillar common stock and paid dividends of $0.6 billion.

“Our global team continues to execute our long-term strategy for profitable growth while working to mitigate supply chain challenges as we serve our customers,” said Chairman and CEO Jim Umpleby. “Our third-quarter results reflect higher sales and revenues across our three primary segments and in all regions.”

CONSOLIDATED RESULTS:

Consolidated Sales and Revenues

The chart above graphically illustrates reasons for the change in consolidated sales and revenues between the third quarter of 2020 (at left) and the third quarter of 2021 (at right). Caterpillar management utilizes these charts internally to visually communicate with the company’s Board of Directors and employees.

Total sales and revenues for the third quarter of 2021 were $12.397 billion, an increase of $2.516 billion, or 25%, compared with $9.881 billion in the third quarter of 2020. The increase was primarily due to higher sales volume driven by higher end-user demand for equipment and services and the impact from changes in dealer inventories, along with favorable price realization. Dealers decreased inventories by $600 million during the third quarter of 2020, compared with a decrease of $300 million during the third quarter of 2021.

Consolidated Operating Profit

Operating profit for the third quarter of 2021 was $1.664 billion, an increase of $679 million, or 69%, compared with $985 million in the third quarter of 2020. The increase was primarily due to higher sales volume and favorable price realization, partially offset by higher selling, general and administrative (SG&A) and research and development (R&D) expenses as well as higher manufacturing costs.

Unfavorable manufacturing costs reflected higher variable labor and burden, primarily freight, and higher period manufacturing and material costs, partially offset by favorable cost absorption and lower warranty expense. Cost absorption was favorable as inventory increased during the third quarter of 2021.

The increase in both SG&A/R&D expenses and period manufacturing costs was mainly driven by higher short-term incentive compensation expense, which was reinstated in 2021, and investments aligned with the company's strategy for profitable growth, including acquisition-related expenses.

Other Profit/Loss and Tax Items

•Other income (expense) in the third quarter of 2021 was income of $225 million, compared with income of $14 million in the third quarter of 2020. The change was primarily due to favorable impacts from foreign currency exchange gains (losses), the absence of re measurement losses resulting from the settlements of pension obligations that occurred in the third quarter of 2020 and favorable pension and other postemployment benefit (OPEB) plan costs.

The company experienced foreign currency exchange net gains in the third quarter of 2021, primarily due to the euro, compared with net losses in the third quarter of 2020.

•The provision for income taxes for the third quarter of 2021 reflected a lower estimated annual tax rate of 25%, compared with 31% for the third quarter of 2020, excluding the discrete items discussed below. The comparative tax rate for full-year 2020 was approximately 28%. The decrease in the estimated annual tax rate from full-year 2020 was primarily related to changes in the expected geographic mix of profits from a tax perspective for 2021.

In the third quarter of 2021, the company recorded a $39 million benefit due to the change from the second-quarter estimated annual tax rate of 26%. In addition, the company recorded discrete tax benefits of $36 million to reflect changes in estimates related to prior year U.S. taxes in the third quarter of 2021 compared to $80 million in the third quarter of 2020. In the third quarter of 2020, a discrete tax benefit of $13 million was recorded for settlement of stock-based compensation awards along with a $12 million tax benefit related to the $77 million of re measurement losses resulting from the settlements of pension obligations.