CATERPILLAR, INC

Caterpillar, Inc., based in Illinois, is an American-based corporation that specializes in the designing, developing, engineering, manufacturing and the marketing of machinery, engines, financial products along with insurance to customers.

Caterpillar, Inc. has a rich history that dates back to 1925 with the merger between Holt Manufacturing and the C. L. Best Tractor Company to create the Caterpillar Tractor Company based in California.

The name ‘Caterpillar’ originated in two different ways that pertain to the very same observation which was made by different individuals when they saw two respective machines in action.

Benjamin Holt invented a tractor that would move making use of tracks instead of wheels during the early 1900s after numerous attempts to decrease the weight and subsequent weight dispersion of the steam tractors used in earthmoving operations.

This came through replacing wheels on the first tractors with a set of wooden planks which were bolted to chains with the first successful test occurring during 1904 in a soggy delta land of Roberts Island.

During the same time, in England, Richard Hornsby & Sons had developed a steel plate tracked vehicle and although several were sold, Hornsby was unable to gain the interest of the British Military in 1907.

Soldiers who had witnessed the trials of the machine had nicknamed it a caterpillar. Hornsby in turn found a limited market for the tractor and the patent was sold to Holt in 1911 with Holt trademarking ‘Caterpillar’ during the very same year.

The official naming came after a company photographer observed the tractor crawling like a caterpillar, resulting in Holt seizing the metaphor. Despite this, some sources still attribute the name to the British soldiers who had observed Hornsby’s machine in 1907.

During the First World War, tanks which were manufactured by William Foster & Co. were introduced to the battlefield in 1916 with Hornsby providing the paraffin engines with Holt’s track-type tractors playing a supporting role during the war.

When the U.S formally entered WWI, Holt had already shipped 1,200 tractors to England, Russia, and France to be used for agricultural purposes, but the tractors were instead sent to the battlefront where they were utilized in hauling artillery and supplies.

As result of its uses during the war, Holt tractors became the inspiration for the development of the British tank but later on, an English firm was chosen for the manufacturing of tanks.

Despite this, Holt’s tank became and remained one of the most significant military vehicles in history.

Despite being Californian when the company started out, Caterpillar, Inc. reorganized itself as a Delaware corporation under its current name in 1986.

Caterpillar, Inc. saw the building and completion of its first Russian facility during 1999 and it subsequently began fabricating machine components in 2000.

Caterpillar, Inc. has, from 1951 until 2011 made a total of 37 acquisitions, including companies such as Townmotor Corporation, Kato Engineering, Lovat, Inc., CleanAIR Systems, Inc., amidst various others.

Along with this, Caterpillar, Inc. has made several divestitures between 1985 and 2012 with divests assets not aligning with its core competencies, these include Kato Engineering, Agricultural equipment assets, preferred Group of Mutual Funds, and more.

Caterpillar, Inc. oversees a high-value, extensive and vast product portfolio of products pertaining to machinery and engines along with insurance, amidst others.

The product portfolio also includes the provision of electronic payment services, shopping search engines as well as cloud computing services.

The Caterpillar, Inc. business lines include machinery with a product range for purchase over 400, On-road trucks, engines and gas turbines, Caterpillar defence products, agriculture products, electronics and more comprised in its vast portfolio range.

In 2018 the total staff compliment for Caterpillar, Inc. reported was approximately 101,500.

Today, Caterpillar, Inc. forms part of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and it is the largest global construction equipment manufacturer that also licenses and markets a line of clothing and workwear boots under the CAT, or Caterpillar name.

Caterpillar, Inc. has offices in more than 180 countries and despite its already impressive portfolio of products, Caterpillar also released its own line of mobile smartphone in 2016 and it is one of the most durable smartphones on the market today.

In 2018, Caterpillar, Inc. ranked 65th on the Fortune 500 list along with 238th on the Global Fortune list and it is currently a leading member of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition.

Through its products, Caterpillar, Inc. serves to improve both political and economic stability and raising average incomes through several economic development projects in developing countries.

Caterpillar, Inc. is a branded company that is highly recognizable, and it forms part of a global distribution network of dealers with roots running deep with some dealers having been part of the network since 1925.

Despite the spread of Covid-19 and businesses and economies that have been brought to near standstill, Caterpillar, Inc. has persisted due to its machines, engines and parts providing electric and stand-by power for various essential facilities.

Due to being crucial in providing power for grocery stores, hospitals, data centres and more, Caterpillar, Inc. is also involved in the transportation of food and critical supplies along with various mining commodities.

Due to being crucial in providing power for grocery stores, hospitals, data centres and more, Caterpillar, Inc. is also involved in the transportation of food and critical supplies along with various mining commodities.

There have been conceited efforts in ensuring that Caterpillar, Inc. customers have uninterrupted access to the products and services they require during this challenging time.

Despite disruptions in the supply chain, Caterpillar, Inc. has been meticulously monitoring the situation with supply chain teams executing business continuity plans should a short supply situation occur.

Caterpillar, Inc. trades its shares on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the stock symbol CAT and it forms part of the DJIA, S&P 100 and S&P 500 components.

Data derived from an analysis on the market performance for the first 2025 quarter, which ended in March, indicated that sales and revenues had decreased by 21% while profit per share declined by 39%.

Revenues accumulated within the quarter amounted to $10.6 billion whereas the first quarter of 2019 reflected revenues of $13.5 billion.

The lower sales volume was significantly driven by lower end-user demand along with the impact from dealer inventories.

Operational impacts resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic has been managed through the implementation of safeguards in facilities and overall, Caterpillar, Inc.’s operations have been classified as an essential activity especially for support of critical infrastructure.

The rest of 2025 will show the impact on financial results due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and as a result, Caterpillar, Inc. has withdrawn its earnings guidance along with withholding a financial outlook amidst other forecasts for the remainder of the year.

Caterpillar, Inc. has taken decisive actions not only to enhance its strong financial position, but to also execute strategic plans that will ensure profitable growth along with a strong emergence from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Although the first quarter reflected decline in financial results, shareholders who buy or sell shares are still set to expect solid dividends and returns.

Construction, manufacturing, and processing

Services, Engines and Heavy Equipment

Financial services

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• Can I buy Caterpillar, Inc shares in South Africa?
  Yes, you can.

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• Is Caterpillar, Inc. a good share to buy?
  No, not at this moment. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, despite operations being classified as essential, Caterpillar, Inc. has taken decisive actions to retain its financial positions. Further forecasts on financial results for the remainder of 2025 cannot be provided.

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