Caterpillar Reports 17% Quarterly Sales Growth as Power Equipment Demand Rises

Caterpillar reported a 17% increase in third-quarter 2026 sales and revenue to $20.7 billion, as stronger equipment volumes and pricing lifted the US machinery manufacturer's results. Revenue was $17.6 billion in the comparable quarter a year earlier.

Adjusted profit rose to $7.20 per share from $4.95 a year earlier. Reported profit per share was $7.13, compared with $4.88 in the third quarter of 2025. The difference reflects adjustments that exclude restructuring costs, so the two profit measures should not be treated as interchangeable.

Sales in Caterpillar's Power & Energy and Construction Industries businesses each increased 18%, while Resource Industries sales grew 15%. Demand for generators and related power equipment has benefited from investment in electricity-intensive data centres, alongside more traditional industrial customers. The company said increased equipment volumes and improved pricing contributed to the quarterly revenue gain.

Caterpillar reported $4.4 billion of enterprise operating cash flow during the quarter and $7.9 billion of enterprise cash at period-end. It distributed $1.2 billion through share repurchases and $0.7 billion through dividends. These are completed third-quarter payments, not planned future distributions.

The company maintained its annual sales-growth expectations despite the stronger quarter. Its results offer a view of demand across construction, mining and energy infrastructure, although a single quarter does not establish how long data-centre spending will support equipment orders.