Caterpillar Inc. announced third-quarter 2017 sales and revenues of $11.4 billion, compared with $9.2 billion in the third quarter of 2016. Third-quarter 2017 profit per share was $1.77, compared with $0.48 per share in the third quarter of 2016. Excluding restructuring costs, third-quarter 2017 adjusted profit per share was $1.95, compared with third-quarter 2016 adjusted profit per share of $0.85.
Caterpillar's financial position continued to strengthen in the quarter. Machinery, Energy & Transportation (ME&T) operating cash flow was about $600 million during the third quarter, and ME&T's debt-to-capital ratio improved to 36.1 percent, down from 38.6 percent at the end of the second quarter. The company ended the third quarter of 2017 with an enterprise cash balance of $9.6 billion.
"Higher sales volume and our team's focus on cost discipline resulted in improved profit margins across our three primary segments," said Caterpillar CEO Jim Umpleby.
Caterpillar continues to see strength in a number of industries and regions, including construction in China, on-shore oil and gas in North America, and increased capital investments by mining customers. We are working with our supply chain to increase production levels to satisfy customer demand for those markets that have improved.
In July 2017, Caterpillar provided an outlook range for full-year 2017 sales and revenues of $42 billion to $44 billion, with a midpoint of $43 billion. The company now expects full-year 2017 sales and revenues of about $44 billion.
For the full year of 2017, Caterpillar now expects profit per share of about $4.60, or adjusted profit per share of about $6.25. The previous outlook for 2017 profit was about $3.50 per share at the midpoint of the sales and revenues outlook, or adjusted profit per share of about $5.00. The company now expects to incur about $1.3 billion of restructuring costs in 2017, a slight increase from the previous outlook of about $1.2 billion. The outlook does not include potential mark-to-market gains or losses related to pension and other postemployment benefit (OPEB) plans. While the final impact will not be known until year end, the impact would be negative to profit based on information as of the end of the third quarter.
"As a result of our team's strong performance, we are raising our 2017 profit outlook," continued Umpleby. "We are executing our new strategy for profitable growth based on operational excellence, expanded offerings and services."
