Caterpillar 1Q sales rise as dealers boost inventory levels

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Caterpillar’s sales rose in the first quarter as market conditions for the machinery company begin to improve and dealers increase their inventory levels.

Revenue climbed to $11.89 billion from $10.64 billion thanks to increased sales volume driven by higher end-user demand and changes in dealer inventories. Dealers boosted inventories by $700 million during the first quarter compared with $100 million in the prior-year period.

The performance easily beat the $11.05 billion in revenue analysts polled by Zacks Investment Research expected.

Shares climbed nearly 3% before the market open on Thursday.

Sales for the construction industries segment rose 27%. North American sales climbed slightly, with higher end-user demand driven mostly by residential construction.

“We’re encouraged by improving conditions in our end markets and are proactively managing supply chain risks,” Chairman and CEO Jim Umpleby said in a statement.

For the three months ended March 31, Caterpillar Inc. earned $1.53 billion, or $2.77 per share. A year earlier it earned $1.09 billion, or $1.98 per share.

Stripping out restructuring costs and other items, earnings were $2.87 per share. That’s well above the $1.93 per share that Wall Street was looking for.

Shares of the for the Deerfield, Illinois, company rose about 2% before the opening bell.

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