Caterpillar Inc. stock research
FY2024 Q4
Caterpillar (CAT) Gross Margin — Quarter Ended Dec 31, 2024
Revenue was higher than the previous quarter but lower than the year-ago quarter. Gross profit was lower than both periods, while cost of revenue was higher sequentially and lower year-over-year, resulting in a gross margin that weakened from the prior quarter but improved from the prior year.
Gross margin takeaway
Quarter ended Dec 31, 2024 · FY2024 Q4
Revenue was higher than the previous quarter but lower than the year-ago quarter. Gross profit was lower than both periods, while cost of revenue was higher sequentially and lower year-over-year, resulting in a gross margin that weakened from the prior quarter but improved from the prior year.
- The strongest observable driver of the gross margin change is the relationship between cost of revenue and revenue. The gross margin improved year-over-year because cost of revenue decreased relative to revenue, but weakened sequentially due to cost of revenue increasing relative to revenue.
- Compared to the previous quarter, gross margin weakened as cost of revenue rose while revenue rose less. Compared to the same quarter a year earlier, gross margin improved as cost of revenue fell more than revenue.
Gross margin snapshot
The selected quarter's reported revenue, gross profit, direct costs, and margin comparisons.
Gross margin
36.3%
Gross profit
$5.9B
Revenue
$16.2B
Cost of revenue
$10.3B
Quarter-over-quarter change
-1.2 pts
Year-over-year change
+0.9 pts
Quarterly gross margin trend
A four-quarter view of the revenue and direct-cost bridge behind gross margin.
| Period | Revenue | Gross profit | Cost of revenue | Gross margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 31, 2024 | $15.8B | $6.1B | $9.7B | 38.8% |
| Jun 30, 2024 | $16.7B | $6.5B | $10.2B | 39.2% |
| Sep 30, 2024 | $16.1B | $6.0B | $10.1B | 37.5% |
| Dec 31, 2024 | $16.2B | $5.9B | $10.3B | 36.3% |
Quarterly comparisons
Compare the selected margin with the preceding quarter and the same fiscal quarter one year earlier.
Previous-quarter change
Sep 30, 2024
-1.2 pts
Year-over-year change
Dec 31, 2023
+0.9 pts
What the margin says
Filing-constrained interpretation of margin direction, comparisons, and what to monitor next.
The strongest observable driver of the gross margin change is the relationship between cost of revenue and revenue. The gross margin improved year-over-year because cost of revenue decreased relative to revenue, but weakened sequentially due to cost of revenue increasing relative to revenue.
Compared to the previous quarter, gross margin weakened as cost of revenue rose while revenue rose less. Compared to the same quarter a year earlier, gross margin improved as cost of revenue fell more than revenue.
Monitor the trend in cost of revenue as a percentage of revenue, as it directly influences gross margin.