Caterpillar’s Fourth-Quarter Earnings Improve

Heavy equipment and diesel engine manufacturer Caterpillar Inc. said its fourth-quarter profit rose 11% to $975 million, or $1.50 per share, from $882 million, or $1.32, a year ago.

Revenue rose 10% to $12.14 billion, from $11 billion a year ago, Caterpillar said Friday.

Net earnings rose 14% to $571 million in engine sales and 7% to $619 million in its machinery segment, the Associated Press reported.

North American engine sales fell 23% in the quarter, but rose 31% in Asia and the Pacific and 31% in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Caterpillar said it would earn $5.20 to $5.60 per share for the full year, down from a previous outlook of $5.30 to $5.80. Revenue will be about $44 billion, the company said.

Caterpillar said its full-year profit was $5.37 a share, up 4% from 2006. Revenue rose 8% to $44.96 billion from the previous year.