Nature of Operations and Basis of Presentation

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2015

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Nature of Operations and Basis of Presentation

A.  Nature of operations

Information in our financial statements and related commentary are presented in the following categories:

Machinery, Energy & Transportation – Represents the aggregate total of Construction Industries, Resource Industries, Energy & Transportation and All Other operating segments and related corporate items and eliminations.

Financial Products – Primarily includes the company’s Financial Products Segment.  This category includes Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation (Cat Financial), Caterpillar Financial Insurance Services (Insurance Services) and their respective subsidiaries.

B.  Basis of presentation

In the opinion of management, the accompanying financial statements include all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair statement of (a) the consolidated results of operations for the three month periods ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, (b) the consolidated comprehensive income for the three month periods ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, (c) the consolidated financial position at March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, (d) the consolidated changes in stockholders’ equity for the three month periods ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 and (e) the consolidated cash flow for the three month periods ended March 31, 2015 and 2014.  The financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP) and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission.  

Certain amounts for prior periods have been reclassified to conform to the current period financial statement presentation.

Interim results are not necessarily indicative of results for a full year. The information included in this Form 10-Q should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and notes thereto included in our Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 (2014 Form 10-K).

The December 31, 2014 financial position data included herein is derived from the audited consolidated financial statements included in the 2014 Form 10-K but does not include all disclosures required by U.S. GAAP. 

Unconsolidated Variable Interest Entities (VIEs)

We have affiliates, suppliers and dealers that are VIEs of which we are not the primary beneficiary. Although we have provided financial support, we do not have the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance. Our maximum exposure to loss from VIEs for which we are not the primary beneficiary was as follows:

(Millions of dollars)	March 31, 2015		December 31, 2014
Receivables - trade and other	$	43	$	36
Receivables - finance	475		216
Long-term receivables - finance	45		285
Investments in unconsolidated affiliated companies	24		83
Guarantees	54		129
Total	$	641	$	749