Nature of Operations, Basis of Presentation and Change in Accounting Principle

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

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 (ME&T) – Represents the aggregate total of Construction Industries, Resource Industries, Energy & Transportation and the All Other operating segment 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 Insurance Holdings Inc. (Insurance Services) and their respective subsidiaries.

B.  Basis of presentation

In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited 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 and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, (b) the consolidated comprehensive income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, (c) the consolidated financial position at September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, (d) the consolidated changes in shareholders’ equity for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 and (e) the consolidated cash flow for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018.  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 (SEC).

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, 2018 (2018 Form 10-K).

The December 31, 2018 financial position data included herein is derived from the audited consolidated financial statements included in the 2018 Form 10-K but does not include all disclosures required by U.S. GAAP. Certain amounts for prior periods have been reclassified to conform to the current period financial statement presentation.

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 economic performance of each entity. Our maximum exposure to loss from VIEs for which we are not the primary beneficiary was $138 million and $131 million as of September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively.

In addition, Cat Financial has end-user customers that are VIEs of which we are not the primary beneficiary. Although we have provided financial support to these entities and therefore have a variable interest, we do not have the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact their economic performance. Our maximum exposure to loss from our involvement with these VIEs is limited to the credit risk inherently present in the financial support that we have provided. These risks are evaluated and reflected in our financial statements as part of our overall portfolio of finance receivables and related allowance for credit losses.