New York, Feb 19, 2026, 18:57 EST — After-hours
- Caterpillar climbed 1.1% to finish at $760.53, with the stock barely budging in after-hours trading.
- Deere’s jump on earnings lent some stability to heavy machinery stocks, even as the broader market lost ground
- Next up for investors: a Mar. 5 CONEXPO fireside chat, where fresh signals on demand and tariffs are expected.
Caterpillar Inc. finished Thursday up 1.1% at $760.53, breaking a two-day losing streak. Shares barely budged in after-hours action. During the regular session, the price ranged from $744.37 to $761.84.
This is notable: Caterpillar shares sit close to recent peaks, and right now, the debate is all about what’s going to push them higher—actual order flow or just momentum-chasing. The list of catalysts just grew. There’s a new mining-software deal, a CFO pitching to investors, plus a bullish read-through from an important peer.
U.S. stocks slipped on Thursday, though industrial names showed relative strength after Deere surged following solid earnings. “Not everyone’s going to win and not all expectations are going to be met,” said Keith Buchanan, senior portfolio manager at GLOBALT Investments, citing the market’s rapidly changing sentiment, especially around tech and growth. Traders now look ahead to Friday’s Personal Consumption Expenditures report, the Fed’s favored inflation measure. Reuters
Shares of Deere jumped after the company lifted its full-year profit outlook and beat Wall Street’s expectations for first-quarter earnings. Cost reductions and improving sales in some construction and small-farm segments did the heavy lifting. Deere now sees 2026 net income between $4.5 billion and $5.0 billion, an increase from its earlier target, though it pointed out that tariff costs remain a concern.
This week, Caterpillar announced it’s buying RPMGlobal Holdings, the Australian mining software company, in a move to beef up its portfolio of digital mine-planning and site-management tools. “Acquiring RPMGlobal is a notable milestone supporting our strategy,” said Denise Johnson, group president of Caterpillar Resource Industries. For RPMGlobal’s CEO Richard Mathews, Caterpillar represents “an ideal home for both our people and our software products.” The deal keeps RPMGlobal running under its own brand, the company said. Caterpillar
Caterpillar CFO Andrew Bonfield, speaking at a Barclays event Wednesday, stuck to the long-term projections first outlined at last year’s investor day. Those targets: average annual sales and revenue growth in the 5% to 7% range through 2030 (that’s a CAGR), plus hitting $30 billion in services revenue by 2030. The presentation highlighted plans to ramp up digital and tech investment.
Some investors are also watching insider moves. According to a recent Form 4 filing, Construction Industries group president Rodney Michael Shurman sold 1,764 shares of Caterpillar on Feb. 17, cashing out at $763.39 per share. That sale leaves him with 1,440 shares held directly.
Still, the bull story comes with a clear risk. Tariffs and unpredictable trade policies have turned into a real earnings wildcard for big manufacturers. Caterpillar has flagged tariff costs as a potential material drag on results in 2026—even if demand stays solid.
Caterpillar shares haven’t climbed back to the level seen on Feb. 12. The stock often moves in sync with shifts in construction demand, mining investment, or even policy chatter from Washington. Any weak economic data, new tariff talk, or a swing in commodity markets can flip sentiment fast.
Friday brings a key U.S. inflation reading that traders will scan for rate signals. After that, attention shifts to March 5, with CEO Joe Creed and group president Rod Shurman slated for a Jefferies fireside chat at CONEXPO. The session could offer more insight into the company.
