Caterpillar Inc (CAT) Return on Capital Employed (2009 - 2026)

Caterpillar (CAT) has reported Return on Capital Employed for 18 consecutive years, with 19.06% the latest figure, recorded in Q1 2026.

• In Q1 2026, Return on Capital Employed fell 350.0% year-over-year to 19.06%; the TTM figure through Mar 2026 stood at 19.06% (down 350.0% YoY), while the FY2025 annual figure was 19.7%, down 392.0% from the prior year.
• Return on Capital Employed came in at 19.06% for Q1 2026 at Caterpillar, up from 18.71% in the prior quarter.
• The five-year high for Return on Capital Employed was 27.18% in Q2 2024, with the low at 13.05% in Q1 2022.
• Average Return on Capital Employed over 5 years is 20.44%, with a median of 21.31% recorded in 2023.
• Across the five-year window, Return on Capital Employed soared 890 bps in 2023 and plunged 535 bps in 2025, its largest moves.
• Year by year, Return on Capital Employed stood at 15.84% in 2022, then soared by 56 bps to 24.74% in 2023, then declined by 3 bps to 23.88% in 2024, then fell by 22 bps to 18.71% in 2025, then advanced by 2 bps to 19.06% in 2026.
• According to Business Quant data, Return on Capital Employed over the past three periods registered 19.06%, 18.71%, and 20.37% for Q1 2026, Q4 2025, and Q3 2025 respectively.