Caterpillar Stock on a Record Run Ahead of Earnings

Core Viewpoint - Caterpillar Inc is set to report its second-quarter earnings, with expectations of a decline in earnings per share but an increase in revenue [1] Group 1: Earnings Expectations - Wall Street anticipates earnings of $4.88 per share, representing an 18.5% decline from the same quarter last year [1] - Revenue is expected to reach $16.35 billion, indicating a 2% year-over-year increase [1] Group 2: Stock Performance - Caterpillar's stock has reached an all-time high of $439.95, continuing a trend of record highs [2] - The stock has increased approximately 13% in July, marking its third consecutive month of double-digit percentage gains [2] - Year-to-date, the stock has risen by 21% [2] Group 3: Post-Earnings History - Historically, Caterpillar's stock has shown mixed results post-earnings, finishing four of the last eight sessions higher and four lower [4] - Options traders are anticipating an earnings swing of 4.9%, slightly above the average of 4.4% over the past two years [4] Group 4: Options Activity - There has been a notable increase in call options activity, with a 50-day call/put volume ratio of 1.89, ranking higher than 98% of readings from the past year [5]