For decades, Caterpillar (CAT) has been the classic blue-chip industrial name, known for its yellow machines, huge mining trucks, and the hard infrastructure that keeps economies moving. Now, in 2026, this 100‑year‑old manufacturer is quietly turning into an unexpected beneficiary of the artificial intelligence revolution.
On April 30, Caterpillar posted a strong first-quarter update, with revenue up 22% from a year earlier to about $17.42 billion, and it lifted its full-year sales outlook, pointing to growing demand in its Power and Energy business from data center and high-power AI projects. The numbers pushed the stock up close to 10% and briefly sent it to fresh highs around $890.
