C

Caterpillar

Makes heavy machinery, engines and gas turbines

Aftermarket Inventory Strategy Analyst

Full-TimePosted on 10/14/2026Deadline 10/16/26
$89.2k - $133.8k+ Incentive bonus
Mid
Bachelor's
Morton, IL, USA+1 moreMore locations: Dallas, TX, USA
In PersonOn-site five days a week; up to 10% domestic travel. No relocation support.
Operations & LogisticsInventory Management
No H1B Sponsorship

About the job

Requirements
  • Knowledge of approaches, tools, and techniques for recognizing, anticipating, and resolving organizational, operational, or process problems, and the ability to apply problem-solving knowledge to diverse situations.
  • Understanding of effective communication concepts, tools, and techniques, and the ability to transmit, receive, and interpret ideas, information, and needs effectively.
  • Understanding the necessity and value of accuracy, and the ability to complete tasks with precision.
  • Knowledge of techniques and tools that promote effective analysis, and the ability to determine root causes of organizational problems and create alternative solutions.
  • Knowledge of data-gathering and analysis tools, techniques, and processes, and the ability to collect and synthesize data from varied stakeholders and sources objectively.
  • Experience in inventory management, supply chain analytics, demand planning, forecasting, logistics, or inventory optimization.
  • Ability to analyze large datasets, uncover trends and root causes, and translate insights into actionable business recommendations.
  • Experience using SQL, Snowflake, SAS, Power BI, and advanced Microsoft Excel.
  • Understanding of how analytical models, calculations, and business metrics are developed, with the ability to validate results and identify data issues.
  • Experience influencing customers, stakeholders, or business partners through data-driven recommendations and consultative problem-solving.
  • Ability to communicate complex analytical concepts clearly and practically to technical and non-technical audiences.
  • Experience conducting business reviews, presenting findings, and building trusted relationships with customers, dealers, suppliers, or operational teams.
  • Knowledge of inventory planning, service-level management, backorder reduction, inventory investment strategies, and operational performance metrics.
  • Experience supporting operational improvements through stakeholder engagement, training, process improvement initiatives, or change management efforts.
  • Experience creating dashboards, reports, visualizations, or decision-support tools that drive business performance.
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities, work independently, and follow through on commitments in a fast-paced environment.
Responsibilities
  • Serve as a trusted inventory management advisor to assigned Caterpillar dealers, building relationships and providing data-driven recommendations that improve inventory performance and customer satisfaction.
  • Analyze inventory, operational, and business performance data to identify opportunities to improve product availability, reduce backorders, optimize inventory investment, and increase service levels.
  • Partner with dealers to develop inventory strategies aligned with business objectives, customer demand, and service performance targets.
  • Conduct inventory simulations and scenario analyses to help dealers evaluate stocking decisions, inventory investments, and potential business outcomes.
  • Lead performance reviews with dealers and internal stakeholders, presenting metrics, trends, and actionable recommendations to drive continuous improvement.
  • Identify root causes of inventory performance gaps and collaborate with dealers to implement solutions that improve inventory productivity and customer availability.
  • Translate complex analytical findings and technical concepts into clear business recommendations for stakeholders at all levels.
  • Provide training, consultation, and ongoing support to help dealers adopt inventory optimization tools, reporting solutions, and industry best practices.
  • Troubleshoot inventory planning and system-related issues affecting dealer operations and work collaboratively to resolve them.
  • Influence business decisions through facts, data analysis, and strategic recommendations while partnering with dealers to achieve service and inventory performance goals.
  • Support process-improvement initiatives, reporting enhancements, dashboard development, and other projects that strengthen inventory-management capabilities across the dealer network.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive inventory-optimization initiatives and deliver measurable business results for dealers and Caterpillar.
Desired Qualifications
  • A bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Engineering, or a related field.

About the company

Caterpillar makes construction and mining machines, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and locomotives for contractors, mines, energy companies and data center builders. It is the world's largest maker of construction and mining equipment, and its yellow Cat bulldozers and excavators work in nearly every country. Customers buy or rent machines through independent Cat dealers, while its engines and turbines generate electricity and push natural gas through pipelines. Caterpillar earns money from equipment sales and from the parts and repairs that dealers supply over a machine's working life. It was formed in 1925 when California's Holt and Best tractor companies merged, and it is based in Irving, Texas.

Company Size

10,001+

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

Irving, Texas

Founded

1925

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Data centers drive growth: power generation sales jumped 72% in the June 2026 quarter on demand for generators and turbines.
  • Factory hiring is growing: a $1 billion North Carolina plant, announced September 2026, is expected to create 1,950 jobs.
  • Recurring service work adds stability: parts and service brought in $24 billion in 2025, over a third of sales.

What critics are saying

  • Tariffs keep getting costlier: in August 2026, Caterpillar forecast $2.2 billion of 2026 tariff costs, up from 2025's $1.8 billion.
  • Patent fight threatens imports: in December 2025, rival Bobcat asked US trade regulators to ban some Cat loaders and excavators.
  • Expect five office days a week: since June 2025, US office staff must come in daily, and attendance affects reviews.

What makes Caterpillar unique

  • Power, not bulldozers, is its biggest business: engines and turbines brought in $28.6 billion in 2025, topping construction's $25.1 billion.
  • It runs its own lender: Cat Financial's overdue loans fell to 1.31% in June 2026, the lowest since 1998.
  • It also makes gas turbines: San Diego-based Solar Turbines builds 1 to 39 megawatt units for pipelines and power.

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Benefits

Annual incentive bonus plan

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

Paid time off plan (Vacation, Holiday, Volunteer, Etc.)

401k savings plan

Health savings account (HSA)

Flexible spending accounts (FSAs)

Disability benefits

Life Insurance

Parental leave

Healthy Lifestyle Programs

Employee Assistance Programs

Voluntary Benefits and Employee Discounts

Tuition Reimbursement

Career Development

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

2%

1 year growth

2%

2 year growth

2%
PR Newswire
Oct 14th, 2026
Caterpillar maintains $1.63 quarterly dividend, with record date corrected to October 26

Caterpillar Inc. has kept its quarterly dividend at $1.63 per share of common stock. The board of directors voted to maintain the payout, which is due November 19 to shareholders of record at the close of business on October 26. Caterpillar has paid a quarterly dividend since 1933. This payment will mark 33 consecutive years of higher annual dividends, and the company is a member of the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Index. The company reported 2025 sales and revenues of $67.6 billion.

Yahoo Finance
Oct 13th, 2026
Caterpillar's $72B backlog tests data centre power boom as stock trades at 33.9 times earnings

Caterpillar's shares trade at 33.9 times earnings, against 21.9 for the S&P 500. A concern raised on its August 4, 2026 earnings call is that data centres may slow their orders for its power equipment in a few years. Power generation sales to end users rose 72% in the second quarter, driven by demand for large gensets and turbines. Management said no customer is slowing down. Power & Energy, its largest segment, had $32.2 billion in revenue in fiscal 2025, up 11.6%, and $8.2 billion in the latest quarter, up 17%. Some customers are ordering as far out as 2030. Backlog stood at $72 billion, with 59% due for delivery within twelve months. The stock is down 24.8% from its 52-week high but returned 61% over the past year.

Yahoo Finance
Oct 13th, 2026
Analysts favour Caterpillar over Deere, seeing 20% upside versus 10%

Analysts see more upside in Caterpillar than in Deere, based on Wall Street price targets. The average target for Caterpillar is about $971, 20% above its $811 share price. Deere's average target is about $694, roughly 10% above its $633 price. Both stocks have had a strong 2026. Caterpillar is up 41% year to date and Deere about 36%, against 14% for the S&P 500. Caterpillar's second-quarter revenue rose 24% to $20.5 billion, and adjusted earnings per share jumped 73%. Power and energy sales surged 72% on data centre demand, and its order backlog hit $72 billion, up 92% in a year. Deere's third-quarter revenue rose 5% to $12.6 billion, with earnings per share up 7.3% to $5.10. It expects agricultural equipment demand to recover in 2027.

Yahoo Finance
Oct 10th, 2026
Caterpillar hits record $20B quarter while Corning targets $40B by 2030

Investors weighing Caterpillar against Corning are choosing between industrial infrastructure and technological innovation. Caterpillar, a construction and mining equipment manufacturer, generated $67.6 billion in revenue in FY 2025, up 4.3%, though net income fell to $8.9 billion from $10.8 billion the previous year. Corning, a materials science company supplying optical communications and display technologies, posted stronger growth. Its FY 2025 revenue reached $15.6 billion, up 19.1%, whilst net income surged to $1.6 billion from $506 million. The company secured a multi-billion-dollar supply agreement with AT&T extending through 2030. Caterpillar trades at a forward P/E of 30.0x versus Corning's 49.7x, reflecting Corning's faster growth trajectory. Corning's optical communications business grew over 30% year-over-year, driven by AI data centre demand, with ambitious revenue targets of $20 billion by end-2026 and $40 billion by 2030. Despite Caterpillar's record backlog and reliable dividend, Corning's AI infrastructure exposure offers more compelling growth potential for patient investors.

Yahoo Finance
Oct 6th, 2026
Cramer suggests Caterpillar buyback opportunity after 24% Q3 pullback on data center power demand

Jim Cramer identified Caterpillar as a potential buying opportunity after the stock fell 24% in the third quarter. He highlighted the company's growing role in supplying power for data centres as a key growth driver. Caterpillar secured a 2-gigawatt natural gas generator order from American Intelligence & Power in January for its Monarch Compute Campus, with deliveries scheduled from September 2026 through August 2027. Second-quarter sales rose 24% year-over-year to approximately $20.5 billion, whilst adjusted profit per share increased to $8.17 from $4.72. The company faces approximately $2.2 billion in full-year tariff costs. Caterpillar trades at roughly 29 times forward earnings, compared with 16 times for competitor Cummins. Hedge fund ownership declined slightly from 87 funds in Q1 to 84 in Q2.