Will CAT's forecasted Q1 2025 earnings meet expectations?

**Caterpillar's (CAT) forecasted Q1 2025 earnings are likely to miss expectations**, based on the following points:

1. **Expected Earnings Decline**: The consensus estimates for Q1 2025 project an EPS of $4.32, which represents a 22.86% decline from the same quarter of the previous year. This decline suggests that the company may not meet market expectations.

2. **Revenue Expectations**: The estimated revenue for Q1 2025 is $14.9 billion, which is slightly higher than the previous year's revenue. However, considering the overall market conditions and the decline in EPS, it is uncertain whether this revenue figure will be met.
3. **Market Performance**: Caterpillar's stock has underperformed the market, with a decrease of 1.25% over the previous month. This poor performance could indicate market skepticism about the company's ability to meet earnings expectations.
4. **Analyst Ratings**: The Zacks Rank, which considers estimate revisions and is indicative of analyst confidence, has placed Caterpillar at a #4 (Sell) rating. This suggests that analysts are cautious about the company's future performance, which could imply that earnings may not meet expectations.
5. **Recent Trends**: The Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has shifted downward, indicating a possible downward revision in earnings expectations. This trend is not favorable for Caterpillar's stock and suggests that the company's performance may not meet what investors are currently expecting.

In conclusion, while there is a slight increase in revenue expectations compared to the previous year, the significant decline in EPS and the overall bearish trend in the stock's performance and analyst ratings suggest that Caterpillar's forecasted Q1 2025 earnings are unlikely to meet market expectations.