Caterpillar flies to Peoria the week of a dividend hike and strong Q1 results

Caterpillar’s Bombardier Global 6000, tail N797CT, landed at General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport on June 17 after a short hop from Perot Field in Fort Worth. The flight arrived just past 6 p.m. local time, wrapping up a 1-hour, 36-minute trip from Texas.

The same week, Caterpillar announced an 8 percent dividend increase to $1.63 per share, per a June 10 press release, and the company’s first-quarter 2026 results showed sales and revenues of $17.4 billion — a 22 percent jump year over year, driven by a 38 percent surge in construction equipment sales, as reported by my-equipment.com. CEO Joe Creed, who was elected chairman of the board in April, has been steering the company through a strong demand cycle fueled by federal infrastructure spending and data center buildout.

The flight from Fort Worth follows a pattern of recent trips to Texas and Colorado, including a June 12 visit to the Denver area. Peoria remains the operational anchor for Caterpillar, home to its flagship manufacturing complex and a frequent destination for corporate leadership returning from regional meetings or investor engagements.