How an 80-Year-Old Machinery Maker Survived a 70 Percent Drop

In this episode of The Turnaround Podcast, Lucas and Luna examine the remarkable recovery of Caterpillar, the 80-year-old machinery giant that saw its stock plunge 70 percent between 2012 and 2016. They explore how a perfect storm of commodity bust, Chinese slowdown, and a failed mining bet nearly broke the company, and how a radical restructuring under CEO Jim Umpleby—including plant closures, lean manufacturing, and a shift to services—led to a dramatic rebound. With the S&P 500 at 7,610 in June 2026, the hosts ask what legacy industrial companies can learn from Caterpillar's near-death experience. A focused case study in cutting costs before you have to, and rebuilding for the long term. #Caterpillar #Turnaround #Restructuring #Industrial #Machinery #CommodityBust #LeanManufacturing #JimUmpleby #ServicesRevenue #CostCutting #Deere #Business #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #TurnaroundPodcast #DistressedBusinesses #Recovery #Manufacturing Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo