| **Segment Information**          | 3 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      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| **Segment Reporting [Abstract]** |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       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| Segment Information              | Segment InformationA.       Description of SegmentsOur segment data is based on disclosure requirements of accounting guidance on segment reporting, which requires that financial information be reported on the basis that is used internally for measuring segment performance.  Internally, we report information for operating segments based on management responsibility.  Our operating segments offer primarily the same types of services within each of the respective segments.  The operating segments are as follows:•North America - Includes our operations in the United States and Canada that serve local dealers and customers.•Europe and Caterpillar Power Finance - This segment includes our operations that serve dealers and customers in Europe, Africa, Middle East and the Commonwealth of Independent States.  This segment also includes Caterpillar Power Finance (CPF), which finances marine vessels with Caterpillar engines worldwide and also provides debt financing for Caterpillar electrical power generation, gas compression and co-generation systems, as well as non-Caterpillar equipment that is powered by these systems worldwide. •Asia/Pacific - This segment includes our operations in Australia, China, Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asia that serve local dealers and customers.  •Latin America - Includes our operations in Brazil, Mexico and Chile that serve local dealers and customers in Central and South America. •Mining - This segment includes large mining customers worldwide.  This segment also provides project financing in various countries. B.       Measurement and ReconciliationsCash, debt and other expenses are allocated to operating segments based on their respective portfolios.  The related Interest expense is calculated based on the amount of allocated debt and the rates associated with that debt.  The performance of each segment is assessed based on a consistent leverage ratio. The Provision for credit losses included in each operating segment's profit is based on each operating segment's share of the Company's Allowance for credit losses. Reconciling items are created based on accounting differences between operating segment reporting and our consolidated external reporting. For the reconciliation of profit before income taxes, we have grouped the reconciling items as follows:•Unallocated - This item is related to corporate requirements and strategies that are considered to be for the benefit of the entire organization.  Also included are the consolidated results of the special purpose corporation (see Note 7 for additional information) and other miscellaneous items.•Timing - Timing differences in the recognition of costs between operating segment reporting and consolidated external reporting.•Methodology - Methodology differences between our operating segment reporting and our consolidated external reporting are as follows:◦Segment assets include off-balance sheet managed assets for which we typically maintain servicing responsibilities.◦The impact of the difference between the actual leverage and the segment leverage ratios is included as a methodology difference.◦Interest expense includes realized forward points on foreign currency forward contracts, with the mark-to-market elements of the forward exchange contracts included as a methodology difference.◦The net gain or loss from interest rate derivatives is included as a methodology difference.◦The profit attributable to noncontrolling interests is considered a component of segment profit.As noted above, the operating segment information is presented on a management-reporting basis.  Unlike financial reporting, there is no authoritative guidance for management reporting equivalent to U.S. GAAP.Supplemental segment data and reconciliations to consolidated external reporting for the three months ended March 31 was as follows:(Millions of dollars) 2015Revenues SegmentProfit InterestExpense Depreciationon equipmentleased toothers Provisionforcreditlosses SegmentAssets atMarch 31,2015 CapitalexpendituresNorth America$284 $97 $63 $101 $(4) $13,818 $176Europe and CPF113 35 17 21 13 7,327 20Asia/Pacific80 20 31 5 9 4,586 4Latin America102 24 29 27 6 4,181 24Mining100 29 14 58 (10) 3,013 69Total Segments679 205 154 212 14 32,925 293Unallocated18 (19) 16 — — 1,748 —Timing(8) (11) — — 4 103 1Methodology— 12 (19) — — (221) —Inter-segment Eliminations— — — — — (214) —Total$689 $187 $151 $212 $18 $34,341 $294              2014Revenues SegmentProfit InterestExpense Depreciationon equipmentleased toothers Provisionforcreditlosses SegmentAssets atDecember 31,2014 CapitalexpendituresNorth America$247 $77 $60 $80 $3 $13,661 $130Europe and CPF130 41 24 26 9 7,601 31Asia/Pacific92 38 28 6 7 4,767 10Latin America105 26 32 27 4 4,676 35Mining123 10 18 75 13 3,161 63Total Segments697 192 162 214 36 33,866 269Unallocated21 (13) 12 — — 1,648 —Timing(7) (2) — — 1 120 —Methodology— 5 (12) — — (215) —Inter-segment Eliminations— — — — — (243) —Total$711 $182 $162 $214 $37 $35,176 $269               |

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| - Definition
The entire disclosure for reporting segments including data and tables. Reportable segments include those that meet any of the following quantitative thresholds a) it's reported revenue, including sales to external customers and intersegment sales or transfers is 10 percent or more of the combined revenue, internal and external, of all operating segments b) the absolute amount of its reported profit or loss is 10 percent or more of the greater, in absolute amount of 1) the combined reported profit of all operating segments that did not report a loss or 2) the combined reported loss of all operating segments that did report a loss c) its assets are 10 percent or more of the combined assets of all operating segments.
+ References
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