What are the main strengths of the company that make it ideal to pursue this type of investment?

Imagine this scenario: The board of directors for Caterpillar has launched an initiative to invest in emergent space technologies. The board wants Caterpillar to focus on the machinery for asteroid mining and additionally for building new machinery for housing and industrial infrastructures for colonies in the solar system. This is a long-term investment, but the board believes that Caterpillar needs to be in a position to become the premier supplier of building and mining machinery for the government and corporations.
You are the executive responsible to head this initiative and the board has been generous in funding. They are ready to spend upwards of 500 million U.S. dollars to get this project started.
For your initial discussion post, review the SWOT analysis and financials of Caterpillar and write a response to the following questions:
Is the company in a good financial position to pursue this venture? Justify your answer with financial information.
What are the main strengths of the company that make it ideal to pursue this type of investment?
Are there any weaknesses in the company that may prove to have a negative financial impact?
Based on the profit potential of asteroid mining, what would you estimate as the potential profit for the company (see asteroid mining article)? Justify your answer using financial numbers.

Caterpillar, Inc. SWOT Analysis.
Source:
Caterpillar, Inc. SWOT Analysis. 8/7/2018, p1-8. 8p.
Document Type:
SWOT Analysis
Subject Terms:
*Industrial equipment industry
*SWOT analysis
Geographic Terms:
Peoria (Ill.)
Company/Entity:
Caterpillar Inc. DUNS Number: 005070479 Ticker: CAT
NAICS/Industry Codes:
423830 Industrial Machinery and Equipment Merchant Wholesalers
417230 Industrial machinery, equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers
423840 Industrial Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
Abstract:
A SWOT analysis of Caterpillar, Inc. is presented.

https://investors.caterpillar.com/financials/quarterly-results/default.aspx

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