Caterpillar sees $2.6 billion reduction from FAS 158

Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, Ill., will see its stockholders' equity reduced by about $2.6 billion by Dec. 31 as a result of FAS 158, according to an 8-K filing today. The accounting standard requires companies to put the funded status of their pension and other postretirement benefit plans on the balance sheet. The company had $11.5 billion in pension assets as of Dec. 31, when the plan was 93% funded.