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June 8, 2005 2:00 PM, EDT

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ngine and heavy-equipment maker Caterpillar Inc. said Wednesday it would split its stock 2-for-1 and boost its quarterly dividend by 9 cents, following record sales last year.

The stock will split July 13 for shareholders of record as of June 22, and the dividend share will rise to 50 cents from 41 cents, the company said in a statement.

Caterpillar’s sales rose 33% last year to $30.3 billion, the biggest percentage rise in eight years.

In the first quarter of this year it earned $581 million or $1.63 a share, up from $420 million or $1.19 a year earlier. Revenue rose 29% to $2.4 billion.

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