Banque Cantonale Vaudoise Sells 2,486 Shares of Caterpillar Inc. $CAT

Banque Cantonale Vaudoise decreased its holdings in shares of Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT) by 8.2% during the 1st quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 27,837 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after selling 2,486 shares during the period. Caterpillar makes up approximately 0.7% of Banque Cantonale Vaudoise’s portfolio, making the stock its 20th largest position. Banque Cantonale Vaudoise’s holdings in Caterpillar were worth $19,721,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of CAT. Wellington Management Group LLP increased its position in Caterpillar by 3,949.8% during the third quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 5,228,058 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $2,494,568,000 after buying an additional 5,098,964 shares during the last quarter. Capital International Investors acquired a new position in Caterpillar during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $1,225,317,000. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. raised its position in shares of Caterpillar by 573.1% in the fourth quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 1,504,612 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $861,947,000 after purchasing an additional 1,281,087 shares during the period. Bank of America Corp DE lifted its stake in shares of Caterpillar by 16.0% in the fourth quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 6,738,802 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $3,860,457,000 after buying an additional 928,974 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Cynosure Group LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Caterpillar by 8,359.6% during the 4th quarter. Cynosure Group LLC now owns 513,754 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $294,314,000 after buying an additional 507,681 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 70.98% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts recently commented on CAT shares. Barclays lifted their target price on shares of Caterpillar from $700.00 to $800.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Friday, May 1st. Citigroup upped their price target on shares of Caterpillar from $905.00 to $1,020.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, May 1st. Williams Trading set a $825.00 price objective on Caterpillar in a research note on Tuesday, March 10th. Wolfe Research boosted their price objective on Caterpillar from $670.00 to $750.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 31st. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein increased their target price on Caterpillar from $769.00 to $879.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a research note on Friday, May 1st. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have issued a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $939.86.

More Caterpillar News

Here are the key news stories impacting Caterpillar this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Caterpillar was highlighted as a beneficiary of the AI buildout after reports that it will supply engines and turbines for a major Chevron/Microsoft AI data center project, reinforcing demand for its power generation equipment. Caterpillar (CAT) Lands Key Role In Chevron Microsoft AI Data Center Build
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts remain constructive, with Wells Fargo reportedly raising its price recommendation, while other coverage pointed to Caterpillar as a blue-chip dividend name and a stock worth holding amid the industrial rally. Top 5 Blue Chip Stocks with Growing Dividends
• Positive Sentiment: Recent analysis emphasized Caterpillar’s record $63 billion backlog, up 79% year over year, which improves revenue visibility and supports expectations for continued sales growth. CAT’s Record Backlog: A Sign of Sustained Demand Strength?
• Neutral Sentiment: Several recent articles compared Caterpillar with other heavy machinery and industrial stocks, but these pieces were largely contextual rather than new catalysts. Unpacking Q1 Earnings: Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT) In The Context Of Other Heavy Machinery Stocks
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage noting CAT’s strong one-year run and high valuation suggests investors are also weighing whether much of the good news is already priced in. Caterpillar (CAT) Stock Near $984 After Big Rally Is There Still Upside Potential
• Positive Sentiment: Reports that Caterpillar and partners are advancing battery-electric haul truck testing add to the long-term innovation story in mining and equipment electrification. BHP, Rio Tinto and Caterpillar advance battery-electric haul truck testing

Insider Activity at Caterpillar

In related news, CFO Andrew R. J. Bonfield sold 15,674 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $918.71, for a total value of $14,399,860.54. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 52,935 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $48,631,913.85. This trade represents a 22.85% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, insider Denise C. Johnson sold 12,605 shares of Caterpillar stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $907.91, for a total transaction of $11,444,205.55. Following the sale, the insider owned 49,825 shares in the company, valued at $45,236,615.75. This represents a 20.19% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold 95,773 shares of company stock worth $87,642,635 in the last three months. Company insiders own 0.33% of the company’s stock.

Caterpillar Stock Performance

NYSE CAT opened at $992.95 on Thursday. The company’s fifty day moving average is $887.68 and its two-hundred day moving average is $750.22. Caterpillar Inc. has a 52-week low of $369.51 and a 52-week high of $1,023.29. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.64, a current ratio of 1.35 and a quick ratio of 0.81. The firm has a market capitalization of $457.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 49.42, a P/E/G ratio of 1.94 and a beta of 1.59.

Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 30th. The industrial products company reported $5.54 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.65 by $0.89. Caterpillar had a net margin of 13.33% and a return on equity of 48.21%. The business had revenue of $17.41 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $16.53 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $4.25 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 22.2% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts forecast that Caterpillar Inc. will post 24.64 EPS for the current year.

Caterpillar Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, August 19th. Shareholders of record on Monday, July 20th will be given a $1.63 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, July 20th. This represents a $6.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.7%. This is an increase from Caterpillar’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.51. Caterpillar’s dividend payout ratio is 30.06%.

Caterpillar Profile

Caterpillar Inc is a global manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and locomotives. The company’s product portfolio includes earthmoving machines such as excavators, bulldozers, wheel loaders and off‑highway trucks, as well as a range of power generation products including generator sets and power systems for industrial and commercial use. Caterpillar serves customers across heavy construction, mining, energy, transportation and related industries with both equipment and integrated technology solutions.

In addition to manufacturing, Caterpillar provides a broad range of aftermarket parts and support services, including maintenance, repair, remanufacturing and fleet management tools.