Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT) Given Consensus Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT) has been given an average rating of “Moderate Buy” by the twenty-five ratings firms that are covering the firm, MarketBeat reports. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fifteen have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating on the company. The average 12-month target price among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $970.8095.

A number of research firms have weighed in on CAT. Bank of America upped their price target on Caterpillar from $930.00 to $989.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, May 1st. Zacks Research raised shares of Caterpillar from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Monday, June 8th. Morgan Stanley set a $915.00 target price on shares of Caterpillar and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, May 1st. Wolfe Research raised their price target on shares of Caterpillar from $670.00 to $750.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, March 31st. Finally, Citigroup lifted their price target on shares of Caterpillar from $905.00 to $1,020.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, May 1st.

Caterpillar News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Caterpillar this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Caterpillar is being highlighted as a way to gain exposure to the AI buildout, especially through demand tied to data center construction, which is helping bolster investor optimism. These Dividend Paying Stocks Offer Strong Exposure to AI Trends
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst/commentary pieces continue to frame Caterpillar as a stock with strong momentum and relative outperformance, supporting the bullish case for CAT. CAT Outperforms NVDA & Tech Sector, AI Data Center Demand Powers Growth
• Positive Sentiment: News that Caterpillar is opening an engineering design centre adds to the company’s investment and expansion story, which can be supportive for long-term growth expectations. Caterpillar Inc. opens engineering design centre
• Positive Sentiment: Reports of a multimillion-dollar global headquarters expansion in Las Colinas suggest continued capital investment and confidence in the business outlook. Caterpillar digs into new $34M HQ in Las Colinas
• Neutral Sentiment: Market commentary notes that Caterpillar remains a popular industrial stock to watch, but these list-style articles do not provide a clear new catalyst. Industrial Stocks To Consider – July 9th
• Neutral Sentiment: Another feature discusses Caterpillar among “calls of the day,” indicating ongoing trader attention rather than a specific fundamental update. Calls of the day: AbbVie, Caterpillar, Marriott, Lamar Advertising and PepsiCo
• Negative Sentiment: Some coverage says CAT has dipped while the broader market rose, and other commentary warns the stock may be losing momentum as investors weigh valuation, tariffs, and execution risks. Caterpillar (CAT) Stock Dips While Market Gains: Key Facts
• Negative Sentiment: One bearish note suggests the AI rally may be fading, with valuation concerns making investors more cautious about further upside. CAT Stock Heads For Second Weekly Loss: Is Caterpillar’s AI Rally Fading?

Caterpillar Trading Up 0.0%

Shares of CAT opened at $952.42 on Monday. Caterpillar has a 12 month low of $401.70 and a 12 month high of $1,073.46. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $930.83 and its two-hundred day moving average is $783.49. 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 stock has a market cap of $438.68 billion, a PE ratio of 47.41, a P/E/G ratio of 1.88 and a beta of 1.57.

Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The industrial products company reported $5.54 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.65 by $0.89. The business had revenue of $17.41 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $16.53 billion. Caterpillar had a return on equity of 48.21% and a net margin of 13.33%.The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 22.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $4.25 earnings per share. Equities analysts forecast that Caterpillar will post 24.71 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Caterpillar Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, August 19th. Stockholders of record on Monday, July 20th will be given a dividend of $1.63 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, July 20th. This is a positive change from Caterpillar’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.51. This represents a $6.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.7%. Caterpillar’s dividend payout ratio is presently 30.06%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Caterpillar news, insider Anthony D. Fassino sold 16,283 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, May 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $916.80, for a total transaction of $14,928,254.40. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 46,041 shares in the company, valued at $42,210,388.80. This trade represents a 26.13% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, insider Denise C. Johnson sold 12,605 shares of Caterpillar stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $907.91, for a total value 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 ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 95,773 shares of company stock valued at $87,642,635. Insiders own 0.33% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Caterpillar

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Diamant Asset Management Inc. boosted its stake in Caterpillar by 68,427.2% during the 1st quarter. Diamant Asset Management Inc. now owns 3,140,603 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $2,224,992,000 after acquiring an additional 3,136,020 shares during the last quarter. Capital International Investors bought a new stake in shares of Caterpillar in the 4th quarter worth about $1,225,317,000. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. increased its position in shares of Caterpillar by 573.1% in the 4th quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 1,504,612 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $861,947,000 after purchasing an additional 1,281,087 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE raised its stake in shares of Caterpillar by 16.0% in the 4th quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 6,738,802 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $3,860,457,000 after purchasing an additional 928,974 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Cynosure Group LLC lifted its position in shares of Caterpillar by 8,359.6% during the fourth quarter. Cynosure Group LLC now owns 513,754 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $294,314,000 after purchasing an additional 507,681 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 70.98% of the company’s stock.

Caterpillar Company 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.