Caterpillar Stock: Analyst Estimates & Ratings
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Nov 18 2024
0mins
Source: NASDAQ.COM
Caterpillar Inc. Performance: Caterpillar Inc., a leading manufacturer in construction and mining equipment, has seen its stock outperform the S&P 500 over the past year, gaining 53% compared to the index's 30.4%. However, shares dropped 2.1% following a Q3 earnings report that missed estimates due to lower sales volume.
Analyst Ratings and Future Outlook: Analysts currently rate CAT as a "Hold," down from "Moderate Buy," with concerns about potential earnings risks and competitive pressures highlighted by Evercore Inc. Despite trading above the mean price target, there is a suggested upside potential of 30.2% based on the highest price target of $500.
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Analyst Views on CAT
Wall Street analysts forecast CAT stock price to fall
15 Analyst Rating
8 Buy
6 Hold
1 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 758.290
Low
395.00
Averages
620.54
High
730.00
Current: 758.290
Low
395.00
Averages
620.54
High
730.00
About CAT
Caterpillar Inc. is a manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives. The Company operates through its various segments, namely Construction Industries, Resource Industries, and Energy & Transportation. It also provides financing and related services through its Financial Products segment. The Construction Industries segment is primarily responsible for supporting customers using machinery in infrastructure and building construction applications. The Resource Industries segment develops and manufactures high productivity equipment for both surface and underground mining operations, as well as provide hydraulic systems, electronics and software for its machines and engines. The Energy & Transportation segment offers product and services that includes reciprocating engines, generator sets, integrated systems and solutions, turbines and turbine-related services.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Performance Growth and Returns: Caterpillar achieved an 18% year-over-year revenue growth in Q4 FY25, ending with a record backlog of $51 billion, while returning $7.9 billion to shareholders through buybacks and dividends, alongside a 7% dividend increase last year.
See More
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- Position Adjustments: The firm closed its holdings in AT&T (T), Annaly Capital Management (NLY), Affirm Holdings (AFRM), and Aehr Test Systems (AEHR), reflecting a cautious outlook on these companies, which could impact their market performance.
- Increased Stakes: Bridgewater raised its stake in Nvidia (NVDA) from 2.51 million shares to 3.87 million shares and Amazon (AMZN) from 1.12 million to 1.95 million shares, demonstrating ongoing optimism in tech stocks that may enhance its investment portfolio in the sector.
- Trimmed Holdings: The fund reduced its positions in Salesforce (CRM) from 2.01 million shares to 1.93 million and Microsoft (MSFT) from 1.10 million to 984,000 shares, indicating a cautious stance on future growth prospects which may affect stock price stability.
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- Impact of Tariff Protection: Tariffs have provided a cushion for U.S. producers, supporting margins and limiting cheaper imports; if rolled back, this cushion thins, potentially compressing profit margins.
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