Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT) Hits New 12-Month High After Analyst Upgrade

Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT) hit a new 52-week high during trading on Thursday after Rothschild & Co Redburn raised their price target on the stock from $420.00 to $650.00. Rothschild & Co Redburn currently has a neutral rating on the stock. Caterpillar traded as high as $655.78 and last traded at $645.1570, with a volume of 399153 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $645.38.

A number of other brokerages have also recently issued reports on CAT. Argus boosted their price objective on Caterpillar from $460.00 to $625.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 19th. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price target on Caterpillar from $570.00 to $700.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 5th. Barclays increased their price objective on Caterpillar from $485.00 to $555.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 30th. Oppenheimer boosted their target price on shares of Caterpillar from $645.00 to $700.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday. Finally, Evercore ISI upped their price target on shares of Caterpillar from $476.00 to $630.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, November 17th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have issued a Buy rating, seven have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Caterpillar has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $633.35.

Insider Activity

In other news, insider Anthony D. Fassino sold 8,184 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $570.18, for a total transaction of $4,666,353.12. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 41,512 shares in the company, valued at $23,669,312.16. The trade was a 16.47% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CFO Andrew R. J. Bonfield sold 10,000 shares of Caterpillar stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of $575.06, for a total transaction of $5,750,600.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 45,460 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $26,142,227.60. This represents a 18.03% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last three months, insiders have sold 54,729 shares of company stock valued at $31,084,308. 0.33% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

More Caterpillar News

Here are the key news stories impacting Caterpillar this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Caterpillar expanded its AI/technology partnership with Nvidia to bring generative AI and edge computing into machines and manufacturing — a strategic push that could lift product differentiation, aftermarket services, and long-term margins. Caterpillar, Nvidia Team Up to Transform Machines and Manufacturing
• Positive Sentiment: Feature coverage highlights Caterpillar’s broader technology transformation and digital strategy, reinforcing the narrative that CAT is moving beyond heavy equipment into higher-value software and services — a tailwind for multiple-year revenue mix improvement. Building The World Through Technology At Caterpillar
• Positive Sentiment: An Oppenheimer analyst note cited by the press expects CAT’s stock to rise, providing short-term bullish analyst sentiment that can support buying interest. Caterpillar Stock Price Expected to Rise, Oppenheimer Analyst Says
• Positive Sentiment: Rothschild & Co Redburn raised its price target sharply to $650 (from $420) while keeping a neutral rating — the PT increase signals higher analyst valuation sensitivity even if the formal stance remains cautious. Rothschild & Co Redburn Adjusts Caterpillar PT
• Neutral Sentiment: Market-note: CAT recently outperformed the broader market in session-level moves, which can amplify momentum trading but is not a fundamental driver by itself. Caterpillar Surpasses Market Returns
• Neutral Sentiment: Caterpillar is scheduled to report quarterly earnings this week — an event that increases short-term volatility; investors should watch guidance, margin commentary, and orders/backlog for directional cues. Caterpillar to Release Quarterly Earnings on Thursday
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts polled by Zacks expect a decline in Caterpillar’s upcoming earnings and note the company lacks the mix of drivers typically associated with an earnings beat — this raises the risk of a negative surprise and profit-taking around the print. Analysts Estimate Caterpillar to Report a Decline in Earnings
• Negative Sentiment: Caterpillar faces an employment-related lawsuit alleging wrongful termination after a racial harassment complaint — a reputational and legal risk that could draw attention if it escalates. Caterpillar Worker Sues After Racial Harassment Report

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Caterpillar

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of CAT. Kilter Group LLC purchased a new position in Caterpillar during the second quarter worth about $27,000. Mid American Wealth Advisory Group Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Caterpillar during the second quarter worth $28,000. Marquette Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Caterpillar by 1,060.0% in the third quarter. Marquette Asset Management LLC now owns 58 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 53 shares during the period. IFS Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Caterpillar in the fourth quarter valued at $31,000. Finally, RiverPark Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Caterpillar during the 2nd quarter worth about $32,000. 70.98% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Caterpillar Trading Up 0.4%

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.34, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a current ratio of 1.38. The firm has a market cap of $303.38 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.28, a P/E/G ratio of 2.49 and a beta of 1.57. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $592.97 and a 200 day simple moving average of $508.92.

Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday, November 3rd. The industrial products company reported $4.95 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.52 by $0.43. Caterpillar had a return on equity of 47.16% and a net margin of 14.34%.The firm had revenue of $17.64 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $16.72 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $5.17 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 9.5% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts predict that Caterpillar Inc. will post 19.86 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Caterpillar Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, February 19th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, January 20th will be issued a $1.51 dividend. This represents a $6.04 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, January 20th. Caterpillar’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 31.01%.

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.