Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT – Free Report) – Stock analysts at Zacks Research upped their Q2 2026 EPS estimates for shares of Caterpillar in a research note issued on Thursday, April 9th. Zacks Research analyst Team now expects that the industrial products company will earn $5.39 per share for the quarter, up from their previous forecast of $5.28. The consensus estimate for Caterpillar’s current full-year earnings is $19.86 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Caterpillar’s Q4 2026 earnings at $6.15 EPS, FY2026 earnings at $21.63 EPS, Q1 2027 earnings at $5.33 EPS, Q2 2027 earnings at $6.14 EPS and Q1 2028 earnings at $6.30 EPS.
Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The industrial products company reported $5.16 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.67 by $0.49. Caterpillar had a net margin of 13.14% and a return on equity of 45.76%. The business had revenue of $19.13 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $17.81 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $5.14 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 17.9% on a year-over-year basis.
Caterpillar Stock Performance
Caterpillar stock opened at $790.60 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.44, a quick ratio of 0.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.44. Caterpillar has a 1 year low of $282.46 and a 1 year high of $797.85. The company has a market cap of $367.86 billion, a PE ratio of 42.01, a PEG ratio of 1.85 and a beta of 1.52. The company’s 50-day moving average is $726.61 and its two-hundred day moving average is $623.25.
Caterpillar Dividend Announcement
The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, May 19th. Stockholders of record on Monday, April 20th will be paid a $1.51 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, April 20th. This represents a $6.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.8%. Caterpillar’s dividend payout ratio is 32.09%.
Insider Buying and Selling
In other news, insider Lange Bob De sold 22,656 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $720.11, for a total value of $16,314,812.16. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 79,953 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $57,574,954.83. This represents a 22.08% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, insider Rodney Michael Shurman sold 2,278 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $759.61, for a total value of $1,730,391.58. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 1,443 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,096,117.23. This trade represents a 61.22% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 125,950 shares of company stock worth $88,577,390 over the last quarter. Insiders own 0.33% of the company’s stock.
Institutional Trading of Caterpillar
A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of CAT. Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund grew its stake in shares of Caterpillar by 7.3% during the 3rd quarter. Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund now owns 17,262 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $8,237,000 after acquiring an additional 1,181 shares in the last quarter. Union Bancaire Privee UBP SA boosted its holdings in shares of Caterpillar by 155.9% in the 3rd quarter. Union Bancaire Privee UBP SA now owns 47,231 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $21,014,000 after buying an additional 28,773 shares during the last quarter. Caprock Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Caterpillar in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $8,893,000. ZEGA Investments LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Caterpillar by 149.6% in the 3rd quarter. ZEGA Investments LLC now owns 4,184 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $1,996,000 after buying an additional 2,508 shares during the last quarter. Finally, State of New Jersey Common Pension Fund D boosted its holdings in shares of Caterpillar by 2.5% in the 3rd quarter. State of New Jersey Common Pension Fund D now owns 165,677 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $79,053,000 after buying an additional 4,010 shares during the last quarter. 70.98% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
Key Stories Impacting Caterpillar
Here are the key news stories impacting Caterpillar this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Caterpillar named veteran finance executive Kyle Epley as incoming CFO (effective May 1), an internal succession that reduces transition risk and preserves continuity in financial strategy. Caterpillar Names Veteran Executive Kyle Epley as CFO
- Positive Sentiment: Company messaging and coverage highlight record quarterly and full‑year results and a strong backlog — supporting revenue/earnings momentum that underpins the stock move. Caterpillar CFO Change Highlights Record Results And Valuation Questions
- Positive Sentiment: Earlier dividend action prompted a sharp intraday rally (reports showed a ~6.5% move after the announcement), underscoring management’s shareholder‑friendly posture. Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT) Trading Up 6.5% After Dividend Announcement
- Positive Sentiment: Analysts (Zacks and others) nudged up near‑term EPS forecasts and reiterated longer‑term upside cases, which supports estimates and reduces uncertainty around upcoming quarters. Why Caterpillar (CAT) is a Top Stock for the Long-Term
- Positive Sentiment: High‑profile bullish commentary (e.g., Jim Cramer) has amplified investor interest and momentum in the shares. Jim Cramer Believes “CAT Is One of the Most Viable Stocks”
- Neutral Sentiment: Sanford C. Bernstein raised its price target to $769 but kept a “market perform” rating — a mixed signal: higher PT but no upgrade to outperform. Bernstein adjusts price target on Caterpillar to $769
- Negative Sentiment: Valuation and cyclicality remain risks: coverage notes high valuation metrics (elevated P/E) and dependence on metals/mining and energy cycles — a sharp downturn in those end markets could hit demand and the share price. Caterpillar CFO Change Highlights Record Results And Valuation Questions
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.
Further Reading
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