Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT) Price Target Raised to $769.00

Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT) had its price objective raised by Sanford C. Bernstein from $678.00 to $769.00 in a research report released on Thursday, Marketbeat Ratings reports. The brokerage currently has a market perform rating on the industrial products company’s stock.

Other analysts have also recently issued research reports about the company. Rothschild & Co Redburn raised their price target on Caterpillar from $650.00 to $700.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. Daiwa Securities Group increased their price objective on Caterpillar from $640.00 to $790.00 in a research report on Wednesday, February 25th. HSBC increased their price objective on Caterpillar from $660.00 to $850.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Raymond James Financial reiterated a “market perform” rating on shares of Caterpillar in a research report on Wednesday, January 7th. Finally, Wolfe Research increased their price objective on Caterpillar from $670.00 to $750.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 31st. Sixteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $741.68.

Caterpillar Stock Performance

NYSE:CAT opened at $790.60 on Thursday. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $726.61 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $624.31. Caterpillar has a twelve month low of $282.46 and a twelve month high of $797.85. The stock has a market cap of $367.86 billion, a P/E ratio of 42.01, a PEG ratio of 1.86 and a beta of 1.52. The company has a quick ratio of 0.94, a current ratio of 1.44 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.44.

Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The industrial products company reported $5.16 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.67 by $0.49. Caterpillar had a return on equity of 45.76% and a net margin of 13.14%.The firm had revenue of $19.13 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $17.81 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $5.14 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 17.9% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts predict that Caterpillar will post 19.86 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Caterpillar Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, May 19th. Investors of record on Monday, April 20th will be given a dividend of $1.51 per share. This represents a $6.04 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, April 20th. Caterpillar’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 32.09%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Caterpillar

In related news, insider Rodney Michael Shurman sold 2,278 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $759.61, for a total transaction of $1,730,391.58. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 1,443 shares in the company, valued at $1,096,117.23. This trade represents a 61.22% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, insider Anthony D. Fassino sold 10,671 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $680.45, for a total value of $7,261,081.95. Following the transaction, the insider owned 41,151 shares in the company, valued at approximately $28,001,197.95. The trade was a 20.59% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold 125,950 shares of company stock worth $88,577,390 over the last quarter. Company insiders own 0.33% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Caterpillar

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of CAT. Wellington Management Group LLP grew its position in Caterpillar by 3,949.8% during the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 5,228,058 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $2,494,568,000 after acquiring an additional 5,098,964 shares during the last quarter. Capital International Investors bought a new position in Caterpillar during the 4th quarter worth approximately $1,225,317,000. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA grew its position in Caterpillar by 1,851.8% during the 3rd quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 1,830,414 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $873,382,000 after acquiring an additional 1,736,631 shares during the last quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. grew its position in Caterpillar by 573.1% during 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 acquiring an additional 1,281,087 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bank of America Corp DE lifted its holdings in 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 worth $3,860,457,000 after buying an additional 928,974 shares during the period. 70.98% of the stock is currently 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.