Caterpillar Inc. $CAT Shares Purchased by Fifth Third Bancorp

Fifth Third Bancorp increased its holdings in Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT) by 17.3% during the 1st quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 591,354 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after purchasing an additional 87,164 shares during the quarter. Caterpillar makes up about 0.8% of Fifth Third Bancorp’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 25th largest position. Fifth Third Bancorp’s holdings in Caterpillar were worth $418,950,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of CAT. Axxcess Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in Caterpillar by 2.8% during the fourth quarter. Axxcess Wealth Management LLC now owns 22,420 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $12,844,000 after acquiring an additional 604 shares during the last quarter. Juno Financial Group LLC acquired a new stake in Caterpillar during the fourth quarter worth about $877,000. DSG Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Caterpillar in the first quarter valued at approximately $1,226,000. Cornerstone Planning LLC acquired a new position in shares of Caterpillar during the 4th quarter valued at $4,517,000. Finally, Gotham Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Caterpillar by 19.1% during the third quarter. Gotham Asset Management LLC now owns 116,589 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $55,630,000 after purchasing an additional 18,676 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 70.98% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

CAT has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Wolfe Research boosted their target price on shares of Caterpillar from $670.00 to $750.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 31st. Rothschild & Co Redburn increased their target price on Caterpillar from $700.00 to $950.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, May 14th. Bank of America lifted their price target on shares of Caterpillar from $930.00 to $989.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, May 1st. Jefferies Financial Group increased their target price on Caterpillar from $900.00 to $1,045.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, May 1st. Finally, Robert W. Baird lifted their price target on Caterpillar from $1,165.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, June 26th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have assigned a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Caterpillar presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $970.81.

Caterpillar Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:CAT traded up $14.03 on Friday, reaching $952.42. 1,957,575 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 3,658,716. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.64, a current ratio of 1.35 and a quick ratio of 0.81. Caterpillar Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $401.70 and a fifty-two week high of $1,073.46. The stock has a market capitalization of $438.68 billion, a PE ratio of 47.41, a P/E/G ratio of 1.88 and a beta of 1.57. The company’s 50 day moving average is $930.83 and its 200-day moving average is $782.09.

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

Caterpillar Increases Dividend

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

Key Caterpillar News

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?

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, insider Lange Bob De sold 24,222 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, May 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $922.92, for a total transaction of $22,354,968.24. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 86,029 shares in the company, valued at $79,397,884.68. This represents a 21.97% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, insider Anthony D. Fassino sold 16,283 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction 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 approximately $42,210,388.80. The trade was a 26.13% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 95,773 shares of company stock worth $87,642,635. Insiders own 0.33% of the company’s stock.

About Caterpillar

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.