Insider Buying: Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT) Director Acquires $620,390.00 in Stock

Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT) Director James Fish, Jr. purchased 1,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, November 2nd. The stock was acquired at an average price of $620.39 per share, with a total value of $620,390.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director directly owned 4,714 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,924,518.46. This represents a 26.93% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website.

Caterpillar Stock Down 6.5%

Caterpillar stock opened at $552.88 on Friday. Caterpillar Inc. has a twelve month low of $537.08 and a twelve month high of $1,073.46. The company has a quick ratio of 0.88, a current ratio of 1.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.50. The company has a 50 day moving average of $765.36 and a 200-day moving average of $806.58. The stock has a market capitalization of $254.14 billion, a PE ratio of 21.69, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.02 and a beta of 1.65.

Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, October 29th. The industrial products company reported $7.20 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $7.06 by $0.14. The firm had revenue of $20.68 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $20.76 billion. Caterpillar had a net margin of 15.21% and a return on equity of 59.87%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 17.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $4.95 EPS. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Caterpillar Inc. will post 27.62 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Caterpillar Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, November 19th. Stockholders of record on Monday, October 26th will be issued a $1.63 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, October 26th. This represents a $6.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.2%. Caterpillar’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 25.58%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts have issued reports on the company. Needham & Company LLC set a $980.00 price objective on Caterpillar in a research note on Thursday, September 10th. Royal Bank Of Canada cut their price target on Caterpillar from $897.00 to $722.00 and set a “sector perform” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, October 30th. President Capital began coverage on shares of Caterpillar in a report on Friday, September 18th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $999.00 target price on the stock. Weiss Ratings downgraded Caterpillar from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 29th. Finally, Erste Group Bank lowered shares of Caterpillar from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, July 27th. Fifteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and twelve have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $898.25.

Key Stories Impacting Caterpillar

Here are the key news stories impacting Caterpillar this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Caterpillar reported strong third-quarter results, with earnings above consensus, year-over-year growth, and a record $78.1 billion backlog. Surging demand for power-generation equipment is supporting capacity expansion, though production and cost pressures may limit the benefit. Article: CAT Shares Fall Despite Q3 Earnings Beat
• Positive Sentiment: Director James Fish bought 1,000 shares for about $620,000, increasing his stake by nearly 27%. The purchase may signal confidence in the company. Article: Caterpillar director purchases shares
• Neutral Sentiment: Caterpillar completed its acquisition of the Fabick Cat dealership. The deal expands its dealer operations in several Midwestern states, but the near-term financial effect is unclear. Article: Caterpillar completes Fabick Cat acquisition
• Negative Sentiment: The broader AI-trade selloff is weighing on industrial stocks, with investors treating Caterpillar as a beneficiary of data-center power investment and questioning whether that spending will continue. Reports tied the market reaction to expectations of less AI spending after Democrats won Congress; they noted no new company-specific catalyst. Article: Caterpillar caught up in AI trade selloff
• Negative Sentiment: Morgan Stanley cut its price target by 26%, citing a shift toward testing Caterpillar’s cyclical fundamentals. Reports also point to weaker orders, dealer inventory reductions, production constraints, tariffs and manufacturing costs—all risks to margins and backlog conversion. Article: Morgan Stanley cuts Caterpillar price target

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Caterpillar

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Decker Retirement Planning Inc. raised its stake in Caterpillar by 440.0% during the 2nd quarter. Decker Retirement Planning Inc. now owns 27 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 22 shares during the last quarter. PFS Partners LLC boosted its holdings in Caterpillar by 1,750.0% during the third quarter. PFS Partners LLC now owns 37 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $30,000 after buying an additional 35 shares in the last quarter. Matrix Trust Co grew its holdings in shares of Caterpillar by 93.8% in the 2nd quarter. Matrix Trust Co now owns 31 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 15 shares during the period. Cedar Mountain Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Caterpillar by 82.1% in the first quarter. Cedar Mountain Advisors LLC now owns 51 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $36,000 after buying an additional 23 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Axiom Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in Caterpillar during the second quarter worth about $36,000. 70.98% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Caterpillar

Caterpillar Inc is a manufacturer of construction, mining, and industrial equipment. Its product portfolio includes excavators, bulldozers, wheel loaders, motor graders, articulated trucks, and other machinery used in construction, infrastructure development, mining, quarrying, forestry, and related industries. The company also produces diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines, generator sets, and other power-generation and transportation equipment.

Caterpillar operates through businesses focused on construction industries, resource industries, and energy and transportation.