Vestor Capital LLC Sells 9,993 Shares of Caterpillar Inc. $CAT

Vestor Capital LLC reduced its stake in Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT) by 28.7% during the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 24,799 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after selling 9,993 shares during the quarter. Caterpillar accounts for approximately 1.3% of Vestor Capital LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 23rd largest holding. Vestor Capital LLC’s holdings in Caterpillar were worth $17,569,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Diamant Asset Management Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Caterpillar by 68,427.2% in the 1st quarter. Diamant Asset Management Inc. now owns 3,140,603 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $2,224,992,000 after purchasing an additional 3,136,020 shares during the period. Capital International Investors bought a new position in shares of Caterpillar during the 4th quarter worth $1,225,317,000. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. raised its stake in Caterpillar by 573.1% in the 4th quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 1,504,612 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $861,947,000 after acquiring an additional 1,281,087 shares during the period. Bank of America Corp DE boosted its position in Caterpillar by 16.0% during the fourth 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 purchasing an additional 928,974 shares during the period. Finally, Cynosure Group LLC increased its stake in shares of Caterpillar by 8,359.6% in the fourth quarter. Cynosure Group LLC now owns 513,754 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $294,314,000 after purchasing an additional 507,681 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 70.98% of the company’s stock.

Caterpillar Stock Up 3.2%

CAT stock opened at $807.88 on Friday. Caterpillar Inc. has a 1-year low of $405.46 and a 1-year high of $1,073.46. The stock has a market cap of $372.10 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 40.21, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.53 and a beta of 1.57. The company has a current ratio of 1.35, a quick ratio of 0.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.64. The company’s 50 day moving average is $925.74 and its 200 day moving average is $811.49.

Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The industrial products company reported $5.54 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.65 by $0.89. The business had revenue of $17.41 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $16.53 billion. Caterpillar had a net margin of 13.33% and a return on equity of 48.21%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 22.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $4.25 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that Caterpillar Inc. will post 24.87 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Caterpillar Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, August 19th. Stockholders of record on Monday, July 20th will be issued a $1.63 dividend. This represents a $6.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, July 20th. This is an increase from Caterpillar’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.51. Caterpillar’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 32.45%.

Caterpillar News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Caterpillar this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Caterpillar announced up to $10 million for workforce development in Illinois, part of its broader five-year, $100 million Building the Future Workforce Initiative. The investment is intended to address manufacturing and technician shortages, supporting long-term operating capacity and regional growth. Caterpillar Invests in the Future of Manufacturing Talent in Illinois
• Positive Sentiment: Several investment articles remain bullish, arguing that Caterpillar’s recent decline could create an attractive entry point for long-term investors ahead of earnings. The company has also benefited from strong demand, with its latest reported quarter showing revenue growth and earnings above analyst expectations. Here’s Why Caterpillar Is a Buy Before Earnings
• Neutral Sentiment: Wall Street is focused on Caterpillar’s second-quarter results, including key operating metrics such as sales, margins and segment performance. The earnings release could determine whether the recent demand strength offsets concerns about valuation and end-market risks. Unlocking Q2 Potential of Caterpillar
• Negative Sentiment: Robert W. Baird downgraded CAT from Outperform to Neutral and reduced its price target to $900 from $1,200. Analyst Mig Dobre cited growing backlash and uncertainty surrounding the data-center construction boom, which had helped drive enthusiasm for Caterpillar’s power-generation products. Baird Just Downgraded Caterpillar Stock
• Negative Sentiment: The downgrade intensified concerns that Caterpillar trades at a historically elevated valuation and could be vulnerable if AI-related infrastructure spending slows. Commentary also noted bearish positioning, including Michael Burry’s reported negative view of the stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts recently commented on CAT shares. Rothschild & Co Redburn raised their price objective on shares of Caterpillar from $700.00 to $950.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, May 14th. Bank of America raised their price target on Caterpillar from $930.00 to $989.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, May 1st. Wall Street Zen upgraded Caterpillar from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, May 2nd. Evercore reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $1,103.00 price objective on shares of Caterpillar in a report on Monday, May 11th. Finally, Zacks Research lowered Caterpillar from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 14th. Thirteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and twelve have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $966.29.

Insider Activity

In other news, insider Jason Kaiser sold 5,642 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, May 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $883.03, for a total value of $4,982,055.26. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 9,594 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $8,471,789.82. This represents a 37.03% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, insider Anthony D. Fassino sold 16,283 shares of Caterpillar 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 transaction, 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. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last three months, insiders sold 95,773 shares of company stock worth $87,642,635. 0.33% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

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.