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CATCATIndustrials · Farm & Heavy Construction Machinery

CAT Stock Forecast: Caterpillar, Inc. Price Predictions for 2026-2027

Last close, 21 Sept 2026
$817
+0.93% on the day

The 28 Wall Street analysts covering Caterpillar, Inc. hold a median 12-month price target of $981 — +20.1% from the last close. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model, run across ~4,600 US stocks, ranks it 74 of 100 as at 21 Sept 2026 — in the upper half. Here, the model and the Street point the same way.

Market cap
$371.9B
Ticker Nerd rank
74 / 100
Median analyst target
$981
Analysts covering
28
Revenue$20.5B+24.0% y/y
Operating income$4.3B
Net income$3.6B
Free cash flow$3.3B
Quarterly, 8 quarters to 30 June 2026 · latest quarter's figure shown
Total return, dividends reinvested
1W
+4.1%
1M
−1.4%
YTD
+43.4%
1Y
+76.6%
From 52W high
−23.2%
From 52W low
+77.7%
$460
$1,063
52-week range, adjusted closes · the dot is the last close
Ticker Nerd rank

CAT stock analysis: one number for the whole business

Consensus tells you what everyone already believes. The model scores Caterpillar, Inc. on its factor families — the same systematic rank behind the Ticker Nerd portfolio.

Where the model ranks itAs at 21 Sept 2026
74 / 100

Percentile across ~4,600 US stocks on Ticker Nerd’s systematic factor model. Higher is better. How the model is built and tested

Revisions
95
Momentum
89
Growth
80
Quality
74
Volatility
64
Issuance
58
Value
36
Accruals
35
Size
1

Revisions (95): Analysts have, on balance, been raising their forecasts.

Accruals (35): A large share of reported profit has not shown up as cash, or the balance sheet is expanding quickly — both tend to unwind.

Size (1): Larger than most of the companies we track — more scrutinised, less often mispriced.

Built and run by Aslam Ghouse, an ex-Goldman Sachs quant trader with fourteen years in markets.

Wall Street

CAT stock forecast 2026-2027: analyst price targets & predictions

The bullish and bearish analyst opinions on CAT, reported as data — targets and ratings, the market's view beside the model's.

Share price and the analyst range, 12 monthsAdjusted close, US dollars
$400$600$800$1,000$1,200Oct 25Jan 26Apr 26Jul 26CATHigh $1,225Median $981Low $575

Price targets and ratings are third-party analyst estimates, reported here as data. They are not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.

Data provided by Twelve Data

What Wall Street says28 analysts
14 Buy12 Hold2 Sell
Low $575Median $981High $1,225

The green dot is the last close — the median target sits +20.1% from it.

Recent analyst actionsNewest first

Of the 20 most recent actions, 17 moved their price target up and 2 moved it down.

DateFirmActionRatingTarget
10 Sept 2026Freedom BrokerUpgradeBuy$980
11 Aug 2026Evercore ISI GroupMaintainsOutperform$1,103 → $1,045
6 Aug 2026BarclaysMaintainsEqual-Weight$800 → $900
6 Aug 2026DA DavidsonMaintainsNeutral$845 → $882
5 Aug 2026RBC CapitalMaintainsSector Perform$877 → $897
5 Aug 2026Truist SecuritiesMaintainsBuy$1,218 → $1,225
5 Aug 2026UBSMaintainsNeutral$900 → $925
29 July 2026BairdDowngradeNeutral$1,200 → $900
14 July 2026CitigroupMaintainsBuy$1,020 → $1,100
13 July 2026OppenheimerMaintainsOutperform$980 → $1,105
2 July 2026Truist SecuritiesMaintainsBuy$1,043 → $1,218
23 June 2026Wells FargoMaintainsOverweight$1,050 → $1,155
5 May 2026Argus ResearchMaintainsBuy$820 → $990
4 May 2026CitigroupMaintainsBuy$905 → $1,020
4 May 2026DA DavidsonMaintainsNeutral$650 → $845
1 May 2026BarclaysMaintainsEqual-Weight$700 → $800
1 May 2026JP MorganMaintainsOverweight$860 → $1,125
1 May 2026Morgan StanleyUpgradeEqual-Weight$430 → $915
1 May 2026Wells FargoMaintainsOverweight$960 → $1,050
21 Apr 2026Wells FargoMaintainsOverweight$870 → $960

Price targets and ratings are third-party analyst estimates, reported here as data. They are not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.

Market Radar

This page is one stock. Monday covers all of them.

Computed off the Friday close and sent before the US open.

Market Radar reports the week’s largest rank changes across roughly 4,600 US stocks, the factor behind each one, and where the market went. CAT appears on the weeks it earns a place.

Free, every Monday. Unsubscribe any time.

Performance

CAT vs the S&P 500

Both lines are total return — dividends reinvested — so the comparison is honest on both sides.

Over the twelve months to 21 Sept 2026, Caterpillar, Inc. returned +76.6% against +17.8% for the S&P 500, dividends included.

CAT vs S&P 500, last 12 monthsTotal return, rebased to 100
100150200Oct 25Jan 26Apr 26Jul 26CATS&P 500

Download this chart as an image — free to reuse; link this page as the source.

Data provided by Twelve Data

Estimates

CAT analyst estimate revisions

Not the forecast itself — the direction analysts are revising it. Revision direction is one of the model's factor families.

Which way the estimates are movingNext fiscal year
EPS revision, 90 days
+10.3%
Analysts raising
24
Analysts cutting
0
Fundamentals

Caterpillar, Inc. (CAT) financial data

A margin means little on its own. Each bar marks where the figure sits across the whole US universe we score.

Valuation
Trailing P/E
34.8×

Cheaper than 22% of US stocks

Price / sales
5.0×

Cheaper than 25% of US stocks

Price / book
19.2×

Cheaper than 5% of US stocks

EV / EBITDA
25.3×

Cheaper than 11% of US stocks

Growth & margins
Revenue growth (YoY)
24.0%

Higher than 73% of US stocks

Earnings growth (YoY)
64.9%

Higher than 79% of US stocks

Gross margin
36.0%

Higher than 44% of US stocks

Operating margin
22.2%

Higher than 81% of US stocks

Net margin
14.5%

Higher than 77% of US stocks

Returns & dividend
Return on equity
57.0%

Higher than 94% of US stocks

Return on assets
9.0%

Higher than 91% of US stocks

Dividend yield
0.8%

Higher than 17% of US dividend payers

Bars mark the percentile across the ~4,600 US stocks Ticker Nerd covers, among those reporting the figure.

Key statistics

Caterpillar, Inc. (CAT) statistics: revenue, profit & scale

The headline figures, each with its date. Every row carries its own link — cite it straight from here.

  • Caterpillar, Inc. has a market value of $371.9B and an enterprise value of $411.1B.

  • Revenue in the twelve months to 30 June 2026: $74.7B. The latest quarter grew 24.0% year on year.

  • Net income over the same four quarters: $10.8B, a 14.5% net margin.

  • Diluted earnings per share, trailing twelve months: $23.24.

  • Free cash flow in the twelve months to 30 June 2026: $9.0B, after $4.6B of capital spending.

  • Caterpillar, Inc. spent $7.3B on share buybacks and $2.8B on dividends in the twelve months to 30 June 2026.

  • Shares outstanding: 459.7M.

  • Trailing P/E: 34.8×; forward P/E: 25.0× — the forward figure prices analyst consensus estimates, not reported earnings.

  • Forward dividend yield: 0.81%, paying out 26% of earnings.

  • Caterpillar, Inc. employs 118,000 people — $633K of revenue per employee.

Statement figures: company filings via Twelve Data, four quarters to 30 June 2026 · market figures as at 21 Sept 2026

Data provided by Twelve Data

Peers

CAT vs competitors

The nearest names by industry and size, scored by the same model — like for like.

Its peer group, ranked by the same modelFarm & Heavy Construction Machinery
CompanyMarket capTKN rank
CATCaterpillar, Inc.$371.9B
74
DEDeere & Co.$185.2B
68
PCARPACCAR, Inc.$60.3B
69
CNHCNH Industrial NV$16.7B
68
GEGE Aerospace*$331.0B
91
RTXRTX Corp.*$260.9B
96
GEVGE Vernova, Inc.*$254.4B
49

* Nearest Industrials names by size — few farm & heavy construction machinery companies of this scale trade in the US universe.

Look up any of the roughly 4,600 stocks we score.

The rank is the raw material. Whether the rules would actually own Caterpillar, Inc. — and when they’d sell — is the membership. See the Ticker Nerd 20 →

News

Latest CAT news & analysis

3 Stocks That Pay Dividends and Offer AI Exposure

Zacks Investment Research · 22 Sept 2026neutral

Zacks Investment Research highlighted Broadcom, Vertiv, and Caterpillar as dividend-paying stocks that also offer exposure to artificial intelligence. Caterpillar was included in the list as one of the companies fitting these criteria.

Why it matters — The mention positions CAT among companies seen as offering both income and AI-related exposure, which CAT watchers may find relevant to its investment narrative.

What Higher Interest Rates Mean for Caterpillar, GE Vernova, and Vertiv

The Motley Fool · 21 Sept 2026negative

A Motley Fool analysis notes that among Caterpillar, GE Vernova, and Vertiv, Caterpillar's traditional business is most exposed to higher interest rates, while GE Vernova's strong backlog offers multiyear protection from temporary economic weakness.

Why it matters — CAT watchers would care because the analysis highlights Caterpillar's relatively greater vulnerability to the effects of higher interest rates on its business.

The Caterpillar Correction Shouldn't Last Much Longer

The Motley Fool · 20 Sept 2026neutral

Caterpillar shares have experienced a recent decline, which the article attributes to its exposure to AI-related power and construction bottlenecks. The piece notes that the correction has made the company's valuation more attractive.

Why it matters — CAT watchers may find the stock's recent pullback noteworthy given the company's role in addressing AI infrastructure needs in power and construction.

Oracle Has Committed Hundreds of Billions to AI Data Centers. These 2 Industrial Stocks Will Power Them.

The Motley Fool · 20 Sept 2026positive

Caterpillar is supplying gas generators and turbines to power AI data centers, as demand for these generators outpaces the speed at which new grid connections can be established. The article highlights Caterpillar alongside Vertiv as industrial suppliers benefiting from the massive buildout of AI data centers.

Why it matters — CAT watchers would care because AI data centers represent a growing demand source for Caterpillar's power-generation equipment beyond traditional construction and mining markets.

Caterpillar's Robot Trucks Are Heading to Two More Quarries. Should You Buy the Dip Under $800?

24/7 Wall Street · 18 Sept 2026neutral

Caterpillar has deployed its self-driving trucks to two additional quarries. The article notes that this autonomous-vehicle milestone reveals little about what is actually driving the company's stock movement or its recent dip below $800.

Why it matters — A Caterpillar watcher would care because the piece separates the autonomous-truck headline from the real factors moving the stock, offering context for how to read the price dip.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about CAT stock

What is the CAT stock price forecast for 2026-2027?

The 28 Wall Street analysts covering Caterpillar, Inc. have a median 12-month price target of $981, with estimates ranging from $575 to $1,225. These are third-party analyst estimates, not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.

Is CAT stock a buy right now?

Of the 28 analysts covering Caterpillar, Inc., 14 rate it a Buy, 12 a Hold and 2 a Sell. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model ranks Caterpillar, Inc. 74 out of 100 across roughly 4,600 US stocks as at 21 Sept 2026. None of this is personal advice — it does not consider your circumstances.

How does Ticker Nerd's model rank CAT?

As at 21 Sept 2026, Caterpillar, Inc. ranks 74 out of 100 on Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model — a percentile across roughly 4,600 US stocks, built from its factor families. Its strongest factor family is Revisions (95 of 100).

Will CAT stock go up?

No one can know that. What the data says: the median 12-month target from 28 analysts implies +20.1% from the last close, and Ticker Nerd's factor model ranks Caterpillar, Inc. 74 out of 100 as at 21 Sept 2026. Analyst targets are third-party estimates and frequently wrong; none of this is personal advice.

What is the CAT stock forecast for 2030?

No analyst covering Caterpillar, Inc. publishes a 2030 price target — Wall Street targets run 12 to 18 months out. Sites quoting a 2030 price for CAT are extrapolating price history, which says nothing about the business. The furthest attributed numbers are the current analyst targets: $575 to $1,225 over the next 12 months.

How has CAT stock performed over the past year?

Caterpillar, Inc. returned +76.6% over the 12 months to 21 Sept 2026, with dividends reinvested. Past performance does not indicate future returns.

What does Caterpillar, Inc. do?

Caterpillar Inc. is a global industrial machinery company that manufactures construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines, and diesel-electric locomotives.

What is the latest news on CAT?

The most recent item we track (Zacks Investment Research, 22 Sept 2026): "3 Stocks That Pay Dividends and Offer AI Exposure". Zacks Investment Research highlighted Broadcom, Vertiv, and Caterpillar as dividend-paying stocks that also offer exposure to artificial intelligence. Caterpillar was included in the list as one of the companies fitting these criteria.

Company

About Caterpillar, Inc.

Caterpillar Inc. is a global industrial machinery company that manufactures construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines, and diesel-electric locomotives. Its product lineup supports infrastructure, resource extraction, power generation, rail transport, and heavy industrial operations across markets worldwide. Caterpillar also provides parts, service support, and financing through its dealer network and financial services segment, helping customers maintain and operate large fleets of equipment. The company serves contractors, miners, utilities, energy producers, rail operators, and other industrial customers that rely on durable, high-performance machines and power systems. Headquartered in Irving, Texas, Caterpillar plays a central role in the industrial economy by supplying equipment and services used in construction, energy, and transportation applications.

CEO Mr. Joseph E. Creed CPA · 118,000 employees · United States · https://www.caterpillar.com