Caterpillar Inc. $CAT Stock Sold by Eurizon Capital SGR S.p.A.

Eurizon Capital SGR S.p.A. cut its position in Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT) by 3.5% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 368,992 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after selling 13,295 shares during the period. Caterpillar comprises 0.8% of Eurizon Capital SGR S.p.A.’s portfolio, making the stock its 23rd largest holding. Eurizon Capital SGR S.p.A.’s holdings in Caterpillar were worth $300,624,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. BlackRock Inc. bought a new position in Caterpillar in the 2nd quarter worth $40,457,153,000. Bank of America Corp DE purchased a new stake in Caterpillar in the 2nd quarter worth $5,818,150,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp bought a new stake in Caterpillar during the second quarter valued at about $3,192,710,000. Legal & General Group Plc bought a new stake in Caterpillar during the second quarter valued at about $2,783,451,000. Finally, Ascentis Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Caterpillar by 110,539.0% in the second quarter. Ascentis Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,518,143 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $2,711,772,000 after acquiring an additional 2,515,867 shares in the last quarter. 70.98% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting Caterpillar

Investors following CAT have been watching these headlines:

• Positive Sentiment: Caterpillar ended the third quarter with a record $78 billion backlog, nearly double the year-earlier level. Demand across construction, mining and power-generation equipment provides revenue visibility, while capacity expansion and automation investments could support growth. Article: CAT’s Record $78B Backlog Signals Strength: Can Growth Continue?
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent commentary debates whether CAT’s substantial multi-year gains leave the stock fairly valued and how much recovery potential remains, rather than pointing to a clear near-term catalyst. Article: How Much Downside Is Left In Caterpillar Stock?
• Negative Sentiment: Bank of America warned that CAT’s valuation could face further pressure, citing uncertainty around data-center investment. The concern adds to the recent selloff and questions about whether growth expectations are already reflected in the shares. Article: Caterpillar faces further valuation risks despite machinery strength, Bank of America warns

Caterpillar Trading Up 0.7%

Shares of Caterpillar stock opened at $605.54 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $277.09 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.76, a PEG ratio of 1.04 and a beta of 1.65. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $744.62 and a 200-day moving average price of $805.40. The company has a quick ratio of 0.88, a current ratio of 1.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.50. Caterpillar Inc. has a twelve month low of $537.08 and a twelve month high of $1,073.46.

Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 29th. The industrial products company reported $7.20 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $7.06 by $0.14. Caterpillar had a return on equity of 59.87% and a net margin of 15.21%. The business had revenue of $20.68 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $20.76 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $4.95 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 17.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts anticipate that Caterpillar Inc. will post 27.38 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Caterpillar Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, November 19th. Investors of record on Monday, October 26th will be issued a $1.63 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, October 26th. This represents a $6.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.1%. Caterpillar’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 25.58%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on CAT shares. Oppenheimer reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $1,009.00 price objective on shares of Caterpillar in a research note on Thursday, October 29th. Truist Financial reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $1,027.00 price objective (down from $1,100.00) on shares of Caterpillar in a report on Friday, October 30th. Needham & Company LLC set a $980.00 price objective on shares of Caterpillar in a research report on Thursday, September 10th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price objective on shares of Caterpillar from $1,155.00 to $840.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, October 26th. Finally, Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Caterpillar from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Thursday, October 29th. Fifteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and twelve have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $898.25.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CEO Joseph E. Creed sold 32,401 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, August 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $808.98, for a total value of $26,211,760.98. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 34,555 shares in the company, valued at approximately $27,954,303.90. The trade was a 48.39% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director C Jr purchased 1,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 2nd. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $620.39 per share, for a total transaction of $620,390.00. Following the purchase, the director owned 4,714 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,924,518.46. This represents a 26.93% increase in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this purchase is available in the SEC filing. Company insiders own 0.33% of the company’s stock.

Caterpillar Company Profile

Caterpillar Inc. is a global manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, engines, turbines, and related products and services. Its offerings include earthmoving and material-handling machines, diesel and natural gas engines, power-generation systems, and equipment and technologies used in mining and transportation. The company’s products are commonly sold under the Cat brand. Caterpillar serves customers in markets around the world through a network of independent dealers. Its businesses also provide parts, maintenance, equipment rental, and other support services, as well as financing and insurance through its financial services operations.