2,312 Shares in Caterpillar Inc. $CAT Bought by BankChampaign National Association

Key Points

• BankChampaign National Association bought 2,312 Caterpillar shares worth approximately $1.64 million, making CAT its ninth-largest holding. Institutional investors collectively own 70.98% of the company.
• Caterpillar reported strong quarterly results, with revenue rising 22.2% year over year to $17.41 billion and EPS of $5.54, beating estimates. The company also raised its quarterly dividend to $1.63 per share.
• Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus with an average price target of $966.29, but insider selling totaled 95,773 shares worth $87.6 million last quarter, while concerns remain about CAT’s elevated valuation and exposure to slowing data-center construction spending.

BankChampaign National Association bought a new position in shares of Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT - Free Report) during the first quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund bought 2,312 shares of the industrial products company's stock, valued at approximately $1,638,000. Caterpillar accounts for about 1.6% of BankChampaign National Association's investment portfolio, making the stock its 9th largest holding.

Other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Lam Group Inc. acquired a new position in Caterpillar in the 1st quarter worth approximately $26,000. Torren Management LLC acquired a new stake in Caterpillar during the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Caterpillar by 220.0% in the fourth quarter. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC now owns 48 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 33 shares in the last quarter. Cornerstone Financial Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Caterpillar in the fourth quarter worth $32,000. Finally, Monetary Solutions Ltd purchased a new position in shares of Caterpillar during the fourth quarter valued at $35,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 70.98% of the company's stock.

Insider Activity

In other Caterpillar news, insider Lange Bob De sold 24,222 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $922.92, for a total value of $22,354,968.24. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 86,029 shares of the company's stock, 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 at this link. Also, CFO Andrew R. J. Bonfield sold 15,674 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $918.71, for a total transaction of $14,399,860.54. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 52,935 shares in the company, valued at approximately $48,631,913.85. The trade was a 22.85% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 95,773 shares of company stock worth $87,642,635. Corporate insiders own 0.33% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

CAT has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Sanford C. Bernstein increased their price objective on Caterpillar from $769.00 to $879.00 and gave the stock a "market perform" rating in a research note on Friday, May 1st. UBS Group reiterated a "neutral" rating and issued a $900.00 target price on shares of Caterpillar in a report on Tuesday, June 2nd. Citigroup increased their price target on shares of Caterpillar from $1,020.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 14th. Barclays raised their price target on shares of Caterpillar from $700.00 to $800.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Friday, May 1st. Finally, Evercore reiterated an "outperform" rating and issued a $1,103.00 price objective on shares of Caterpillar in a research note on Monday, May 11th. Thirteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and twelve have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $966.29.

Key Caterpillar News

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.

Caterpillar Trading Up 3.2%

NYSE:CAT opened at $807.88 on Friday. The company's 50 day moving average is $925.74 and its 200-day moving average is $811.49. The company has a quick ratio of 0.81, a current ratio of 1.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.64. Caterpillar Inc. has a 12 month low of $405.46 and a 12 month high of $1,073.46. The firm has a market cap of $372.10 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 40.21, a P/E/G ratio of 1.53 and a beta of 1.57.

Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The industrial products company reported $5.54 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates 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 analyst estimates of $16.53 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $4.25 EPS. Caterpillar's revenue was up 22.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts anticipate that Caterpillar Inc. will post 24.87 EPS for the current year.

Caterpillar Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, August 19th. Investors of record on Monday, July 20th will be given a dividend of $1.63 per share. This represents a $6.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.8%. This is an increase from Caterpillar's previous quarterly dividend of $1.51. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, July 20th. Caterpillar's payout ratio is presently 32.45%.

Caterpillar 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.

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