Caterpillar Inc. $CAT Position Cut by M&T Bank Corp

Key Points

• M&T Bank Corp cut its stake in Caterpillar by 18.3% in Q4, selling 36,738 shares and leaving it with 163,632 shares valued at about $93.74 million.
• Wall Street sentiment is broadly positive—several firms raised price targets (e.g., Bank of America to $825, Wells Fargo to $960) and the consensus rating is a "Moderate Buy"—supported by growth drivers like AI/data‑center demand for generators and strategic tech moves (telematics partnership and a self‑driving tractor acquisition).
• At the same time, insiders have been net sellers—about 125,950 shares (~$88.6M) sold over the past three months—and the stock trades at a rich valuation (PE ~42.6), leaving it exposed to cyclical and macro risks despite the positive outlook.

M&T Bank Corp cut its stake in Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT - Free Report) by 18.3% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 163,632 shares of the industrial products company's stock after selling 36,738 shares during the period. M&T Bank Corp's holdings in Caterpillar were worth $93,740,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. IFS Advisors LLC bought a new position in Caterpillar during the 4th quarter valued at $31,000. Rialto Wealth Management LLC boosted its stake in Caterpillar by 47.4% during the 4th quarter. Rialto Wealth Management LLC now owns 56 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 18 shares in the last quarter. Marquette Asset Management LLC boosted its stake in Caterpillar by 1,060.0% during the 3rd quarter. Marquette Asset Management LLC now owns 58 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 53 shares in the last quarter. Noble Wealth Management PBC boosted its stake in Caterpillar by 140.0% during the 4th quarter. Noble Wealth Management PBC now owns 60 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $34,000 after purchasing an additional 35 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Key Capital Management INC bought a new position in Caterpillar during the 4th quarter valued at $36,000. 70.98% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

More Caterpillar News

Here are the key news stories impacting Caterpillar this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Major analyst upgrades and price‑target hikes signal upside: Truist raised its target (buy) citing stronger demand and upside potential, and other firms (Wells Fargo) have lifted targets into the ~$900s — supporting continued buying interest. Caterpillar NYSE: CAT Stock Price Expected to Rise, Truist Financial Analyst Says
• Positive Sentiment: AI/data‑center power demand is a clear structural growth driver: coverage highlights Caterpillar’s generators and Energy & Transportation segment as critical suppliers of backup power for hyperscale data centers, adding a high‑margin recurring demand stream. Is Caterpillar stock headed for $1,000 after soaring 170% in a year
• Positive Sentiment: Strategic tech moves strengthen long‑term revenue mix: a newly announced telematics partnership with Geotab improves fleet data/aftermarket services, and the acquisition of a California self‑driving tractor startup accelerates automation and potential software/subscription revenue. Caterpillar Partners with Geotab on Full Fleet Telematics Caterpillar acquires Californian self-driving tractor startup
• Neutral Sentiment: Positive media and screens (IBD, Zacks, MarketBeat) are highlighting earnings strength and technical momentum, which can attract momentum traders but may already be priced in. Earnings Growth & Price Strength Make Caterpillar (CAT) a Stock to Watch
• Neutral Sentiment: Some headlines (e.g., Finbold/MarketBeat pieces) speculate on $1,000+ targets based on secular trends; useful for narrative but speculative — treat as bullish thesis rather than consensus. Caterpillar: More Than Just Dirt, The AI Stock Nobody Saw Coming
• Neutral Sentiment: Note: an item about "CAT Strategic Metals" is unrelated to Caterpillar Inc. (different ticker); ignore for CAT investment thesis. CAT Strategic Announces First Tranche Closing and Upsizing of the Offering
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and macro risks: CAT trades at a rich multiple (P/E elevated vs. historical), has above‑market beta and remains cyclical — a global slowdown or capex pullback could quickly reverse sentiment despite tech/AI tailwinds.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on the company. Bank of America increased their price target on Caterpillar from $735.00 to $825.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 10th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on Caterpillar from $870.00 to $960.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Tuesday. Wall Street Zen lowered Caterpillar from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Saturday, February 21st. Robert W. Baird set a $805.00 price target on Caterpillar in a research note on Friday, January 30th. Finally, Daiwa Securities Group increased their price target on Caterpillar from $640.00 to $790.00 in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. Sixteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Caterpillar has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $761.64.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, insider Anthony D. Fassino sold 7,891 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, February 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $776.90, for a total value of $6,130,517.90. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 46,643 shares in the company, valued at $36,236,946.70. This represents a 14.47% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, CAO William E. Schaupp sold 972 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $764.20, for a total value of $742,802.40. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer owned 824 shares of the company's stock, valued at $629,700.80. The trade was a 54.12% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 125,950 shares of company stock valued at $88,577,390. 0.33% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Caterpillar Stock Performance

CAT opened at $800.99 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $372.69 billion, a PE ratio of 42.56, a P/E/G ratio of 1.87 and a beta of 1.52. The company has a quick ratio of 0.94, a current ratio of 1.44 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.44. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $737.55 and a 200-day simple moving average of $640.69. Caterpillar Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $287.00 and a fifty-two week high of $820.20.

Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 29th. The industrial products company reported $5.16 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.67 by $0.49. The business had revenue of $19.13 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $17.81 billion. Caterpillar had a return on equity of 45.76% and a net margin of 13.14%.The company's revenue was up 17.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $5.14 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that Caterpillar Inc. will post 22.85 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Caterpillar Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, May 19th. Stockholders of record on Monday, April 20th will be issued a $1.51 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, April 20th. This represents a $6.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.8%. Caterpillar's dividend payout ratio is presently 32.09%.

About Caterpillar

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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