Caterpillar Inc. $CAT Shares Purchased by Kestra Advisory Services LLC

Key Points

• Kestra Advisory Services LLC increased its Caterpillar stake by 8.7% in the first quarter, buying 17,496 more shares and bringing its total holding to 219,586 shares worth about $155.6 million.
• Insiders sold shares recently, including Denise C. Johnson and Anthony D. Fassino, and Caterpillar insiders have sold 95,773 shares over the last 90 days.
• Analysts remain broadly constructive on Caterpillar, with a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $970.81, while the company also recently raised its quarterly dividend to $1.63 per share.

Kestra Advisory Services LLC boosted its stake in Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT - Free Report) by 8.7% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 219,586 shares of the industrial products company's stock after acquiring an additional 17,496 shares during the period. Caterpillar comprises approximately 0.6% of Kestra Advisory Services LLC's portfolio, making the stock its 23rd largest position. Kestra Advisory Services LLC's holdings in Caterpillar were worth $155,568,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Lam Group Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Caterpillar in the 1st quarter valued at about $26,000. Torren Management LLC acquired a new position in Caterpillar during the fourth quarter worth approximately $27,000. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC lifted its stake in 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 buying an additional 33 shares during the last quarter. IFS Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Caterpillar in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Finally, Rialto Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Caterpillar by 47.4% in the fourth quarter. Rialto Wealth Management LLC now owns 56 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 18 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 70.98% of the company's stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Caterpillar

In other news, insider Denise C. Johnson sold 12,605 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $907.91, for a total value of $11,444,205.55. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 49,825 shares in the company, valued at $45,236,615.75. This trade represents a 20.19% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, insider Anthony D. Fassino sold 16,283 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Monday, May 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $916.80, for a total transaction of $14,928,254.40. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 46,041 shares of the company's stock, valued at $42,210,388.80. This trade represents a 26.13% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 95,773 shares of company stock worth $87,642,635. Company insiders own 0.33% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have recently commented on the stock. DA Davidson lifted their target price on shares of Caterpillar from $650.00 to $845.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Monday, May 4th. HSBC raised their price objective on shares of Caterpillar from $850.00 to $1,100.00 in a research report on Tuesday, May 5th. Oppenheimer set a $980.00 price objective on shares of Caterpillar and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, May 1st. Citigroup upped their target price on shares of Caterpillar from $905.00 to $1,020.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, May 1st. Finally, Truist Financial increased their target price on shares of Caterpillar from $1,043.00 to $1,218.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, July 2nd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have assigned a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $970.81.

Key Caterpillar News

Here are the key news stories impacting Caterpillar this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Caterpillar is being viewed as a beneficiary of AI infrastructure spending, with analysts and commentators highlighting strong demand tied to data center construction and broader AI buildout. CAT Outperforms NVDA & Tech Sector, AI Data Center Demand Powers Growth
• Positive Sentiment: The company continues to expand its mining technology capabilities after acquiring Skycatch, a move aimed at improving mine safety, productivity, and planning with AI and near-real-time spatial data. Caterpillar acquires Skycatch to expand mining technology portfolio
• Positive Sentiment: Caterpillar’s planned headquarters expansion in Las Colinas signals ongoing investment and confidence in long-term business growth. Caterpillar digs into new $34M HQ expansion in Las Colinas
• Positive Sentiment: Investor-friendly capital returns remain a support factor, with attention on Caterpillar’s dividend hike and buybacks as part of its cash-return profile. Why Caterpillar’s Dividend Hike and Buybacks Make Capital-Return Mix Central to Its Tax Profile
• Neutral Sentiment: Market roundups continue to list Caterpillar among industrial and mining names to watch, but these pieces do not add a major new catalyst. Industrial Stocks To Watch Today - July 8th
• Negative Sentiment: Recent coverage says Caterpillar is losing momentum as investors question whether the AI rally has gone too far, with valuation, tariffs, and execution risks weighing on sentiment. CAT Stock Heads For Second Weekly Loss: Is Caterpillar's AI Rally Fading?
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation-focused commentary suggests Caterpillar may already be priced for a lot of future growth, which can limit upside near term. Is Caterpillar (CAT) Still A Bargain Or Already Fully Priced?
• Negative Sentiment: Another headline noted Caterpillar stock dipping in the latest session, reinforcing near-term weakness in trading sentiment. Caterpillar (CAT) Stock Dips While Market Gains: Key Facts

Caterpillar Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:CAT opened at $938.29 on Friday. Caterpillar Inc. has a 52 week low of $401.70 and a 52 week high of $1,073.46. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $927.99 and a 200 day moving average price of $780.89. The company has a market cap of $432.17 billion, a P/E ratio of 46.70, a PEG ratio of 1.87 and a beta of 1.57. 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 (NYSE:CAT - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The industrial products company reported $5.54 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $4.65 by $0.89. Caterpillar had a return on equity of 48.21% and a net margin of 13.33%.The business had revenue of $17.41 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $16.53 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $4.25 EPS. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 22.2% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts predict that Caterpillar Inc. will post 24.71 earnings per share for the current year.

Caterpillar Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, August 19th. Shareholders of record on Monday, July 20th will be given a dividend of $1.63 per share. This represents a $6.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, July 20th. This is an increase from Caterpillar's previous quarterly dividend of $1.51. Caterpillar's payout ratio is presently 30.06%.

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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