HM Payson & Co. Sells 53,259 Shares of Caterpillar Inc. $CAT

Key Points

• HM Payson & Co. cut its Caterpillar position by 48.7% in the second quarter, selling 53,259 shares and retaining 56,006 shares valued at approximately $59.6 million.
• Caterpillar reported strong quarterly results, with EPS of $8.17 versus the $6.22 consensus and revenue of $20.54 billion, up 23.7% year over year. Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating with an average price target of $995.52.
• Caterpillar increased its quarterly dividend to $1.63 per share, or $6.52 annually, representing a dividend yield of about 0.8% and a payout ratio of 28.06%.

HM Payson & Co. reduced its position in Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT - Free Report) by 48.7% in the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 56,006 shares of the industrial products company's stock after selling 53,259 shares during the quarter. Caterpillar comprises about 0.8% of HM Payson & Co.'s holdings, making the stock its 27th biggest holding. HM Payson & Co.'s holdings in Caterpillar were worth $59,641,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Pacific Point Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Caterpillar during the 4th quarter valued at $579,000. Brighton Jones LLC raised its position in shares of Caterpillar by 51.5% in the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 7,409 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $2,688,000 after buying an additional 2,519 shares in the last quarter. United Bank grew its position in Caterpillar by 108.5% during the second quarter. United Bank now owns 4,083 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $1,585,000 after buying an additional 2,125 shares in the last quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. increased its stake in Caterpillar by 3.9% in the 2nd quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 9,147 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $3,551,000 after acquiring an additional 347 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Alliancebernstein L.P. raised its holdings in shares of Caterpillar by 6.5% in the 2nd quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 572,165 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $222,120,000 after acquiring an additional 34,846 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 70.98% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

CAT has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Morgan Stanley set a $915.00 price objective on Caterpillar and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Friday, May 1st. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their target price on shares of Caterpillar from $900.00 to $1,045.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, May 1st. UBS Group boosted their price target on shares of Caterpillar from $900.00 to $925.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 5th. Citigroup raised their price objective on shares of Caterpillar from $1,020.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 14th. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $970.00 price objective on shares of Caterpillar in a report on Wednesday, August 5th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Buy rating and eleven have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $995.52.

Caterpillar Price Performance

Shares of Caterpillar stock opened at $843.54 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.65, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a current ratio of 1.37. Caterpillar Inc. has a 52-week low of $410.52 and a 52-week high of $1,073.46. The company has a fifty day moving average of $913.03 and a 200-day moving average of $830.99. The stock has a market capitalization of $387.76 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.30, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.53 and a beta of 1.60.

Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The industrial products company reported $8.17 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.22 by $1.95. Caterpillar had a return on equity of 55.53% and a net margin of 14.51%.The company had revenue of $20.54 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $19.34 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $4.72 earnings per share. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 23.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts expect that Caterpillar Inc. will post 26.56 EPS for the current year.

Caterpillar Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, August 19th. Stockholders of record on Monday, July 20th will be given a dividend of $1.63 per share. This is an increase from Caterpillar's previous quarterly dividend of $1.51. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, July 20th. This represents a $6.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.8%. Caterpillar's dividend payout ratio is presently 28.06%.

Trending Headlines about Caterpillar

Here are the key news stories impacting Caterpillar this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Analyst commentary highlighted accelerating, volume-driven growth across Caterpillar’s three operating segments and a sharp upgrade to its 2026 sales outlook, supporting the longer-term bullish case. Caterpillar's Volume Gains Drive Growth: Can Its Uptrend Continue?
• Positive Sentiment: Caterpillar was included among high-efficiency stocks with key operating ratios above industry averages, reinforcing the view that its strong earnings performance is supported by business quality. 5 Top-Ranked High-Efficiency Stocks Poised for Stronger Returns
• Positive Sentiment: The company committed up to $3 million in Arkansas as part of its five-year, $100 million workforce initiative. The investment should expand manufacturing talent pipelines, although the near-term earnings impact is likely limited. Caterpillar Expands Workforce Initiative to Arkansas

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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