Kovack Advisors Inc. Boosts Stock Position in Caterpillar Inc. $CAT

Key Points

• Kovack Advisors Inc. increased its Caterpillar stake by 65.9% in the fourth quarter, ending with 6,989 shares valued at about $4.0 million.
• Caterpillar posted stronger-than-expected quarterly results, with EPS of $5.54 beating estimates and revenue rising 22.2% year over year to $17.42 billion.
• The company raised its quarterly dividend by 8% to $1.63 per share, while Wall Street remains broadly positive with an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $933.27.

Kovack Advisors Inc. lifted its holdings in Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT - Free Report) by 65.9% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 6,989 shares of the industrial products company's stock after purchasing an additional 2,777 shares during the quarter. Kovack Advisors Inc.'s holdings in Caterpillar were worth $4,004,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Torren Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Caterpillar in the fourth quarter valued at $27,000. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC grew 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. IFS Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Caterpillar in the fourth quarter valued at $31,000. Rialto Wealth Management LLC grew 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 purchasing an additional 18 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Noble Wealth Management PBC grew its holdings in shares of Caterpillar by 140.0% in the fourth 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. 70.98% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Caterpillar Stock Up 4.9%

Shares of CAT opened at $898.14 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $413.68 billion, a PE ratio of 44.71, a P/E/G ratio of 1.69 and a beta of 1.59. The business has a fifty day moving average of $848.24 and a 200 day moving average of $725.35. Caterpillar Inc. has a 52-week low of $355.70 and a 52-week high of $946.83. 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 released its earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The industrial products company reported $5.54 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate 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 $17.42 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $16.53 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $4.25 earnings per share. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 22.2% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Caterpillar Inc. will post 24.69 EPS for the current year.

Caterpillar Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced 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 represents a $6.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.7%. This is a positive change from Caterpillar's previous quarterly dividend of $1.51. The ex-dividend date is Monday, July 20th. Caterpillar's dividend payout ratio is 30.06%.

Key Stories Impacting Caterpillar

Here are the key news stories impacting Caterpillar this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Caterpillar boosted its quarterly dividend by 8% to $1.63 per share, reinforcing confidence in cash flow and shareholder returns. Caterpillar boosts quarterly dividend following shareholder meeting
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts lifted forward earnings estimates, and the stock was highlighted as a momentum name and a “strong buy,” which can attract additional buyers. Best Momentum Stocks to Buy for June 11th
• Positive Sentiment: Erste Group Bank raised FY2026 and FY2027 EPS estimates for Caterpillar, suggesting stronger profit expectations ahead. Erste Group Bank estimate update
• Neutral Sentiment: Some commentary noted Caterpillar is nearing its highs and may be richly valued after a big run, which could limit upside if growth slows. Caterpillar Stock Nearing 52-Week High: Buy, Sell or Hold?
• Negative Sentiment: One trading note said CAT had declined more than the broader market in the prior session, reflecting some short-term pressure after a sharp pullback. Caterpillar (CAT) Declines More Than Market

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms recently weighed in on CAT. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on shares of Caterpillar from $860.00 to $1,125.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Friday, May 1st. Williams Trading set a $825.00 price target on Caterpillar in a research report on Tuesday, March 10th. Argus raised their price target on Caterpillar from $820.00 to $990.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 5th. Robert W. Baird raised their price target on Caterpillar from $940.00 to $1,165.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, May 1st. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded Caterpillar from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Saturday, May 2nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have issued a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $933.27.

Insider Buying and Selling at Caterpillar

In other news, CFO Andrew R. J. Bonfield sold 15,674 shares of Caterpillar stock in a transaction on 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 completion of the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 52,935 shares in the company, valued at approximately $48,631,913.85. This trade represents a 22.85% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, insider Lange Bob De sold 24,222 shares of Caterpillar stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $922.92, for a total value of $22,354,968.24. Following the sale, the insider owned 86,029 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $79,397,884.68. This trade represents a 21.97% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 95,773 shares of company stock valued at $87,642,635. 0.33% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

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.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.