Oddo BHF Asset Management Sas Reduces Stake in Caterpillar Inc. $CAT

Key Points

• Oddo BHF Asset Management Sas cut its Caterpillar stake by 25.6% in the fourth quarter, selling 1,481 shares and leaving it with 4,297 shares valued at about $2.46 million.
• Caterpillar posted strong quarterly results, reporting $5.54 EPS on revenue of $17.42 billion, both ahead of expectations and up sharply from a year earlier.
• The company raised its quarterly dividend to $1.63 per share from $1.51, while analysts remain broadly bullish with a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $933.27.

Oddo BHF Asset Management Sas lowered its stake in Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT - Free Report) by 25.6% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 4,297 shares of the industrial products company's stock after selling 1,481 shares during the period. Oddo BHF Asset Management Sas' holdings in Caterpillar were worth $2,462,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in CAT. Juno Financial Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of Caterpillar during the fourth quarter worth approximately $877,000. ARK Investment Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Caterpillar by 11.7% in the 3rd quarter. ARK Investment Management LLC now owns 31,144 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $14,860,000 after acquiring an additional 3,268 shares during the period. Gotham Asset Management LLC grew its position in shares of Caterpillar by 19.1% in the 3rd quarter. Gotham Asset Management LLC now owns 116,589 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $55,630,000 after buying an additional 18,676 shares during the last quarter. Ticino Wealth purchased a new stake in Caterpillar during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $2,488,000. Finally, SevenBridge Financial Group LLC lifted its position in Caterpillar by 17.6% during the third quarter. SevenBridge Financial Group LLC now owns 12,321 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $5,879,000 after acquiring an additional 1,840 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 70.98% of the company's stock.

Insider Transactions at Caterpillar

In related news, insider Lange Bob De sold 24,222 shares of Caterpillar stock in a transaction that occurred 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 owned 86,029 shares in the company, valued at approximately $79,397,884.68. This trade represents a 21.97% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, insider Denise C. Johnson sold 12,605 shares of Caterpillar stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $907.91, for a total transaction of $11,444,205.55. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 49,825 shares of the company's stock, valued at $45,236,615.75. This trade represents a 20.19% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold 95,773 shares of company stock worth $87,642,635 in the last three months. Company insiders own 0.33% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Daiwa Securities Group boosted their price target on Caterpillar from $790.00 to $900.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Friday, May 1st. Argus upped their target price on Caterpillar from $820.00 to $990.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 5th. Wolfe Research boosted their price target on Caterpillar from $670.00 to $750.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Tuesday, March 31st. Robert W. Baird upped their price target on Caterpillar from $940.00 to $1,165.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, May 1st. Finally, Barclays lifted their target price on shares of Caterpillar from $700.00 to $800.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Friday, May 1st. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have given a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $933.27.

Caterpillar Price Performance

Caterpillar stock opened at $946.71 on Wednesday. Caterpillar Inc. has a 12-month low of $356.96 and a 12-month high of $961.33. The stock has a market cap of $436.05 billion, a P/E ratio of 47.12, a PEG ratio of 1.85 and a beta of 1.59. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $860.76 and a 200 day moving average price of $733.04. The company has a current ratio of 1.35, a quick ratio of 0.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.64.

Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 30th. The industrial products company reported $5.54 EPS for the quarter, beating 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 firm had revenue of $17.42 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $16.53 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $4.25 earnings per share. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 22.2% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Caterpillar Inc. will post 24.62 earnings per share for the current year.

Caterpillar Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, August 19th. Stockholders of record on Monday, July 20th will be paid a $1.63 dividend. This is a boost 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 0.7%. Caterpillar's dividend payout ratio is currently 30.06%.

Caterpillar News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Caterpillar this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts say Caterpillar stands out versus Komatsu thanks to stronger earnings momentum, rising growth targets, and better profitability, despite tariff pressure. Caterpillar vs. Komatsu: Which Heavy Equipment Stock is the Better Buy?
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage points to Caterpillar as a major driver of the Dow’s gains, reflecting strong investor demand for the stock. Dow rallies 488 points on gains in shares of JPMorgan Chase, Caterpillar
• Positive Sentiment: Recent commentary says CAT has surged on solid quarterly results, strong backlog, AI-driven power generation demand, and aggressive buybacks, supporting the bullish case. 2 Reasons to Watch CAT and 1 to Stay Cautious
• Positive Sentiment: Caterpillar’s dividend increase was highlighted as sustainable, reinforcing confidence in cash flow and shareholder returns. 3 Dividend Increases Investors Can Actually Trust
• Neutral Sentiment: Several articles argued that CAT remains a world-class industrial company and a long-term growth story, but these are mainly valuation and strategy discussions rather than new catalysts. Caterpillar: A World-Class Industrial At A World-Class Price Tag
• Neutral Sentiment: Commentary on CAT’s huge year-to-date move and how much upside remains is more about investor debate than a direct fundamental update. Up 300% YTD, How High Can CAT Stock Rally This Year?

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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