Smith Salley Wealth Management Grows Position in Caterpillar Inc. $CAT

Key Points

• Smith Salley Wealth Management increased its Caterpillar stake by 9.5% in the first quarter, bringing holdings to 17,377 shares valued at about $12.3 million.
• Caterpillar recently delivered a strong quarter, with EPS of $5.54 beating estimates and revenue of $17.41 billion topping forecasts; revenue rose 22.2% year over year.
• The company also raised its quarterly dividend to $1.63 per share, while analysts broadly remain constructive with an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $935.09.

Smith Salley Wealth Management boosted its position in shares of Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT - Free Report) by 9.5% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 17,377 shares of the industrial products company's stock after buying an additional 1,509 shares during the period. Smith Salley Wealth Management's holdings in Caterpillar were worth $12,311,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in CAT. Torren Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Caterpillar during the fourth quarter worth approximately $27,000. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC raised its position in Caterpillar by 220.0% in the 4th 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 during the last quarter. IFS Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Caterpillar during the 4th quarter worth $31,000. Cornerstone Financial Management LLC purchased a new position in Caterpillar during the 4th quarter worth $32,000. Finally, Rialto Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in 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 during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 70.98% of the company's stock.

Key Caterpillar News

Here are the key news stories impacting Caterpillar this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Caterpillar was highlighted by Zacks as one of five non-tech “wide moat” stocks to own for a stable second half of 2026, reinforcing the view that CAT has durable competitive advantages and can be a defensive portfolio holding. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple articles noted that CAT was one of the day’s top industrial stocks to watch and an outperforming Dow name, which can attract momentum buyers and support the shares. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Recent coverage emphasized Caterpillar’s strong earnings-based run, with the stock rising sharply on heavier-than-average volume after investors reacted favorably to its latest results and bullish price action. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst commentary said CAT remains a “Moderate Buy,” which supports sentiment but does not by itself add a new catalyst. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: One Zacks note warned that earnings estimate revisions may not support continued near-term gains, suggesting the stock could face some consolidation after its recent surge. Article Title

Caterpillar Stock Up 0.2%

Shares of NYSE:CAT opened at $987.79 on Monday. Caterpillar Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $357.73 and a fifty-two week high of $994.49. The company has a quick ratio of 0.81, a current ratio of 1.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.64. The firm's 50-day simple moving average is $875.06 and its 200-day simple moving average is $741.59. The company has a market cap of $454.97 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 49.17, a PEG ratio of 1.95 and a beta of 1.59.

Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The industrial products company reported $5.54 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.65 by $0.89. The firm had revenue of $17.41 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $16.53 billion. Caterpillar had a net margin of 13.33% and a return on equity of 48.21%. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 22.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $4.25 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Caterpillar Inc. will post 24.64 earnings per share 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 paid a dividend of $1.63 per share. This is a positive change 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 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.7%. Caterpillar's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 30.06%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

CAT has been the subject of a number of research reports. Zacks Research raised shares of Caterpillar from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Monday, June 8th. Evercore restated an "outperform" rating and issued a $1,103.00 price target on shares of Caterpillar in a research report on Monday, May 11th. Rothschild & Co Redburn upped their price objective on Caterpillar from $700.00 to $950.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Thursday, May 14th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on Caterpillar from $1,125.00 to $1,165.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, June 17th. Finally, Williams Trading set a $825.00 target price on Caterpillar in a research note on Tuesday, March 10th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have given a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Caterpillar has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $935.09.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, insider Lange Bob De sold 24,222 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $922.92, for a total transaction of $22,354,968.24. Following the transaction, the insider owned 86,029 shares of the company's stock, valued at $79,397,884.68. This represents a 21.97% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, CAO William E. Schaupp sold 360 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $906.00, for a total value of $326,160.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 530 shares of the company's stock, valued at $480,180. The trade was a 40.45% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 95,773 shares of company stock worth $87,642,635. Corporate insiders own 0.33% of the company's stock.

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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