Van ECK Associates Corp Cuts Stock Position in Caterpillar Inc. $CAT

Key Points

• Van ECK Associates reduced its Caterpillar position by 17.2% in the second quarter, selling 20,245 shares and retaining 97,286 shares valued at approximately $103.6 million. Institutional investors collectively own about 70.98% of CAT.
• Analysts maintain a generally positive outlook, with Caterpillar receiving a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $995.52. Recent targets range from $925 to $1,165.
• Caterpillar reported quarterly EPS of $8.17 and revenue of $20.54 billion, beating estimates and growing revenue 23.7% year over year. However, the stock’s valuation remains elevated at roughly 35 times earnings, while CEO Joseph Creed recently sold 32,401 shares.

Van ECK Associates Corp trimmed its position in Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT - Free Report) by 17.2% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 97,286 shares of the industrial products company's stock after selling 20,245 shares during the period. Van ECK Associates Corp's holdings in Caterpillar were worth $103,600,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Lam Group Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Caterpillar during the first quarter worth about $26,000. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC lifted its position 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 purchasing an additional 33 shares during the period. Decker Retirement Planning Inc. boosted its holdings in Caterpillar by 440.0% in the 2nd quarter. Decker Retirement Planning Inc. now owns 27 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 22 shares in the last quarter. Cornerstone Financial Management LLC acquired a new position in Caterpillar during the 4th quarter worth approximately $32,000. Finally, Matrix Trust Co increased its position in Caterpillar by 93.8% during the 2nd quarter. Matrix Trust Co now owns 31 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 15 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 70.98% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

CAT has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. UBS Group raised their price target on Caterpillar from $900.00 to $925.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Wednesday, August 5th. Weiss Ratings raised Caterpillar from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "buy (b)" rating in a report on Wednesday, August 19th. Truist Financial set a $980.00 price objective on Caterpillar in a research report on Wednesday, August 5th. Oppenheimer restated an "outperform" rating and set a $1,118.00 target price on shares of Caterpillar in a research report on Tuesday, August 4th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on shares of Caterpillar from $1,125.00 to $1,165.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 17th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have given a Buy rating and eleven have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Caterpillar has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $995.52.

Caterpillar News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Caterpillar this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Caterpillar’s power-generation backlog reportedly reached $72 billion, reinforcing the view that demand from data centers and AI-related infrastructure could make the company less dependent on the traditional construction cycle. Caterpillar's Power Generation Backlog Just Hit $72 Billion
• Positive Sentiment: Recent coverage points to Caterpillar’s record backlog, strong earnings and raised 2026 outlook as key reasons for its roughly 95% one-year gain. The company’s latest reported quarter also exceeded EPS and revenue expectations, supporting investor confidence in its operating momentum. Caterpillar Gains 95% in a Year: Time to Buy, Sell or Hold the Stock?
• Positive Sentiment: Chief Digital Officer Ogi Redzic described how AI is changing construction work, highlighting Caterpillar’s efforts to use digital tools and automation to improve equipment productivity and customer operations. This could strengthen the company’s longer-term technology and services opportunity. Caterpillar’s Digital Chief Ogi Redzic on How A.I. Is Redefining Construction Work
• Neutral Sentiment: Industry coverage continues to identify Caterpillar as a leading construction-equipment company, supported by its global dealer network and cash-generation capabilities. However, the equipment showcase itself does not provide a new financial catalyst. Caterpillar vs. Corning: Which Stock Is a Better Buy in 2026?
• Negative Sentiment: At approximately 34 times earnings, Caterpillar trades at a demanding valuation after its major rally. Analysts note that the premium leaves the stock vulnerable to profit-taking or disappointment if backlog conversion, margins or the 2026 outlook weaken. Caterpillar Gains 95% in a Year: Time to Buy, Sell or Hold the Stock?

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Caterpillar news, CEO Joseph E. Creed sold 32,401 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Friday, August 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $808.98, for a total transaction of $26,211,760.98. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 34,555 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $27,954,303.90. This trade represents a 48.39% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 0.33% of the company's stock.

Caterpillar Stock Performance

Shares of CAT opened at $821.25 on Wednesday. Caterpillar Inc. has a 12-month low of $416.44 and a 12-month high of $1,073.46. The stock has a market cap of $377.50 billion, a P/E ratio of 35.34, a PEG ratio of 1.41 and a beta of 1.60. The company has a current ratio of 1.37, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.65. The company has a 50-day moving average of $863.27 and a two-hundred day moving average of $839.74.

Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The industrial products company reported $8.17 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $6.22 by $1.95. Caterpillar had a net margin of 14.51% and a return on equity of 55.53%. The business had revenue of $20.54 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $19.34 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $4.72 earnings per share. The company's quarterly revenue was up 23.7% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts predict that Caterpillar Inc. will post 27.34 EPS for the current fiscal year.

About Caterpillar

Caterpillar Inc is a global manufacturer of construction, mining, and industrial equipment. The company's products include excavators, dozers, wheel loaders, motor graders, articulated trucks, and off-highway trucks, as well as related attachments and work tools. Caterpillar also supplies replacement parts, equipment services, technology solutions, and rental support through its dealer network.

The company serves customers in construction, mining, quarrying, energy, transportation, forestry, agriculture, and government-related industries.

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