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Caterpillar (CAT) Stock Forecast & Price Target

Caterpillar logo
$736.33 -12.65 (-1.69%)
Closing price 10/15/2026 03:59 PM Eastern
Extended Trading
$730.70 -5.63 (-0.76%)
As of 09:09 AM Eastern
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Caterpillar - Analysts' Recommendations and Stock Price Forecast (2026)

Consensus Rating

Sell
0
Hold
12
Buy
15

Based on 27 Wall Street analysts who have issued ratings for Caterpillar in the last 12 months, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy." Out of the 27 analysts, 12 have given a hold rating, and 15 have given a buy rating for CAT.

Consensus Price Target

$967.83
31.44% Upside
According to the 27 analysts' twelve-month price targets for Caterpillar, the average price target is $967.83. The highest price target for CAT is $1,165.00, while the lowest price target for CAT is $749.00. The average price target represents a forecasted upside of 31.44% from the current price of $736.33.
MarketBeat calculates consensus analyst ratings for stocks using the most recent rating from each Wall Street analyst that has rated a stock within the last twelve months. Each analyst's rating is normalized to a standardized rating score of 1 (sell), 2 (hold), 3 (buy) or 4 (strong buy). Analyst consensus ratings scores are calculated using the mean average of the number of normalized sell, hold, buy and strong buy ratings from Wall Street analysts. Each stock's consensus analyst rating is derived from its calculated consensus ratings score (0 to .5 = Strong Sell, .5 to 1 = Sell, 1 to 1.5 = Reduce, 1.5 to 2.5 = Hold, 2.5 to 3.0 = Moderate Buy, 3.0 to 3.5 = Buy, >3.5 = Strong Buy). MarketBeat's consensus price targets are a mean average of the most recent available price targets set by each analyst that has set a price target for the stock in the last twelve months. MarketBeat's consensus ratings and consensus price targets may differ from those calculated by other firms due to differences in methodology and available data.
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CAT Analyst Ratings Over Time

TypeCurrent Forecast
10/16/25 to 10/16/26
1 Month Ago
9/16/25 to 9/16/26
3 Months Ago
7/18/25 to 7/18/26
1 Year Ago
10/16/24 to 10/16/25
Strong Buy
0 Strong Buy rating(s)
1 Strong Buy rating(s)
0 Strong Buy rating(s)
0 Strong Buy rating(s)
Buy
15 Buy rating(s)
14 Buy rating(s)
15 Buy rating(s)
13 Buy rating(s)
Hold
12 Hold rating(s)
11 Hold rating(s)
10 Hold rating(s)
5 Hold rating(s)
Sell
0 Sell rating(s)
0 Sell rating(s)
0 Sell rating(s)
0 Sell rating(s)
Consensus Price Target$967.83$994.17$980.57$507.07
Forecasted Upside31.44% Upside27.00% Upside11.27% Upside-6.32% Downside
Consensus RatingModerate BuyModerate BuyModerate BuyModerate Buy

CAT Analyst Recommendations By Month

The chart below shows how a company's ratings by analysts have changed over time. Each bar represents the previous year of ratings for that month. Within each bar, the sell ratings are shown in red, the hold ratings are shown in yellow, the buy ratings are shown in green, and the strong buy ratings are shown in dark green.
Skip Chart & View Analyst Rating History

CAT Price Targets by Month

The chart below shows how a company's share price and consensus price target have changed over time. The dark blue line represents the company's actual price. The lighter blue line represents the stock's consensus price target. The even lighter blue range in the background of the two lines represents the low price target and the high price target for each stock.
Skip Chart and View Analyst Price Target HistorySkip Chart & View Price History Table

Caterpillar Stock vs. The Competition

TypeCaterpillarIndustrials CompaniesBroader Market
Consensus Rating Score
2.56
2.31
2.53
Consensus RatingModerate BuyHoldModerate Buy
Predicted Upside31.44% Upside132.26% Upside17.80% Upside
News Sentiment Rating
Positive News

See Recent CAT News
Positive News
Positive News
Report Date
0 Results
DateBrokerageAnalystActionRatingPrice TargetReport Date
Upside/Downside
Details
10/14/2026
Weiss Ratings logo
Weiss Ratings
3 of 5 stars
 UpgradeBuy (B-) ➝ Buy (B)
10/14/2026
Chad Dillard
Chad Dillard
Not Rated
Reiterated RatingMarket Perform$749.00-1.78%
10/14/2026
Oppenheimer Holdings, Inc. logo
Oppenheimer
3 of 5 stars
Kristen Owen
Kristen Owen
3 of 5 stars
Lower TargetOutperform$1,118.00 ➝ $1,009.00+34.66%
10/12/2026Lower TargetBuy$1,100.00 ➝ $950.00+18.65%
10/5/2026Lower TargetBuy$1,225.00 ➝ $1,100.00+29.42%
10/5/2026 DowngradeStrong-Buy ➝ Hold
9/18/2026 Initiated CoverageBuy$999.00+23.01%
9/10/2026 Set Target$980.00+20.04%
9/10/2026UpgradeHold ➝ Buy$980.00+20.04%
8/6/2026Boost TargetNeutral$845.00 ➝ $882.00+1.45%
8/6/2026Boost TargetEqual Weight$800.00 ➝ $900.00+3.21%
8/5/2026Boost TargetNeutral$900.00 ➝ $925.00+4.16%
8/5/2026Set Target$970.00+10.14%
8/5/2026Boost TargetSector Perform$877.00 ➝ $897.00+1.93%
7/27/2026 DowngradeBuy ➝ Hold
6/23/2026Boost TargetOverweight$1,050.00 ➝ $1,155.00+13.20%
6/17/2026Boost TargetOverweight$1,125.00 ➝ $1,165.00+21.34%
5/14/2026 Boost TargetNeutral$700.00 ➝ $950.00+4.24%
5/11/2026 Reiterated RatingOutperform$1,103.00+22.19%
5/5/2026 Boost Target$850.00 ➝ $1,100.00+21.60%
5/5/2026Boost TargetBuy$820.00 ➝ $990.00+13.18%
5/1/2026Set TargetUnderweight ➝ Equal Weight$430.00 ➝ $915.00+2.70%
5/1/2026 Boost TargetBuy$930.00 ➝ $989.00+11.11%
5/1/2026 Boost TargetBuy$900.00 ➝ $1,045.00+17.30%
5/1/2026 Boost TargetNeutral$790.00 ➝ $900.00+1.02%
3/31/2026 Boost TargetOutperform$670.00 ➝ $750.00+2.55%
3/10/2026Set Target$825.00+15.10%
2/6/2026 Initiated CoverageOutperform
1/7/2026 Reiterated RatingMarket Perform
7/9/2025 UpgradeHold ➝ Buy$500.00+26.83%
2/3/2025 UpgradeOutperform

Analyst ratings data on MarketBeat is provided by Benzinga and other data providers. This page was last refreshed on Friday at 08:56 AM ET.


Should I Buy Caterpillar Stock? CAT Pros and Cons Explained

These pros and cons were generated based on recent news and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest and most accurate insights. They were last updated on Monday, October 12, 2026. Please send any questions or comments about these Caterpillar pros and cons to contact@marketbeat.com.

Caterpillar
Bull Case

green Wall Street bull icon

Here are some ways that investors could benefit from investing in Caterpillar Inc.:

  • Caterpillar Inc. recently announced a $1 billion investment in a new technology-enabled manufacturing facility in Sanford, North Carolina, which is designed to boost production of compact track loaders and telehandlers, signaling a strategic push toward advanced, automation-heavy manufacturing that could reshape its role with small contractors and rental fleets.
  • The company demonstrated strong financial performance in the first half of 2026, with revenue rising 23% to approximately $38 billion, driven by volume growth that added $5.4 billion to revenues and prompting a higher full-year outlook as all three major segments gained momentum.
  • Analysts maintain a Moderate Buy consensus rating with a price target of $994.375, which represents significant upside potential from the current stock price of $799.83, reflecting confidence in the company's position as a dominant force in global infrastructure and the extended U.S. construction cycle.
  • Caterpillar Inc. is leveraging artificial intelligence to reinvent heavy industry without replacing workers, a development that positions the company as a leader in technological integration within the industrial sector and offers investors exposure to AI tailwinds while maintaining a dividend yield of 0.81%.
  • The company's recent earnings reports have consistently beaten consensus estimates, such as the August 2026 report where actual EPS of $8.17 exceeded the consensus of $6.22, indicating robust operational efficiency and strong demand for its construction and mining equipment.

Caterpillar
Bear Case

red Wall Street bear icon

Investors should be bearish about investing in Caterpillar Inc. for these reasons:

  • Dealer inventories have increased significantly, rising by $2.6 billion in the first half of 2026 compared to a $200 million increase in the prior period, which raises concerns about whether earnings can continue to grow if dealers stop restocking and begin drawing down excess stock.
  • The stock has experienced a notable pullback over the past quarter, with a 90-day share price return of negative 16.4%, driven by regulatory scrutiny of agricultural equipment practices and a jump in long-term Treasury yields that has pressured investor sentiment.
  • Insider selling activity has been prominent, with CEO Joseph E. Creed selling 32,401 shares in August 2026 and other executives like CFO Andrew R. J. Bonfield and CAO William E. Schaupp also executing sales in May 2026, which may signal a lack of confidence in the current valuation or future growth prospects.
  • Short interest in Caterpillar Inc. has fluctuated, with shares shorted reaching 8,005,755 as of September 30, 2026, and a days-to-cover ratio of 3.23, indicating that a portion of the market is betting against the stock's performance due to macroeconomic headwinds and industry-specific risks.
  • The company faces regulatory and rate pressure, as noted in recent analysis, which could impact its financial products segment and overall profitability, particularly as interest rate environments remain volatile and affect the cost of capital for both the company and its customers.

CAT Forecast - Frequently Asked Questions

According to the research reports of 27 Wall Street equities research analysts, the average twelve-month stock price forecast for Caterpillar is $967.83, with a high forecast of $1,165.00 and a low forecast of $749.00.

27 Wall Street research analysts have issued "buy," "hold," and "sell" ratings for Caterpillar in the last twelve months. There are currently 12 hold ratings and 15 buy ratings for the stock. The consensus among Wall Street research analysts is that investors should "moderate buy" CAT shares.

According to analysts, Caterpillar's stock has a predicted upside of 31.44% based on their 12-month stock forecasts.

Over the previous 90 days, Caterpillar's stock had 4 upgrades and 4 downgrades by analysts.

Analysts like Caterpillar more than other "industrials" companies. The consensus rating for Caterpillar is Moderate Buy while the average consensus rating for "industrials" companies is Hold. Learn more on how CAT compares to other companies.


MarketBeat monitors more than a dozen sources for Caterpillar analyst ratings, with the most recent rating issued on 10/14/2026.
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