Head-To-Head Comparison: Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT) and Commercial Vehicle Group (NASDAQ:CVGI)

Commercial Vehicle Group (NASDAQ:CVGI) and Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT) are both industrials companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, institutional ownership, earnings, analyst recommendations, valuation, profitability and risk.

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of recent ratings and target prices for Commercial Vehicle Group and Caterpillar, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Commercial Vehicle Group	1	0	2	0	2.33
Caterpillar	0	12	15	0	2.56

Commercial Vehicle Group currently has a consensus price target of $6.00, indicating a potential upside of 105.83%. Caterpillar has a consensus price target of $947.42, indicating a potential upside of 38.36%. Given Commercial Vehicle Group’s higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Commercial Vehicle Group is more favorable than Caterpillar.

Risk & Volatility

Commercial Vehicle Group has a beta of 1.38, indicating that its share price is 38% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Caterpillar has a beta of 1.58, indicating that its share price is 58% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

72.3% of Commercial Vehicle Group shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 71.0% of Caterpillar shares are held by institutional investors. 15.6% of Commercial Vehicle Group shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 0.3% of Caterpillar shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Profitability

This table compares Commercial Vehicle Group and Caterpillar’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Commercial Vehicle Group	-3.42%	-13.91%	-4.50%
Caterpillar	14.51%	55.53%	11.38%

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares Commercial Vehicle Group and Caterpillar”s gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Commercial Vehicle Group	$649.00 million	0.18	-$22.78 million	($0.67)	-4.35
Caterpillar	$67.59 billion	4.66	$8.88 billion	$23.24	29.47

Caterpillar has higher revenue and earnings than Commercial Vehicle Group. Commercial Vehicle Group is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Caterpillar, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Summary

Caterpillar beats Commercial Vehicle Group on 11 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Commercial Vehicle Group

Commercial Vehicle Group, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, assembles, and sells systems, assemblies, and components to commercial and electric vehicle, and industrial automation markets in North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific regions. The company operates in four segments: Vehicle Solutions, Electrical Systems, Aftermarket & Accessories, and Industrial Automation. It offers vehicle seats and seating systems, such as static, mechanical, and air suspension seats, as well as office seating products under KAB Seating, National Seating, Bostrom Seating, and Stratos brands. The company also provides thermoformed, injection molded, reaction injection molded, and decorated/hydrographic finished products; vinyl or cloth-covered appliqués; instrument panels; plastics decorating and finishing products; cab structures; and cab interiors, including armrests, grab handles, storage systems, floor coverings and mats, sleeper bunks, headliners, wall panels, and privacy curtains under the AdvancTEK brand. In addition, it offers high and low voltage electrical wire harness assemblies function as the primary electric current carrying devices used in providing electrical interconnections for gauges, lights, control functions, power circuits, powertrain and transmission sensors, emissions systems, and other electronic applications on commercial and other vehicles; and panel assemblies. Further, the company provides mirrors, wipers, and wiper systems under Bostrom, Moto Mirror, Sprague Devices, and RoadWatch brands; integrated and electro-mechanical assemblies, and cabinets. It offers its products and systems for the truck, power sports, bus, construction, mining, automotive, agricultural, mining, rail, marine, power generation, e-commerce, warehouse integration, transportation, military/defense, industrial, municipal, off-road recreational, and specialty vehicle markets. The company was incorporated in 2000 and is headquartered in New Albany, Ohio.

About Caterpillar

Caterpillar Inc. manufactures and sells construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines, and diesel-electric locomotives in worldwide. Its Construction Industries segment offers asphalt pavers, compactors, road reclaimers, forestry machines, cold planers, material handlers, track-type tractors, excavators, telehandlers, motor graders, and pipelayers; compact track, wheel, track-type, backhoe, and skid steer loaders; and related parts and tools. The company's Resource Industries segment provides electric rope and hydraulic shovels, draglines, rotary drills, hard rock vehicles, tractors, mining trucks, wheel loaders, off-highway and articulated trucks, wheel tractor scrapers and dozers, fleet management products, landfill and soil compactors, machinery components, autonomous ready vehicles and solutions, work tools, and safety services and mining performance solutions, as well as related parts and services. Its Energy & Transportation segment offers reciprocating engine powered generator sets; reciprocating engines, drivetrain, and integrated systems and solutions; turbines, centrifugal gas compressors, and related services; and diesel-electric locomotives and components, and other rail-related products. The company's Financial Products segment provides operating and finance leases, installment sale contracts, revolving charge accounts, repair/rebuild financing services, working capital loans, and wholesale financing; and insurance and risk management products and services. Its All Other Operating segment offers filters and fluids, undercarriage, ground engaging tools, fluid transfer products, precision seals, and rubber sealing and connecting components; parts distribution; logistics solutions and distribution services; brand management and marketing strategy services; and digital investments services. Caterpillar Inc. was founded in 1925 and is headquartered in Irving, Texas.