LaSalle St. Investment Advisors LLC Invests $2.40 Million in Caterpillar Inc. $CAT

LaSalle St. Investment Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT) in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund acquired 2,258 shares of the industrial products company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,404,000.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Lam Group Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Caterpillar during the 1st quarter valued at $26,000. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC increased its position in Caterpillar by 220.0% during the 4th quarter. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC now owns 48 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $28,000 after buying an additional 33 shares in the last quarter. Decker Retirement Planning Inc. increased its position in Caterpillar by 440.0% during the 2nd quarter. Decker Retirement Planning Inc. now owns 27 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 22 shares in the last quarter. Cornerstone Financial Management LLC purchased a new stake in Caterpillar in the fourth quarter valued at about $32,000. Finally, Matrix Trust Co boosted its holdings in Caterpillar by 93.8% in the second quarter. Matrix Trust Co now owns 31 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 15 shares in the last quarter. 70.98% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on CAT shares. Evercore restated an “outperform” rating and set a $1,103.00 price objective on shares of Caterpillar in a report on Monday, May 11th. Sanford C. Bernstein reissued a “market perform” rating and set a $1,002.00 target price on shares of Caterpillar in a research report on Wednesday, August 5th. Robert W. Baird set a $970.00 price target on shares of Caterpillar in a research note on Wednesday, August 5th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on shares of Caterpillar from $1,050.00 to $1,155.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, June 23rd. Finally, Rothschild & Co Redburn lifted their price objective on shares of Caterpillar from $700.00 to $950.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 14th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have given a Buy rating and eleven have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Caterpillar presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $995.52.

Caterpillar Price Performance

Shares of NYSE CAT opened at $791.78 on Thursday. Caterpillar Inc. has a 52 week low of $411.37 and a 52 week high of $1,073.46. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $881.29 and its 200 day moving average price is $838.47. The company has a quick ratio of 0.85, a current ratio of 1.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.65. The firm has a market cap of $363.96 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.07, a P/E/G ratio of 1.35 and a beta of 1.60.

Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 4th. The industrial products company reported $8.17 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.22 by $1.95. Caterpillar had a return on equity of 55.53% and a net margin of 14.51%.The business had revenue of $20.54 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $19.34 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $4.72 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 23.7% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Caterpillar Inc. will post 27.35 earnings per share for the current year.

Caterpillar Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, August 19th. Shareholders of record on Monday, July 20th were issued a $1.63 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, July 20th. This is a boost from Caterpillar’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.51. This represents a $6.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.8%. Caterpillar’s dividend payout ratio is presently 28.06%.

Key Headlines Impacting Caterpillar

Here are the key news stories impacting Caterpillar this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Data-center power demand supports growth: Caterpillar’s Power & Energy segment is benefiting from rising demand for reliable electricity-generation equipment as data centers and AI infrastructure expand. Retail sales to power-generation users surged 72% year over year in the second quarter, reinforcing the company’s potential to gain exposure to the AI buildout. Can CAT’s Power & Energy Segment Sustain Its Rapid Growth Momentum?
• Positive Sentiment: AI and robotics collaboration: Caterpillar is working with FieldAI on physical AI, autonomy, robotics and digital-twin technology for jobsites and manufacturing facilities. The initiative is intended to improve safety, productivity and labor efficiency, potentially strengthening Caterpillar’s technology offering over time. Caterpillar and FieldAI Advance AI-Powered Industrial Innovation
• Positive Sentiment: Constructive earnings outlook: Zacks described Caterpillar as positioned to benefit from AI-related data-center demand, supported by a record backlog, power demand and capacity expansion. Erste Group Bank also raised its 2026 EPS forecast to $27.50 from $24.78, although it retained a “Hold” rating. Buy and Hold Caterpillar Poised to Gain Further on AI Data Center Boom
• Neutral Sentiment: Long-term brand visibility: Articles about restoring a 70-year-old Caterpillar D4 and unrelated biological research involving caterpillars have little direct effect on Caterpillar’s financial outlook or valuation.
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and technical pressure: Trader Tony Zhang advised investors to begin “fading” Caterpillar, while other commentary highlighted the recent pullback. The stock remains below its 50-day and 200-day moving averages, adding to near-term caution. Time to Start Fading Caterpillar Stock, Says Trader Tony Zhang
• Negative Sentiment: CEO insider sale: CEO Joseph Creed sold 32,401 shares for approximately $26.2 million, reducing his reported holdings by 48.39%. The sale may weigh on sentiment, although it may also reflect personal financial planning rather than a change in business expectations. SEC Insider Transaction Filing

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Caterpillar news, CEO Joseph E. Creed sold 32,401 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $808.98, for a total value of $26,211,760.98. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 34,555 shares in the company, valued at approximately $27,954,303.90. This represents a 48.39% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. 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.