Merit Financial Group LLC Purchases 2,714 Shares of Caterpillar Inc. $CAT

Merit Financial Group LLC grew its position in Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT) by 5.9% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 48,984 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after purchasing an additional 2,714 shares during the quarter. Merit Financial Group LLC’s holdings in Caterpillar were worth $52,164,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Lam Group Inc. acquired a new position in Caterpillar in the 1st quarter valued at $26,000. Torren Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Caterpillar in the fourth quarter valued at about $27,000. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of 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 acquiring an additional 33 shares during the period. Decker Retirement Planning Inc. grew its stake in shares of Caterpillar by 440.0% in the second quarter. Decker Retirement Planning Inc. now owns 27 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 22 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Cornerstone Financial Management LLC bought a new position in Caterpillar during the fourth quarter worth about $32,000. 70.98% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms have issued reports on CAT. Morgan Stanley set a $915.00 price objective on shares of Caterpillar and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Friday, May 1st. Rothschild & Co Redburn boosted their price target on Caterpillar from $700.00 to $950.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 14th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on Caterpillar from $1,050.00 to $1,155.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 23rd. Truist Financial set a $980.00 price objective on Caterpillar in a research note on Wednesday, August 5th. Finally, Zacks Research raised Caterpillar from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 12th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have given a Buy rating and eleven have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $995.52.

Caterpillar Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:CAT opened at $843.54 on Wednesday. Caterpillar Inc. has a 1 year low of $410.52 and a 1 year high of $1,073.46. The stock has a market capitalization of $387.76 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.30, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.53 and a beta of 1.60. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.65, a current ratio of 1.37 and a quick ratio of 0.85. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $913.03 and its 200 day simple moving average is $830.99.

Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT) last issued its earnings results 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 firm had revenue of $20.54 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $19.34 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $4.72 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 23.7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts predict that Caterpillar Inc. will post 26.56 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Caterpillar Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, August 19th. Investors of record on Monday, July 20th will be paid a $1.63 dividend. This represents a $6.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.8%. This is a boost from Caterpillar’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.51. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, July 20th. Caterpillar’s payout ratio is 28.06%.

Key Stories Impacting Caterpillar

Here are the key news stories impacting Caterpillar this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Analyst commentary highlighted accelerating, volume-driven growth across Caterpillar’s three operating segments and a sharp upgrade to its 2026 sales outlook, supporting the longer-term bullish case. Caterpillar’s Volume Gains Drive Growth: Can Its Uptrend Continue?
• Positive Sentiment: Caterpillar was included among high-efficiency stocks with key operating ratios above industry averages, reinforcing the view that its strong earnings performance is supported by business quality. 5 Top-Ranked High-Efficiency Stocks Poised for Stronger Returns
• Positive Sentiment: The company committed up to $3 million in Arkansas as part of its five-year, $100 million workforce initiative. The investment should expand manufacturing talent pipelines, although the near-term earnings impact is likely limited. Caterpillar Expands Workforce Initiative to Arkansas

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.