Empower Advisory Group LLC Increases Stock Position in Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT)

Empower Advisory Group LLC lifted its position in Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT - Free Report) by 0.7% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 255,388 shares of the industrial products company's stock after buying an additional 1,768 shares during the period. Empower Advisory Group LLC owned about 0.05% of Caterpillar worth $92,645,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Capital Performance Advisors LLP acquired a new position in Caterpillar in the 3rd quarter worth $36,000. Retirement Wealth Solutions LLC acquired a new position in Caterpillar in the 4th quarter worth $34,000. Kimelman & Baird LLC boosted its stake in Caterpillar by 42.9% in the 3rd quarter. Kimelman & Baird LLC now owns 100 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $39,000 after purchasing an additional 30 shares during the period. Albion Financial Group UT boosted its stake in shares of Caterpillar by 334.8% during the 4th quarter. Albion Financial Group UT now owns 100 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $36,000 after buying an additional 77 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Trivant Custom Portfolio Group LLC boosted its stake in shares of Caterpillar by 130.0% during the 4th quarter. Trivant Custom Portfolio Group LLC now owns 115 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $42,000 after buying an additional 65 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 70.98% of the company's stock.

Insider Transactions at Caterpillar

In related news, insider Anthony D. Fassino sold 6,279 shares of Caterpillar stock in a transaction on Friday, November 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $408.59, for a total transaction of $2,565,536.61. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 33,565 shares of the company's stock, valued at $13,714,323.35. This trade represents a 15.76 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, insider Jason Kaiser sold 2,425 shares of Caterpillar stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $354.70, for a total transaction of $860,147.50. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 6,275 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $2,225,742.50. This trade represents a 27.87 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 18,704 shares of company stock worth $7,226,584. Company insiders own 0.29% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on CAT shares. DA Davidson upped their target price on shares of Caterpillar from $350.00 to $357.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Tuesday, February 4th. UBS Group raised shares of Caterpillar from a "sell" rating to a "neutral" rating and upped their target price for the company from $355.00 to $385.00 in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Truist Financial lowered their price target on shares of Caterpillar from $455.00 to $438.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Citigroup increased their price target on shares of Caterpillar from $420.00 to $430.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, January 31st. Finally, Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on shares of Caterpillar from $330.00 to $300.00 and set an "underweight" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, January 31st. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, Caterpillar presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $383.80.

Caterpillar Price Performance

Shares of NYSE CAT traded down $4.16 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $348.84. 2,171,572 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,392,472. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.40, a quick ratio of 0.89 and a current ratio of 1.42. The company has a market cap of $166.72 billion, a PE ratio of 15.81, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.89 and a beta of 1.12. The company's fifty day simple moving average is $370.18 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $372.40. Caterpillar Inc. has a 1-year low of $307.05 and a 1-year high of $418.50.

Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The industrial products company reported $5.14 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $4.97 by $0.17. Caterpillar had a net margin of 16.65% and a return on equity of 58.18%. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Caterpillar Inc. will post 19.86 EPS for the current year.

Caterpillar Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, February 20th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, January 21st will be issued a dividend of $1.41 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, January 21st. This represents a $5.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.62%. Caterpillar's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 25.56%.

Caterpillar Company Profile

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.