Free Trial

Caterpillar (CAT) Stock Forecast & Price Target

Caterpillar logo
$305.75 -28.91 (-8.64%)
Closing price 04/3/2025 03:59 PM Eastern
Extended Trading
$305.30 -0.44 (-0.15%)
As of 04/3/2025 07:59 PM Eastern
Extended trading is trading that happens on electronic markets outside of regular trading hours. This is a fair market value extended hours price provided by Polygon.io. Learn more.

Caterpillar - Analysts' Recommendations and Stock Price Forecast (2025)

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.

Consensus Rating

Sell
2
Hold
7
Buy
9

Based on 18 Wall Street analysts who have issued ratings for Caterpillar in the last 12 months, the stock has a consensus rating of "Hold." Out of the 18 analysts, 2 have given a sell rating, 7 have given a hold rating, and 9 have given a buy rating for CAT.

Consensus Price Target

$383.80
25.53% Upside
According to the 18 analysts' twelve-month price targets for Caterpillar, the average price target is $383.80. The highest price target for CAT is $490.00, while the lowest price target for CAT is $300.00. The average price target represents a forecasted upside of 25.53% from the current price of $305.75.
Get the Latest News and Ratings for CAT and Related Stocks

Enter your email address to receive the latest news and analysts' ratings for Caterpillar and its competitors.

Sign Up

CAT Analyst Ratings Over Time

TypeCurrent Forecast
4/4/24 to 4/4/25
1 Month Ago
3/5/24 to 3/5/25
3 Months Ago
1/5/24 to 1/4/25
1 Year Ago
4/5/23 to 4/4/24
Strong Buy
0 Strong Buy rating(s)
0 Strong Buy rating(s)
0 Strong Buy rating(s)
0 Strong Buy rating(s)
Buy
9 Buy rating(s)
9 Buy rating(s)
7 Buy rating(s)
8 Buy rating(s)
Hold
7 Hold rating(s)
7 Hold rating(s)
6 Hold rating(s)
9 Hold rating(s)
Sell
2 Sell rating(s)
2 Sell rating(s)
4 Sell rating(s)
1 Sell rating(s)
Consensus Price Target$383.80$383.80$384.33$297.89
Forecasted Upside25.53% Upside13.30% Upside5.65% Upside-19.44% Downside
Consensus Rating
Hold
Hold
Hold
Hold
Remove Ads

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 CompaniesS&P 500
Consensus Rating Score
2.39
2.66
2.54
Consensus RatingHoldModerate BuyModerate Buy
Predicted Upside25.53% Upside376.33% Upside25.01% Upside
News Sentiment Rating
Positive News

See Recent CAT News
Positive News
Positive News
Remove Ads
DateBrokerageAnalyst NameActionRatingPrice TargetUpside/Downside on Report DateDetails
2/19/2025Evercore ISI
2 of 5 stars
D. Raso
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating
Boost TargetIn-Line ➝ In-Line$365.00 ➝ $375.00+6.93%
2/4/2025DA Davidson
2 of 5 stars
Michael Shlisky
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating
Boost TargetNeutral ➝ Neutral$350.00 ➝ $357.00-1.04%
2/3/2025Raymond James
4 of 5 stars
 UpgradeMarket Perform ➝ Outperform
2/3/2025Wedbush
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating
 UpgradeOutperform
2/3/2025Truist Financial
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating
Jamie Cook
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating
Lower TargetBuy ➝ Buy$455.00 ➝ $438.00+20.73%
2/3/2025UBS Group
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating
Steven Fisher
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating
UpgradeSell ➝ Neutral$355.00 ➝ $385.00+3.53%
1/31/2025Citigroup
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating
Kyle Menges
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating
Boost TargetBuy ➝ Buy$420.00 ➝ $430.00+15.39%
1/31/2025JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating
Tami Zakaria
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating
Lower TargetOverweight ➝ Overweight$515.00 ➝ $490.00+31.61%
1/31/2025Bank of America
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating
Michael Feniger
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating
Lower TargetBuy ➝ Buy$452.00 ➝ $414.00+10.75%
1/31/2025Morgan Stanley
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating
Angel Castillo
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating
Lower TargetUnderweight ➝ Underweight$330.00 ➝ $300.00-20.21%
12/6/2024Jefferies Financial Group
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating
 Boost TargetBuy ➝ Buy$455.00 ➝ $475.00+20.26%
10/31/2024Robert W. Baird
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating
 Boost TargetUnderperform ➝ Underperform$299.00 ➝ $300.00-20.89%
8/7/2024Barclays
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating
 Boost TargetEqual Weight ➝ Equal Weight$315.00 ➝ $335.00+1.78%
4/30/2024HSBC
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating
 Boost TargetHold ➝ Hold$330.00 ➝ $360.00+6.90%
4/26/2024TD Cowen
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating
 Boost TargetBuy ➝ Buy$338.00 ➝ $340.00+0.52%
4/26/2024Stifel Nicolaus
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating
 DowngradeBuy ➝ Hold$293.00 ➝ $350.00+3.48%
4/18/2024Oppenheimer
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating
 Reiterated RatingMarket Perform ➝ Market Perform
4/16/2024The Goldman Sachs Group
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating
 Boost TargetBuy ➝ Buy$357.00 ➝ $408.00+13.10%
2/6/2024Wells Fargo & Company
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating
 Boost TargetEqual Weight ➝ Equal Weight$290.00 ➝ $325.00+1.36%
12/21/2023Sanford C. Bernstein
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating
 Boost TargetMarket Perform ➝ Market Perform$216.00 ➝ $245.00-14.86%
11/8/2023Tigress Financial
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating
 Boost TargetBuy ➝ Buy$282.00 ➝ $295.00+24.88%
8/2/2023Credit Suisse Group
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating
 Boost TargetOutperform ➝ Outperform$279.00 ➝ $334.00+15.76%
4/12/2023Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating
 Lower TargetHold$228.00 ➝ $225.00+1.99%

Analyst ratings data on MarketBeat is provided by Benzinga and other data providers. This page was last refreshed on Friday at 02:03 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, March 31, 2025. 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. has a strong net margin of 16.65%, indicating efficient management and profitability, which can lead to higher returns for investors.
  • The company boasts a remarkable return on equity of 58.18%, suggesting that it effectively uses shareholders' equity to generate profits, making it an attractive investment.
  • Recent analyst upgrades, including a price target increase from Jefferies Financial Group to $475.00, reflect positive market sentiment and potential for stock appreciation.
  • The current stock price is $330.30, which may present a buying opportunity for investors looking to enter at a lower price point compared to analysts' target prices.
  • Caterpillar Inc. has a diverse product range, including the latest construction and mining equipment, which positions it well in various markets and can drive future growth.

Caterpillar
Bear Case

red Wall Street bear icon

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

  • Despite positive ratings, there are still two analysts who have rated the stock with a sell rating, indicating some skepticism about its future performance.
  • Bank of America recently lowered its price target for Caterpillar Inc. from $452.00 to $414.00, which may signal concerns about the company's short-term growth prospects.
  • The stock has experienced fluctuations, with a 1-year low of $307.05, suggesting potential volatility that could deter risk-averse investors.
  • Insider selling activity, such as the recent sale of 2,425 shares by an insider, may raise concerns about the company's future outlook from those within the organization.
  • The company's debt-to-equity ratio of 1.40 indicates a higher level of debt compared to equity, which could pose risks in times of economic downturns or rising interest rates.

CAT Forecast - Frequently Asked Questions

According to the research reports of 18 Wall Street equities research analysts, the average twelve-month stock price forecast for Caterpillar is $383.80, with a high forecast of $490.00 and a low forecast of $300.00.

18 Wall Street equities research analysts have issued "buy," "hold," and "sell" ratings for Caterpillar in the last year. There are currently 2 sell ratings, 7 hold ratings and 9 buy ratings for the stock. The consensus among Wall Street equities research analysts is that investors should "hold" CAT shares. A hold rating indicates that analysts believe investors should maintain any existing positions they have in CAT, but not buy additional shares or sell existing shares.

According to analysts, Caterpillar's stock has a predicted upside of 25.53% based on their 12-month stock forecasts.

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

Caterpillar has been rated by research analysts at Bank of America, Citigroup, DA Davidson, Evercore ISI, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Morgan Stanley, Raymond James, Truist Financial, UBS Group, and Wedbush in the past 90 days.

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


This page (NYSE:CAT) was last updated on 4/4/2025 by MarketBeat.com Staff
From Our Partners