Caterpillar (CAT) Increases Despite Market Slip: Here's What You Need to Know

Caterpillar (CAT) closed at $392.39 in the latest trading session, marking a +0.32% move from the prior day. The stock outpaced the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.93%. Elsewhere, the Dow lost 0.41%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq lost 1.53%.Coming into today, shares of the construction equipment company had gained 9.83% in the past month. In that same time, the Industrial Products sector gained 4.7%, while the S&P 500 gained 2.17%.Analysts and investors alike will be keeping a close eye on the performance of Caterpillar in its upcoming earnings disclosure. It is anticipated that the company will report an EPS of $5.36, marking a 2.9% fall compared to the same quarter of the previous year. In the meantime, our current consensus estimate forecasts the revenue to be $16.36 billion, indicating a 2.69% decline compared to the corresponding quarter of the prior year.For the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates are projecting earnings of $21.91 per share and revenue of $65.59 billion, which would represent changes of +3.3% and -2.19%, respectively, from the prior year.Investors should also take note of any recent adjustments to analyst estimates for Caterpillar. Such recent modifications usually signify the changing landscape of near-term business trends. Hence, positive alterations in estimates signify analyst optimism regarding the company's business and profitability.Empirical research indicates that these revisions in estimates have a direct correlation with impending stock price performance. We developed the Zacks Rank to capitalize on this phenomenon. Our system takes these estimate changes into account and delivers a clear, actionable rating model.The Zacks Rank system, which varies between #1 (Strong Buy) and #5 (Strong Sell), carries an impressive track record of exceeding expectations, confirmed by external audits, with stocks at #1 delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has shifted 0.18% upward. Caterpillar is holding a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold) right now.In terms of valuation, Caterpillar is currently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 17.85. This valuation marks a premium compared to its industry's average Forward P/E of 10.35.Meanwhile, CAT's PEG ratio is currently 1.82. Comparable to the widely accepted P/E ratio, the PEG ratio also accounts for the company's projected earnings growth. CAT's industry had an average PEG ratio of 6.83 as of yesterday's close.The Manufacturing - Construction and Mining industry is part of the Industrial Products sector. This group has a Zacks Industry Rank of 154, putting it in the bottom 39% of all 250+ industries.The Zacks Industry Rank assesses the vigor of our specific industry groups by computing the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks incorporated in the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.You can find more information on all of these metrics, and much more, on Zacks.com.Infrastructure Stock Boom to Sweep AmericaA massive push to rebuild the crumbling U.S. infrastructure will soon be underway. It’s bipartisan, urgent, and inevitable. Trillions will be spent. Fortunes will be made.The only question is “Will you get into the right stocks early when their growth potential is greatest?”Zacks has released a Special Report to help you do just that, and today it’s free. Discover 5 special companies that look to gain the most from construction and repair to roads, bridges, and buildings, plus cargo hauling and energy transformation on an almost unimaginable scale.Download FREE: How To Profit From Trillions On Spending For Infrastructure >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Caterpillar Inc. (CAT): Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks