Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT) CEO Joseph Creed Sells 32,401 Shares of Stock

September 2, 2026 by InsiderTrades.com

Key Points

CEO Joseph Creed sold 32,401 Caterpillar shares for approximately $26.2 million at an average price of $808.98, reducing his holdings by 48.39% to 34,555 shares.
Caterpillar exceeded quarterly expectations, reporting $8.17 in EPS versus the $6.22 consensus and $20.54 billion in revenue; revenue rose 23.7% year over year. The company also increased its quarterly dividend to $1.63, or $6.52 annually.
Analyst sentiment remains positive, with a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $995.52, although the stock’s elevated valuation and recent pullback remain considerations.

Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT - Get Free Report) CEO Joseph Creed sold 32,401 shares of Caterpillar stock in a transaction dated 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 of the company's stock, valued at approximately $27,954,303.90. This represents a 48.39% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link.

Caterpillar Price Performance

5 Reasons the S&P 500 Could Keep Rallying Through Year-End

NYSE:CAT opened at $778.59 on Wednesday. Caterpillar Inc. has a 12-month low of $410.52 and a 12-month high of $1,073.46. The firm has a market cap of $357.89 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.50, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.38 and a beta of 1.60. The company's 50-day moving average is $885.31 and its two-hundred day moving average is $838.23. The company has a current ratio of 1.37, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.65.

Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The industrial products company reported $8.17 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $6.22 by $1.95. The business had revenue of $20.54 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $19.34 billion. Caterpillar had a net margin of 14.51% and a return on equity of 55.53%. The company's quarterly revenue was up 23.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $4.72 earnings per share. Research analysts expect that Caterpillar Inc. will post 27.35 EPS for the current year.

Caterpillar Increases Dividend

Caterpillar’s Blowout Quarter May Point to More Industrial Winners

The firm 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. This is a boost from Caterpillar's previous quarterly dividend of $1.51. The ex-dividend date was Monday, July 20th. This represents a $6.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.8%. Caterpillar's payout ratio is presently 28.06%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Caterpillar

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Stonebridge Financial Group LLC grew its holdings in shares of Caterpillar by 0.7% during the 2nd quarter. Stonebridge Financial Group LLC now owns 1,635 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $1,741,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the period. Inspirion Wealth Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Caterpillar by 1.2% in the second quarter. Inspirion Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 944 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $936,000 after buying an additional 11 shares during the period. Bell Bank lifted its position in Caterpillar by 0.6% during the second quarter. Bell Bank now owns 1,865 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $1,986,000 after buying an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Cornerstone Advisory LLC grew its stake in Caterpillar by 0.7% during the first quarter. Cornerstone Advisory LLC now owns 1,818 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $1,288,000 after buying an additional 12 shares during the period. Finally, Advisory Resource Group increased its position in shares of Caterpillar by 0.8% in the fourth quarter. Advisory Resource Group now owns 1,632 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $935,000 after acquiring an additional 13 shares in the last quarter. 70.98% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Caterpillar News Summary

Caterpillar’s Record Quarter May Have Reset the Stock’s Ceiling

Here are the key news stories impacting Caterpillar this week:

Positive Sentiment: Higher earnings expectations: Erste Group Bank raised its FY2026 EPS forecast for Caterpillar to $27.50 from $24.78, above the current analyst consensus of $27.14. The firm maintains a “Hold” rating, so the estimate increase is positive but not a strong bullish endorsement. Erste Group Bank Predicts Stronger Earnings for Caterpillar
Positive Sentiment: Analyst sentiment remains favorable: Caterpillar has received a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating, while a separate analysis highlighted the stock as a potential beneficiary of improving industrial activity. However, brokerage recommendations can be overly optimistic and may have limited immediate impact. Caterpillar Receives Consensus Rating of Moderate Buy
Positive Sentiment: Improving durable-goods demand: July durable-goods orders increased 1.1%, supporting the view that a manufacturing recovery could benefit Caterpillar’s equipment demand and broader industrial stocks. 4 Industrial Stocks to Grab on Robust Jump in Durable Goods Orders
Neutral Sentiment: Investors are watching the pullback: Commentary focused on Caterpillar’s recent decline, suggesting the stock’s technical performance and elevated valuation remain important considerations even after strong quarterly earnings. Why We're Watching the Caterpillar Stock Pullback
Negative Sentiment: Market-wide pressure: Caterpillar was among the stocks weighing on the Dow as investors reduced exposure to major companies, indicating that broader market sentiment—not just company-specific fundamentals—is contributing to the weakness. NVIDIA Corp., Caterpillar Share Losses Lead Dow's Fall
Negative Sentiment: CEO insider selling: CEO Joseph E. Creed sold 32,401 shares for approximately $26.2 million, reducing his position by 48.39%. The sale may concern investors, although insider transactions can reflect personal financial planning rather than a change in the company’s outlook. SEC Insider Transaction Filing

Analysts Set New Price Targets

CAT has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Citigroup lifted their price objective on Caterpillar from $1,020.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 14th. HSBC raised their price target on Caterpillar from $850.00 to $1,100.00 in a research note on Tuesday, May 5th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on Caterpillar from $1,125.00 to $1,165.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Wednesday, June 17th. Oppenheimer reiterated an "outperform" rating and set a $1,118.00 price objective on shares of Caterpillar in a report on Tuesday, August 4th. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $970.00 target price on shares of Caterpillar in a research report on Wednesday, August 5th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Buy rating and eleven have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $995.52.

View Our Latest Stock Report on Caterpillar

Caterpillar Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

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.