Global trading
Key takeaways
- Caterpillar Inc is a farm & heavy construction machinery business with stocks listed in the US.
- Caterpillar shares (CAT) are listed on the NYSE and all prices are listed in US Dollars.
- Its last market close was US$818.57 - an increase of 0.57% over the previous week.
Our top picks for trading platforms
Copy trading
Beginners
How to buy shares in Caterpillar
- Compare share trading platforms. To buy shares in a company listed in the USA from Australia you'll need to find a trading platform that offers access to USA stock markets. Look for a platform with low brokerage and foreign exchange fees.
- Open and fund your brokerage account. Complete an application with your personal and financial details, which will typically include your ID and tax file number. Fund your account with a bank transfer, credit card or debit card.
- Search for Caterpillar. Find the share by name or ticker symbol: CAT. Research its history to confirm it's an investment that matches your financial goals.
- Purchase now or later. Buy today with a market order or use a limit order to delay your purchase until Caterpillar reaches your desired price. To spread out your risk, look into dollar-cost averaging, which smooths out buying using consistent intervals and amounts.
- Decide on how many to buy. At last close price of US$818.57, weigh your budget against a diversified portfolio that can minimise risk through the market's ups and downs. You may be able to buy a fractional share of Caterpillar, depending on your broker.
- Check in on your investment. Congratulations, you own a part of Caterpillar. Optimise your portfolio by tracking how your stock performs with an eye on the long term. You may be eligible for dividends and shareholder voting rights.
Compare trading platforms to buy Caterpillar shares
Compare other products
We currently don't have that product, but here are others to consider:
How we picked theseFinder Score for share trading platforms
We've scored over 30 share trading platforms assessing them for their core features, fees, customer experience and accessibility. Our experts give each platform a score out of 10.
Must read
The value of your investments can fall as well as rise and you may get back less than you invested. Past performance is no indication of future results.
Caterpillar overview
Caterpillar Inc. provides construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines, and diesel-electric locomotives in the United States and internationally. The Construction Industries segment offers asphalt pavers, cold planers, compactors, forestry machines, material handlers, motor graders, pipelayers, road reclaimers, telehandlers, track-type tractors, and track and wheel excavators; backhoe, compact track, skid steer, track-type, and wheel loaders; and related parts and work tools. Its Resource Industries segment provides electric rope and hydraulic shovels, draglines, rotary drills, hard rock vehicles, mining trucks, wheel loaders, off-highway and articulated trucks, wide-body trucks, wheel tractor scrapers and dozers, and landfill and soil compactors; machinery components, and wear and maintenance components; and technology products and services for fleet management, equipment management analytics, autonomous machine capabilities, safety services, and mining performance solutions. The Energy & Transportation segment offers reciprocating engine powered generator sets; reciprocating engines, drivetrain, and integrated systems and solutions; centrifugal gas compressors and related services; and diesel-electric locomotive components, and other rail-related products. Its Financial Products segment provides operating and finance leases, revolving charge accounts, installment sale contracts, repair/rebuild financing, working capital loans, and wholesale financing; and insurance and risk management products and services. The All Other segment offers parts distribution; logistics and distribution services; electronics and control systems; dealer portfolio management; brand management and marketing strategy; and digital investment services. It also provides mining software solutions. The company was formerly known as Caterpillar Tractor Co. Caterpillar Inc. was incorporated in 1925 and is headquartered in Irving, Texas.
Caterpillar price performance over time
Historical closes compared with the last close of US$818.57
| 1 week (2026-09-04) | 0.57% |
|---|---|
| 1 month (2026-08-14) | -4.44% |
| 3 months (2026-06-12) | -10.10% |
| 6 months (2026-03-13) | 17.95% |
| 1 year (2025-09-12) | 89.69% |
|---|---|
| 2 years (2024-09-13) | 137.05% |
| 3 years (2023-09-14) | 189.70% |
| 5 years (2021-09-14) | 304.57% |
Is it a good time to buy Caterpillar stock?
The technical analysis gauge below displays real-time ratings for the timeframes you select. However, this is not a recommendation. It represents a technical analysis based on the most popular technical indicators: Moving Averages, Oscillators and Pivots. Finder might not concur and takes no responsibility.
Caterpillar share price volatility
Over the last 12 months, Caterpillar's shares have ranged in value from as little as US$419.5434 up to US$1071.4722. A popular way to gauge a stock's volatility is its "beta".
Beta measures a share's volatility in relation to the market. The market ( average) beta is 1, while Caterpillar's is 1.594. This would suggest that Caterpillar's shares are more volatile than the average for this exchange and represent, relatively speaking, a higher risk (but potentially also market-beating returns).
Caterpillar financials
| Revenue TTM | US$74.7 billion |
|---|---|
| Operating margin TTM | 22.18% |
| Gross profit TTM | US$22.2 billion |
| Return on assets TTM | 9.03% |
| Return on equity TTM | 56.97% |
| Profit margin | 14.51% |
| Book value | 42.193 |
| Market capitalisation | US$378.1 billion |
| EBITDA | US$16.3 billion |
TTM: trailing 12 months
Caterpillar share dividends
Dividend payout ratio: 25.86% of net profits
Recently Caterpillar has paid out, on average, around 25.86% of net profits as dividends. That has enabled analysts to estimate a "forward annual dividend yield" of 0.8% of the current stock value. This means that over a year, based on recent payouts (which are sadly no guarantee of future payouts), Caterpillar shareholders could enjoy a 0.8% return on their shares, in the form of dividend payments. In Caterpillar's case, that would currently equate to about 6.16 per share.
While Caterpillar's payout ratio might seem fairly standard, it's worth remembering that Caterpillar may be investing much of the rest of its net profits in future growth.
Caterpillar's most recent dividend payout was on 19 August 2026. The latest dividend was paid out to all shareholders who bought their shares by 20 July 2026 (the "ex-dividend date").
Have Caterpillar's shares ever split?
Caterpillar's shares were split on a 2:1 basis on 14 July 2005. So if you had owned 1 share the day before the split, the next day you would own 2 shares. This wouldn't directly have changed the overall worth of your Caterpillar shares - just the quantity. However, indirectly, the new 50% lower share price could have impacted the market appetite for Caterpillar shares which in turn could have impacted Caterpillar's share price.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
More resources on Finder
Ask a question
More guides on Finder
-
Best auto-investing platforms in Australia 2026
Finding a platform with an auto-invest feature is key if you want to dollar cost average into the market.
-
HALO Trading review for Australians
Explore our comprehensive review of HALO Trading's features and fees for Australian traders.
-
EasyEquities review
EasyEquities is an online share trading provider that aims at taking the hassle out of investing.
-
Best ASX penny stocks 2026
Best performers included Rubicon Water, Hamelin Gold and DXN.
-
The Perth Mint review
We look at the pros and cons for those hoping to invest in gold bullion and other precious metals with Perth Mint.
-
Rush gold trading review
We look at the fees and features of the Rush bullion dealer platform.
-
How to invest in the S&P 500
Find out the different ways you can invest in the S&P 500 index from Australia.
-
Sharesight stock portfolio tracker review
Sharesight is an online platform that helps investors track their overall stock portfolio performance including all dividends.
-
CMC Invest review for Australia
CMC Invest account features brokerage from as low as $9.90 and a host of research and market data options.
-
Macquarie Online Trading Account
Access Australian shares and ETFs at home or on-the-go with a Macquarie Online Trading account.