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Investing.com - Evercore ISI upgraded Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT), the $193 billion machinery giant currently trading at $412.64, from In Line to Outperform on Tuesday, setting a price target of $476.00. According to InvestingPro, the company maintains a robust financial health score of "GOOD."
The upgrade comes as the research firm noted Caterpillar’s "recent resilience in construction equipment margins amid price-cost negativity," which it described as a reminder of the company’s volume leverage and geographic mix advantages.
Evercore ISI highlighted North America as the region where the end of machine destocking will be most beneficial for the heavy equipment manufacturer, potentially driving earnings upside in late 2025 and into 2026.
The firm reported indications from industry channels that Caterpillar may reduce current discounting rather than simply experiencing less year-over-year price declines from easier comparisons, as management had previously communicated during its earnings call.
Evercore ISI suggested that machine sales upside would complement Caterpillar’s existing appeal from power generation and data center exposure, potentially broadening the stock’s appeal to investors. InvestingPro analysis indicates the stock is currently trading near its Fair Value, with 12 additional exclusive insights available to subscribers through the comprehensive Pro Research Report.
In other recent news, Caterpillar reported mixed financial results for the second quarter of 2025. The company achieved adjusted earnings per share of $4.72, which was approximately 3% below consensus estimates. Despite a 1% year-over-year decline in consolidated sales to $16.6 billion, this figure exceeded market expectations of $16.3 billion. Caterpillar’s EBIT margin also decreased by about 480 basis points year-over-year to 17.6%, falling short of the forecasted 18.3%. In terms of debt issuance, Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation announced the issuance of $1.45 billion in new notes due in 2028. Additionally, the company secured a significant agreement to supply power generation equipment for a major data center project in Utah. Analyst firms have responded to these developments, with JPMorgan raising its price target to $520, Bernstein increasing it to $447, and DA Davidson adjusting it to $408. These adjustments reflect varying perspectives on Caterpillar’s performance and future potential.
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