AER vs. CAT: AerCap vs. Caterpillar Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do AerCap (AER) and Caterpillar (CAT) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

AerCap (AER) and Caterpillar (CAT) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but AER is classified in Trading Companies & Distributors while CAT is classified in Machinery.

Company profile comparison for AerCap (AER) and Caterpillar (CAT)
Profile Item	AER	CAT
Name	AerCap Holdings N.V.	Caterpillar Inc.
Country/Region	Ireland	United States
GICS Sector	Industrials	Industrials
GICS Industry Group	Capital Goods	Capital Goods
GICS Industry	Trading Companies & Distributors	Machinery
GICS Sub-Industry	Trading Companies & Distributors	Construction Machinery & Heavy Transportation Equipment
Market Capitalization	25.76 billion USD	255.63 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	November 21, 2006	January 2, 1962
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

AER

CAT

GSPC

AerCap (AER) vs. Caterpillar (CAT), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for AerCap (AER) and Caterpillar (CAT). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for AerCap (AER) and Caterpillar (CAT). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for AerCap (AER) and Caterpillar (CAT)
Metric	AER	CAT
Total Return (1Y)	32.17%	6.75%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	39.43%	38.34%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	21.06%	25.28%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

AER

CAT

GSPC

AerCap (AER) vs. Caterpillar (CAT), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for AerCap (AER) and Caterpillar (CAT). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for AerCap (AER) and Caterpillar (CAT)
Metric	AER	CAT
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	26.10%	41.33%
Beta (5Y)	0.95	1.65
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-44.81%	-47.79%
Avg. Volume (3M)	1.13M	2.82M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

AER and CAT are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for AerCap (AER) and Caterpillar (CAT)
Metric	AER	CAT
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	1.07	0.06
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	1.59	0.08

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Caterpillar (CAT) at 56.14% clears its industry range for ROE, a sharper capital-efficiency signal than AerCap (AER) at 17.00%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.

AER

Capital Goods industry group

17.00%

Max: 40.55%
Q3: 19.29%
AER: 17.00%
Median: 12.12%
Q1: 4.08%
Min: -17.12%

CAT

Capital Goods industry group

56.14%

CAT: 56.14%
Max: 40.55%
Q3: 19.29%
Median: 12.12%
Q1: 4.08%
Min: -17.12%

AerCap (AER) vs. Caterpillar (CAT): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

AerCap (AER) at 34.47% keeps the most of each sales dollar — above its industry’s net margin range — and Caterpillar (CAT) at 15.21% also retains a top-quartile share.

AER

Capital Goods industry group

34.47%

AER: 34.47%
Max: 27.47%
Q3: 12.10%
Median: 6.30%
Q1: 1.40%
Min: -12.89%

CAT

Capital Goods industry group

15.21%

Max: 27.47%
CAT: 15.21%
Q3: 12.10%
Median: 6.30%
Q1: 1.40%
Min: -12.89%

AerCap (AER) vs. Caterpillar (CAT): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

AerCap (AER) at 62.55% shows unusually strong operating efficiency — above its industry’s operating margin range — and Caterpillar (CAT) at 20.19% also operates in the top quartile.

AER

Capital Goods industry group

62.55%

AER: 62.55%
Max: 36.60%
Q3: 18.33%
Median: 11.12%
Q1: 5.14%
Min: -12.63%

CAT

Capital Goods industry group

20.19%

Max: 36.60%
CAT: 20.19%
Q3: 18.33%
Median: 11.12%
Q1: 5.14%
Min: -12.63%

AerCap (AER) vs. Caterpillar (CAT): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for AerCap (AER) and Caterpillar (CAT)
Metric	AER	CAT
ROE (TTM)	17.00%	56.14%
ROA (TTM)	4.52%	9.09%
Net Margin (TTM)	34.47%	15.21%
Operating Margin (TTM)	62.55%	20.19%
Gross Margin (TTM)	63.02%	29.54%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both AerCap (AER) at 6.50% and Caterpillar (CAT) at 4.29% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

AerCap (AER) vs. Caterpillar (CAT): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

AerCap (AER) at 97.41% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Caterpillar (CAT) at -14.69% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for AER.

AerCap (AER) vs. Caterpillar (CAT): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for AerCap (AER) and Caterpillar (CAT)
Metric	AER	CAT
Revenue Growth (YoY)	6.50%	4.29%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	6.69%	4.38%
EPS Growth (YoY)	97.41%	-14.69%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	--	14.17%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

AerCap (AER) at 1.45 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Caterpillar (CAT) at 1.42 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for CAT.

AER

Capital Goods industry group

1.45

Max: 5.22
Q3: 2.95
Median: 2.08
AER: 1.45
Q1: 1.43
Min: 0.36

CAT

Capital Goods industry group

1.42

Max: 5.22
Q3: 2.95
Median: 2.08
Q1: 1.43
CAT: 1.42
Min: 0.36

AerCap (AER) vs. Caterpillar (CAT): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both AerCap (AER) at 2.33 and Caterpillar (CAT) at 2.10 lean more heavily on debt funding than most peers, landing in the higher-leverage quartile of their industries.

AER

Capital Goods industry group

2.33

AER: 2.33
Max: 2.33
Q3: 1.12
Median: 0.60
Q1: 0.29
Min: 0.00

CAT

Capital Goods industry group

2.10

Max: 2.33
CAT: 2.10
Q3: 1.12
Median: 0.60
Q1: 0.29
Min: 0.00

AerCap (AER) vs. Caterpillar (CAT): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for AerCap (AER) and Caterpillar (CAT)
Metric	AER	CAT
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.45	1.42
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	2.33	2.10
Net Debt / EBITDA	7.77	2.25

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both AerCap (AER) at 0.96% and Caterpillar (CAT) at 1.13% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

AER

Capital Goods industry group

0.96%

Max: 2.66%
Q3: 1.14%
AER: 0.96%
Median: 0.24%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

CAT

Capital Goods industry group

1.13%

Max: 2.66%
Q3: 1.14%
CAT: 1.13%
Median: 0.24%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

AerCap (AER) vs. Caterpillar (CAT): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both AerCap (AER) at 7.52% and Caterpillar (CAT) at 24.18% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

AER

Capital Goods industry group

7.52%

Max: 67.39%
Q3: 28.02%
AER: 7.52%
Median: 6.86%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

CAT

Capital Goods industry group

24.18%

Max: 67.39%
Q3: 28.02%
CAT: 24.18%
Median: 6.86%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

AerCap (AER) vs. Caterpillar (CAT): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for AerCap (AER) and Caterpillar (CAT)
Metric	AER	CAT
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.96%	1.13%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	7.52%	24.18%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

AerCap (AER) at 8.67 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Caterpillar (CAT) at 21.92 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for AER, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

AER

Capital Goods industry group

8.67

Max: 59.38
Q3: 35.92
Median: 25.41
Q1: 19.47
AER: 8.67
Min: 3.03

CAT

Capital Goods industry group

21.92

Max: 59.38
Q3: 35.92
Median: 25.41
CAT: 21.92
Q1: 19.47
Min: 3.03

AerCap (AER) vs. Caterpillar (CAT): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both AerCap (AER) at 2.84 and Caterpillar (CAT) at 3.29 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

AER

Capital Goods industry group

2.84

Max: 7.54
Q3: 3.76
AER: 2.84
Median: 2.15
Q1: 1.03
Min: 0.03

CAT

Capital Goods industry group

3.29

Max: 7.54
Q3: 3.76
CAT: 3.29
Median: 2.15
Q1: 1.03
Min: 0.03

AerCap (AER) vs. Caterpillar (CAT): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

AerCap (AER) at 1.36 sits in the lower P/B ratio quartile relative to book while Caterpillar (CAT) at 11.90 prices above its industry range — a wide valuation gap against assets.

AER

Capital Goods industry group

1.36

Max: 9.66
Q3: 5.00
Median: 3.12
Q1: 1.81
AER: 1.36
Min: -1.08

CAT

Capital Goods industry group

11.90

CAT: 11.90
Max: 9.66
Q3: 5.00
Median: 3.12
Q1: 1.81
Min: -1.08

AerCap (AER) vs. Caterpillar (CAT): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for AerCap (AER) and Caterpillar (CAT)
Metric	AER	CAT
P/E Ratio (TTM)	8.67	21.92
P/S Ratio (TTM)	2.84	3.29
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	1.36	11.90
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	-6.60%	1.55%