AME vs. CAT: AMETEK vs. Caterpillar Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do AMETEK (AME) 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

AMETEK (AME) and Caterpillar (CAT) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but AME is classified in Electrical Equipment while CAT is classified in Machinery.

Company profile comparison for AMETEK (AME) and Caterpillar (CAT)
Profile Item	AME	CAT
Name	AMETEK, Inc.	Caterpillar Inc.
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Industrials	Industrials
GICS Industry Group	Capital Goods	Capital Goods
GICS Industry	Electrical Equipment	Machinery
GICS Sub-Industry	Electrical Components & Equipment	Construction Machinery & Heavy Transportation Equipment
Market Capitalization	52.44 billion USD	255.63 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	July 19, 1984	January 2, 1962
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

AME

CAT

GSPC

AMETEK (AME) 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 AMETEK (AME) and Caterpillar (CAT). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for AMETEK (AME) and Caterpillar (CAT)
Metric	AME	CAT
Total Return (1Y)	22.79%	6.75%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	18.31%	38.34%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	12.17%	25.28%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

AME

CAT

GSPC

AMETEK (AME) 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 AMETEK (AME) and Caterpillar (CAT). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for AMETEK (AME) and Caterpillar (CAT)
Metric	AME	CAT
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	24.96%	41.33%
Beta (5Y)	0.96	1.65
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-27.06%	-47.79%
Avg. Volume (3M)	1.45M	2.82M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

AME 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 AMETEK (AME) and Caterpillar (CAT)
Metric	AME	CAT
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	0.74	0.06
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	1.06	0.08

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Caterpillar (CAT) at 56.14% clears its industry range for ROE, a sharper capital-efficiency signal than AMETEK (AME) at 14.68%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.

AME

Capital Goods industry group

14.68%

Max: 40.55%
Q3: 19.29%
AME: 14.68%
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%

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

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both AMETEK (AME) at 19.91% and Caterpillar (CAT) at 15.21% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

AME

Capital Goods industry group

19.91%

Max: 27.47%
AME: 19.91%
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%

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

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both AMETEK (AME) at 26.38% and Caterpillar (CAT) at 20.19% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

AME

Capital Goods industry group

26.38%

Max: 36.60%
AME: 26.38%
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%

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

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for AMETEK (AME) and Caterpillar (CAT)
Metric	AME	CAT
ROE (TTM)	14.68%	56.14%
ROA (TTM)	7.06%	9.09%
Net Margin (TTM)	19.91%	15.21%
Operating Margin (TTM)	26.38%	20.19%
Gross Margin (TTM)	36.97%	29.54%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both AMETEK (AME) at 6.63% 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.

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

EPS Growth

Both AMETEK (AME) at 7.93% and Caterpillar (CAT) at -14.69% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for AMETEK (AME) and Caterpillar (CAT)
Metric	AME	CAT
Revenue Growth (YoY)	6.63%	4.29%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	6.36%	4.38%
EPS Growth (YoY)	7.93%	-14.69%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	8.50%	14.17%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

AMETEK (AME) at 1.43 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.

AME

Capital Goods industry group

1.43

Max: 5.22
Q3: 2.95
Median: 2.08
AME: 1.43
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

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

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

AMETEK (AME) at 0.60 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Caterpillar (CAT) at 2.10 uses more debt funding than most peers.

AME

Capital Goods industry group

0.60

Max: 2.33
Q3: 1.12
AME: 0.60
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

AMETEK (AME) 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 AMETEK (AME) and Caterpillar (CAT)
Metric	AME	CAT
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.43	1.42
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.60	2.10
Net Debt / EBITDA	2.41	2.25

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both AMETEK (AME) at 0.60% and Caterpillar (CAT) at 1.13% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

AME

Capital Goods industry group

0.60%

Max: 2.66%
Q3: 1.14%
AME: 0.60%
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%

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

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both AMETEK (AME) at 18.76% 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.

AME

Capital Goods industry group

18.76%

Max: 67.39%
Q3: 28.02%
AME: 18.76%
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%

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

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for AMETEK (AME) and Caterpillar (CAT)
Metric	AME	CAT
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.60%	1.13%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	18.76%	24.18%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both AMETEK (AME) at 32.25 and Caterpillar (CAT) at 21.92 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

AME

Capital Goods industry group

32.25

Max: 59.38
Q3: 35.92
AME: 32.25
Median: 25.41
Q1: 19.47
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

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

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Caterpillar (CAT) at 3.29 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while AMETEK (AME) at 6.40 sits in the pricier quartile — AME costs more per dollar of sales.

AME

Capital Goods industry group

6.40

Max: 7.54
AME: 6.40
Q3: 3.76
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

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

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

AMETEK (AME) at 4.48 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while Caterpillar (CAT) at 11.90 prices above its benchmark range — CAT looks rich relative to book.

AME

Capital Goods industry group

4.48

Max: 9.66
Q3: 5.00
AME: 4.48
Median: 3.12
Q1: 1.81
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

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

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for AMETEK (AME) and Caterpillar (CAT)
Metric	AME	CAT
P/E Ratio (TTM)	32.25	21.92
P/S Ratio (TTM)	6.40	3.29
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	4.48	11.90
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	2.89%	1.55%