AXON vs. CAT: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at AXON and CAT, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
CAT’s market capitalization of 187.12 billion USD is significantly greater than AXON’s 61.93 billion USD, highlighting its more substantial market valuation.
With betas of 1.28 for AXON and 1.37 for CAT, both stocks show similar sensitivity to overall market movements.
| Symbol | AXON | CAT |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Axon Enterprise, Inc. | Caterpillar Inc. |
| Country | US | US |
| Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| Industry | Aerospace & Defense | Agricultural - Machinery |
| CEO | Patrick W. Smith | Joseph E. Creed CPA |
| Price | 795.48 USD | 397.86 USD |
| Market Cap | 61.93 billion USD | 187.12 billion USD |
| Beta | 1.28 | 1.37 |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NYSE |
| IPO Date | June 19, 2001 | December 2, 1929 |
| ADR | No | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of AXON and CAT by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period.
Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Profitability
Return on Equity
AXON
14.86%
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 42.57%
- Q3
- 16.67%
- Median
- 8.39%
- Q1
- -0.77%
- Min
- -23.36%
AXON’s Return on Equity of 14.86% is on par with the norm for the Aerospace & Defense industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
CAT
53.66%
Agricultural - Machinery Industry
- Max
- 23.98%
- Q3
- 16.61%
- Median
- 13.29%
- Q1
- 0.18%
- Min
- -21.23%
CAT’s Return on Equity of 53.66% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Agricultural - Machinery industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
Return on Invested Capital
AXON
0.68%
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 23.42%
- Q3
- 8.86%
- Median
- 5.47%
- Q1
- -5.60%
- Min
- -22.46%
AXON’s Return on Invested Capital of 0.68% is in line with the norm for the Aerospace & Defense industry, reflecting a standard level of efficiency in generating profits from its capital base.
CAT
15.16%
Agricultural - Machinery Industry
- Max
- 16.38%
- Q3
- 9.58%
- Median
- 7.00%
- Q1
- 2.90%
- Min
- -5.40%
In the upper quartile for the Agricultural - Machinery industry, CAT’s Return on Invested Capital of 15.16% signifies a highly effective use of its capital to generate profits when compared to its peers.
Net Profit Margin
AXON
14.86%
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 22.67%
- Q3
- 8.04%
- Median
- 4.95%
- Q1
- -5.07%
- Min
- -16.58%
A Net Profit Margin of 14.86% places AXON in the upper quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
CAT
15.71%
Agricultural - Machinery Industry
- Max
- 15.71%
- Q3
- 7.25%
- Median
- 4.16%
- Q1
- 0.06%
- Min
- -5.40%
A Net Profit Margin of 15.71% places CAT in the upper quartile for the Agricultural - Machinery industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin
AXON
1.50%
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 22.01%
- Q3
- 11.49%
- Median
- 8.96%
- Q1
- 3.77%
- Min
- -4.96%
AXON’s Operating Profit Margin of 1.50% is in the lower quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.
CAT
19.59%
Agricultural - Machinery Industry
- Max
- 21.13%
- Q3
- 13.26%
- Median
- 6.04%
- Q1
- 2.32%
- Min
- -3.90%
An Operating Profit Margin of 19.59% places CAT in the upper quartile for the Agricultural - Machinery industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | AXON | CAT |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 14.86% | 53.66% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 5.44% | 11.70% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | 0.68% | 15.16% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 14.86% | 15.71% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 1.50% | 19.59% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 60.44% | 35.49% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
AXON
2.83
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 5.13
- Q3
- 3.36
- Median
- 2.16
- Q1
- 1.20
- Min
- 0.41
AXON’s Current Ratio of 2.83 aligns with the median group of the Aerospace & Defense industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
CAT
1.32
Agricultural - Machinery Industry
- Max
- 3.64
- Q3
- 2.69
- Median
- 1.85
- Q1
- 1.64
- Min
- 1.32
CAT’s Current Ratio of 1.32 falls into the lower quartile for the Agricultural - Machinery industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio
AXON
0.80
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 1.20
- Q3
- 0.73
- Median
- 0.51
- Q1
- 0.09
- Min
- 0.00
AXON’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Aerospace & Defense industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.80. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.
CAT
2.14
Agricultural - Machinery Industry
- Max
- 1.40
- Q3
- 1.03
- Median
- 0.81
- Q1
- 0.43
- Min
- 0.16
With a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 2.14, CAT operates with exceptionally high leverage compared to the Agricultural - Machinery industry norm. This suggests an aggressive reliance on debt financing, which can magnify returns but also significantly elevates financial risk.
Interest Coverage Ratio
AXON
2.53
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 12.62
- Q3
- 7.38
- Median
- 2.95
- Q1
- 1.68
- Min
- -6.68
AXON’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 2.53 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Aerospace & Defense industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
CAT
25.55
Agricultural - Machinery Industry
- Max
- 9.19
- Q3
- 8.08
- Median
- 3.73
- Q1
- 1.70
- Min
- -7.20
With an Interest Coverage Ratio of 25.55, CAT demonstrates a superior capacity to service its debt, placing it well above the typical range for the Agricultural - Machinery industry. This stems from either robust earnings or a conservative debt load.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | AXON | CAT |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 2.83 | 1.32 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 2.62 | 0.77 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 0.80 | 2.14 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.34 | 0.45 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | 4.16 | 2.27 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 2.53 | 25.55 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for AXON and CAT. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth
Free Cash Flow Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield
AXON
0.00%
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 6.00%
- Q3
- 0.66%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
AXON currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
CAT
1.42%
Agricultural - Machinery Industry
- Max
- 4.17%
- Q3
- 1.81%
- Median
- 1.43%
- Q1
- 1.01%
- Min
- 0.00%
CAT’s Dividend Yield of 1.42% is consistent with its peers in the Agricultural - Machinery industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio
AXON
0.00%
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 172.02%
- Q3
- 32.47%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
AXON has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
CAT
26.88%
Agricultural - Machinery Industry
- Max
- 78.29%
- Q3
- 54.38%
- Median
- 22.45%
- Q1
- 13.94%
- Min
- 0.00%
CAT’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 26.88% is within the typical range for the Agricultural - Machinery industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | AXON | CAT |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 1.42% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 26.88% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
AXON
184.79
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 75.34
- Q3
- 54.40
- Median
- 38.63
- Q1
- 26.10
- Min
- 16.44
At 184.79, AXON’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.
CAT
19.01
Agricultural - Machinery Industry
- Max
- 36.41
- Q3
- 24.06
- Median
- 18.38
- Q1
- 12.84
- Min
- 7.09
CAT’s P/E Ratio of 19.01 is within the middle range for the Agricultural - Machinery industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
Forward P/E to Growth Ratio
AXON
8.54
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 10.68
- Q3
- 5.36
- Median
- 2.31
- Q1
- 1.47
- Min
- 0.01
A Forward PEG Ratio of 8.54 places AXON in the upper quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This suggests the stock is potentially expensive compared to its peers relative to its growth forecast, which may warrant caution.
CAT
2.25
Agricultural - Machinery Industry
- Max
- 3.45
- Q3
- 2.14
- Median
- 1.21
- Q1
- 0.57
- Min
- 0.02
The Forward PEG Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric in the Agricultural - Machinery industry.
Price-to-Sales Ratio
AXON
27.81
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 19.34
- Q3
- 9.54
- Median
- 2.71
- Q1
- 1.59
- Min
- 0.35
With a P/S Ratio of 27.81, AXON trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Aerospace & Defense industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
CAT
2.96
Agricultural - Machinery Industry
- Max
- 3.13
- Q3
- 1.54
- Median
- 0.71
- Q1
- 0.46
- Min
- 0.17
CAT’s P/S Ratio of 2.96 is in the upper echelon for the Agricultural - Machinery industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
Price-to-Book Ratio
AXON
23.93
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 16.08
- Q3
- 8.12
- Median
- 4.12
- Q1
- 2.69
- Min
- 0.69
At 23.93, AXON’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Aerospace & Defense industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
CAT
10.46
Agricultural - Machinery Industry
- Max
- 3.00
- Q3
- 2.77
- Median
- 1.79
- Q1
- 1.38
- Min
- 0.50
At 10.46, CAT’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Agricultural - Machinery industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | AXON | CAT |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 184.79 | 19.01 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 8.54 | 2.25 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 27.81 | 2.96 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 23.93 | 10.46 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | 170.80 | 21.80 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 274.06 | 14.37 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 28.23 | 3.51 |