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BA vs. CAT: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Here's a clear look at BA and CAT, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.

Company Profile

SymbolBACAT
Company NameThe Boeing CompanyCaterpillar Inc.
CountryUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryAerospace & DefenseMachinery
GICS Sub-IndustryAerospace & DefenseConstruction Machinery & Heavy Transportation Equipment
Market Capitalization163.63 billion USD335.64 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJanuary 2, 1962January 2, 1962
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

CAT's market capitalization (335.64 billion USD) is significantly greater than BA's (163.63 billion USD), highlighting its more substantial market valuation.

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of BA 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.

BA vs. CAT: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years.

Historical Performance at a Glance

SymbolBACAT
5-Day Price Return9.29%3.14%
13-Week Price Return-4.70%24.22%
26-Week Price Return-5.89%53.99%
52-Week Price Return23.53%114.31%
Month-to-Date Return4.62%1.24%
Year-to-Date Return-4.10%25.20%
10-Day Avg. Volume7.43M2.61M
3-Month Avg. Volume7.76M2.75M
3-Month Volatility32.26%38.74%
Beta1.191.56

With betas of 1.19 for BA and 1.56 for CAT, both stocks show similar sensitivity to overall market movements.

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

BA

150.72%

Aerospace & Defense Industry
Max
43.22%
Q3
22.91%
Median
14.92%
Q1
8.33%
Min
-6.41%

BA's Return on Equity of 150.72% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.

CAT

45.15%

Machinery Industry
Max
34.97%
Q3
19.17%
Median
11.77%
Q1
8.02%
Min
-8.50%

CAT's Return on Equity of 45.15% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Machinery industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.

BA vs. CAT: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

BA

2.50%

Aerospace & Defense Industry
Max
15.84%
Q3
9.85%
Median
7.02%
Q1
4.53%
Min
-3.23%

Falling into the lower quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry, BA's Net Profit Margin of 2.50% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.

CAT

13.14%

Machinery Industry
Max
19.10%
Q3
10.72%
Median
7.59%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-0.82%

A Net Profit Margin of 13.14% places CAT in the upper quartile for the Machinery industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.

BA vs. CAT: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

BA

4.79%

Aerospace & Defense Industry
Max
22.71%
Q3
13.36%
Median
9.57%
Q1
6.60%
Min
-1.87%

BA's Operating Profit Margin of 4.79% 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

16.50%

Machinery Industry
Max
26.40%
Q3
15.63%
Median
11.25%
Q1
8.12%
Min
-0.02%

An Operating Profit Margin of 16.50% places CAT in the upper quartile for the Machinery industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.

BA vs. CAT: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

SymbolBACAT
Return on Equity (TTM)150.72%45.15%
Return on Assets (TTM)1.42%9.67%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)2.50%13.14%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)4.79%16.50%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)4.79%33.86%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

BA

1.19

Aerospace & Defense Industry
Max
3.10
Q3
2.22
Median
1.22
Q1
1.10
Min
0.47

BA's Current Ratio of 1.19 aligns with the median group of the Aerospace & Defense industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.

CAT

1.44

Machinery Industry
Max
3.37
Q3
2.17
Median
1.74
Q1
1.33
Min
0.71

CAT's Current Ratio of 1.44 aligns with the median group of the Machinery industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.

BA vs. CAT: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

BA

9.92

Aerospace & Defense Industry
Max
1.64
Q3
0.92
Median
0.58
Q1
0.36
Min
0.03

With a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 9.92, BA operates with exceptionally high leverage compared to the Aerospace & Defense industry norm. This suggests an aggressive reliance on debt financing, which can magnify returns but also significantly elevates financial risk.

CAT

2.03

Machinery Industry
Max
1.31
Q3
0.68
Median
0.42
Q1
0.22
Min
0.00

With a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 2.03, CAT operates with exceptionally high leverage compared to the Machinery industry norm. This suggests an aggressive reliance on debt financing, which can magnify returns but also significantly elevates financial risk.

BA vs. CAT: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

BA

1.96

Aerospace & Defense Industry
Max
43.00
Q3
22.16
Median
8.02
Q1
3.54
Min
-5.44

In the lower quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry, BA's Interest Coverage Ratio of 1.96 indicates a tighter cushion for servicing debt, suggesting less financial flexibility than many of its competitors.

CAT

7.20

Machinery Industry
Max
87.64
Q3
40.80
Median
14.82
Q1
6.33
Min
-0.40

CAT's Interest Coverage Ratio of 7.20 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Machinery industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.

BA vs. CAT: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

SymbolBACAT
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.191.44
Quick Ratio (MRQ)0.400.86
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)9.922.03
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)1.967.20

Growth

Revenue Growth

BA vs. CAT: A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

Revenue Growth at a Glance

SymbolBACAT
Revenue Growth (MRQ vs Prior YoY)57.12%18.00%
Revenue Growth (TTM vs Prior YoY)34.50%4.29%
3-Year Revenue CAGR10.33%4.38%
5-Year Revenue CAGR8.81%10.12%

EPS Growth

BA vs. CAT: A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth at a Glance

SymbolBACAT
EPS Growth (MRQ vs Prior YoY)---11.46%
EPS Growth (TTM vs Prior YoY)---14.70%
3-Year EPS CAGR--14.16%
5-Year EPS CAGR--28.05%

Dividend

Dividend Yield (TTM)

BA

0.20%

Aerospace & Defense Industry
Max
2.19%
Q3
1.36%
Median
0.56%
Q1
0.10%
Min
0.00%

BA's Dividend Yield of 0.20% is consistent with its peers in the Aerospace & Defense industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.

CAT

0.82%

Machinery Industry
Max
4.80%
Q3
2.65%
Median
1.74%
Q1
1.00%
Min
0.00%

CAT's Dividend Yield of 0.82% is in the lower quartile for the Machinery industry. This suggests the company's strategy likely favors retaining earnings for growth over providing a high dividend income.

BA vs. CAT: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

BA

1.06%

Aerospace & Defense Industry
Max
110.40%
Q3
49.81%
Median
20.44%
Q1
0.80%
Min
0.00%

BA's Dividend Payout Ratio of 1.06% is within the typical range for the Aerospace & Defense industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.

CAT

30.94%

Machinery Industry
Max
194.44%
Q3
101.67%
Median
56.16%
Q1
28.49%
Min
0.00%

CAT's Dividend Payout Ratio of 30.94% is within the typical range for the Machinery industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.

BA vs. CAT: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

SymbolBACAT
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.20%0.82%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)1.06%30.94%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

BA

73.17

Aerospace & Defense Industry
Max
85.84
Q3
54.84
Median
32.55
Q1
22.42
Min
12.10

A P/E Ratio of 73.17 places BA in the upper quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company's future growth.

CAT

37.56

Machinery Industry
Max
45.92
Q3
30.16
Median
25.11
Q1
19.18
Min
8.74

A P/E Ratio of 37.56 places CAT in the upper quartile for the Machinery industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company's future growth.

BA vs. CAT: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

BA

1.83

Aerospace & Defense Industry
Max
9.33
Q3
4.90
Median
2.78
Q1
1.84
Min
0.26

In the lower quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry, BA's P/S Ratio of 1.83 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.

CAT

4.94

Machinery Industry
Max
5.74
Q3
3.03
Median
1.94
Q1
1.15
Min
0.34

CAT's P/S Ratio of 4.94 is in the upper echelon for the 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.

BA vs. CAT: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

BA

31.17

Aerospace & Defense Industry
Max
16.65
Q3
10.07
Median
5.92
Q1
3.11
Min
0.90

At 31.17, BA'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

12.58

Machinery Industry
Max
8.62
Q3
4.43
Median
2.79
Q1
1.53
Min
0.58

At 12.58, CAT's P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the 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.

BA vs. CAT: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

SymbolBACAT
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)73.1737.56
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)1.834.94
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)31.1712.58
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)270.7444.78