BLDR vs. CAT: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at BLDR and CAT, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | BLDR | CAT |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Builders FirstSource, Inc. | Caterpillar Inc. |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| GICS Industry | Building Products | Machinery |
| Market Capitalization | 14.01 billion USD | 225.25 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | June 28, 2005 | January 2, 1962 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of BLDR 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.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | BLDR | CAT |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 1.68% | 3.69% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 3.91% | 23.00% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -6.00% | 41.71% |
| 52-Week Price Return | -37.58% | 22.93% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -12.57% | 0.77% |
| Year-to-Date Return | -15.17% | 32.54% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 2.24M | 3.27M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 2.16M | 2.77M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 49.67% | 22.16% |
| Beta | 1.63 | 1.55 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
BLDR
17.49%
Building Products Industry
- Max
- 46.90%
- Q3
- 27.60%
- Median
- 15.43%
- Q1
- 8.94%
- Min
- 0.77%
BLDR’s Return on Equity of 17.49% is on par with the norm for the Building Products industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
CAT
49.92%
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 33.68%
- Q3
- 20.05%
- Median
- 12.37%
- Q1
- 8.67%
- Min
- -7.69%
CAT’s Return on Equity of 49.92% 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.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
BLDR
4.74%
Building Products Industry
- Max
- 19.42%
- Q3
- 13.74%
- Median
- 8.72%
- Q1
- 4.81%
- Min
- 0.46%
Falling into the lower quartile for the Building Products industry, BLDR’s Net Profit Margin of 4.74% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.
CAT
14.95%
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 19.72%
- Q3
- 11.07%
- Median
- 7.62%
- Q1
- 5.05%
- Min
- -1.52%
A Net Profit Margin of 14.95% places CAT in the upper quartile for the Machinery industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
BLDR
7.70%
Building Products Industry
- Max
- 26.72%
- Q3
- 17.70%
- Median
- 12.14%
- Q1
- 9.54%
- Min
- 1.65%
BLDR’s Operating Profit Margin of 7.70% is in the lower quartile for the Building Products industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.
CAT
18.23%
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 26.63%
- Q3
- 15.99%
- Median
- 11.27%
- Q1
- 7.72%
- Min
- -0.51%
An Operating Profit Margin of 18.23% 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.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | BLDR | CAT |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 17.49% | 49.92% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 6.82% | 10.81% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 4.74% | 14.95% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 7.70% | 18.23% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 31.58% | 36.53% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
BLDR
1.79
Building Products Industry
- Max
- 3.10
- Q3
- 2.06
- Median
- 1.60
- Q1
- 1.30
- Min
- 0.88
BLDR’s Current Ratio of 1.79 aligns with the median group of the Building Products industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
CAT
1.34
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 3.13
- Q3
- 2.12
- Median
- 1.72
- Q1
- 1.34
- Min
- 0.77
CAT’s Current Ratio of 1.34 aligns with the median group of the Machinery industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
BLDR
1.12
Building Products Industry
- Max
- 1.64
- Q3
- 1.02
- Median
- 0.62
- Q1
- 0.20
- Min
- 0.00
BLDR’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Building Products industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.12. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.
CAT
2.18
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 1.56
- Q3
- 0.79
- Median
- 0.44
- Q1
- 0.27
- Min
- 0.00
With a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 2.18, 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.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
BLDR
7.68
Building Products Industry
- Max
- 72.12
- Q3
- 34.39
- Median
- 23.97
- Q1
- 7.29
- Min
- 2.97
BLDR’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 7.68 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Building Products industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
CAT
12.53
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 81.58
- Q3
- 37.68
- Median
- 13.76
- Q1
- 7.97
- Min
- -1.43
CAT’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 12.53 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Machinery industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | BLDR | CAT |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.79 | 1.34 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.08 | 0.72 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 1.12 | 2.18 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 7.68 | 12.53 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
BLDR
0.00%
Building Products Industry
- Max
- 2.51%
- Q3
- 1.92%
- Median
- 1.30%
- Q1
- 0.78%
- Min
- 0.00%
BLDR 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
1.19%
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 4.55%
- Q3
- 2.66%
- Median
- 1.90%
- Q1
- 1.23%
- Min
- 0.00%
CAT’s Dividend Yield of 1.19% 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.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
BLDR
0.00%
Building Products Industry
- Max
- 157.36%
- Q3
- 76.90%
- Median
- 30.70%
- Q1
- 17.97%
- Min
- 0.00%
BLDR 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
28.60%
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 198.34%
- Q3
- 101.42%
- Median
- 62.79%
- Q1
- 29.85%
- Min
- 0.00%
CAT’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 28.60% is in the lower quartile for the Machinery industry. This suggests a conservative dividend policy, with a strategic focus on reinvesting profits for future growth.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | BLDR | CAT |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 1.19% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 28.60% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
BLDR
18.05
Building Products Industry
- Max
- 45.60
- Q3
- 30.36
- Median
- 21.97
- Q1
- 17.37
- Min
- 12.44
BLDR’s P/E Ratio of 18.05 is within the middle range for the Building Products industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
CAT
23.96
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 47.95
- Q3
- 30.11
- Median
- 22.35
- Q1
- 16.56
- Min
- 6.48
CAT’s P/E Ratio of 23.96 is within the middle range for the 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.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
BLDR
0.86
Building Products Industry
- Max
- 5.90
- Q3
- 3.09
- Median
- 1.72
- Q1
- 1.07
- Min
- 0.37
In the lower quartile for the Building Products industry, BLDR’s P/S Ratio of 0.86 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
3.58
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 4.97
- Q3
- 2.76
- Median
- 1.65
- Q1
- 1.04
- Min
- 0.04
CAT’s P/S Ratio of 3.58 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.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
BLDR
3.09
Building Products Industry
- Max
- 10.99
- Q3
- 5.69
- Median
- 2.98
- Q1
- 1.80
- Min
- 0.66
BLDR’s P/B Ratio of 3.09 is within the conventional range for the Building Products industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
CAT
9.78
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 7.29
- Q3
- 4.06
- Median
- 2.67
- Q1
- 1.54
- Min
- 0.52
At 9.78, 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.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | BLDR | CAT |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 18.05 | 23.96 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 0.86 | 3.58 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 3.09 | 9.78 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 11.48 | 29.22 |