CAT vs. CW: Caterpillar vs. Curtiss-Wright Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Caterpillar (CAT) and Curtiss-Wright (CW) 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

Caterpillar (CAT) and Curtiss-Wright (CW) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but CAT is classified in Machinery while CW is classified in Aerospace & Defense.

Company profile comparison for Caterpillar (CAT) and Curtiss-Wright (CW)
Profile Item	CAT	CW
Name	Caterpillar Inc.	Curtiss-Wright Corporation
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Industrials	Industrials
GICS Industry Group	Capital Goods	Capital Goods
GICS Industry	Machinery	Aerospace & Defense
GICS Sub-Industry	Construction Machinery & Heavy Transportation Equipment	Aerospace & Defense
Market Capitalization	255.63 billion USD	16.81 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	January 2, 1962	March 17, 1980
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CAT

GSPC

Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Curtiss-Wright (CW), 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 Caterpillar (CAT) and Curtiss-Wright (CW). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Caterpillar (CAT) and Curtiss-Wright (CW)
Metric	CAT	CW
Total Return (1Y)	6.75%	-15.83%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	38.34%	33.49%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	25.28%	29.54%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CAT

GSPC

Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Curtiss-Wright (CW), 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 Caterpillar (CAT) and Curtiss-Wright (CW). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Caterpillar (CAT) and Curtiss-Wright (CW)
Metric	CAT	CW
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	41.33%	38.26%
Beta (5Y)	1.65	0.93
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-47.79%	-45.25%
Avg. Volume (3M)	2.82M	427.49K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

CAT and CW 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 Caterpillar (CAT) and Curtiss-Wright (CW)
Metric	CAT	CW
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	0.06	-0.53
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	0.08	-0.71

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both companies show strong equity returns, but Caterpillar (CAT) at 56.14% is the standout with ROE above its industry range; Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 21.82% also sits in the top quartile.

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%

CW

Capital Goods industry group

21.82%

Max: 40.55%
CW: 21.82%
Q3: 19.29%
Median: 12.12%
Q1: 4.08%
Min: -17.12%

Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Curtiss-Wright (CW): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both Caterpillar (CAT) at 15.21% and Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 14.86% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

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%

CW

Capital Goods industry group

14.86%

Max: 27.47%
CW: 14.86%
Q3: 12.10%
Median: 6.30%
Q1: 1.40%
Min: -12.89%

Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Curtiss-Wright (CW): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Caterpillar (CAT) at 20.19% and Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 19.87% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

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%

CW

Capital Goods industry group

19.87%

Max: 36.60%
CW: 19.87%
Q3: 18.33%
Median: 11.12%
Q1: 5.14%
Min: -12.63%

Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Curtiss-Wright (CW): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Caterpillar (CAT) and Curtiss-Wright (CW)
Metric	CAT	CW
ROE (TTM)	56.14%	21.82%
ROA (TTM)	9.09%	8.90%
Net Margin (TTM)	15.21%	14.86%
Operating Margin (TTM)	20.19%	19.87%
Gross Margin (TTM)	29.54%	38.07%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Caterpillar (CAT) at 4.29% and Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 12.08% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Curtiss-Wright (CW): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Caterpillar (CAT) at -14.69% and Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 21.99% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Curtiss-Wright (CW): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Caterpillar (CAT) and Curtiss-Wright (CW)
Metric	CAT	CW
Revenue Growth (YoY)	4.29%	12.08%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	4.38%	11.01%
EPS Growth (YoY)	-14.69%	21.99%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	14.17%	19.09%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Caterpillar (CAT) at 1.42 and Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 1.42 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

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

CW

Capital Goods industry group

1.42

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

Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Curtiss-Wright (CW): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 0.45 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Caterpillar (CAT) at 2.10 uses more debt funding than most peers.

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

CW

Capital Goods industry group

0.45

Max: 2.33
Q3: 1.12
Median: 0.60
CW: 0.45
Q1: 0.29
Min: 0.00

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

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Caterpillar (CAT) and Curtiss-Wright (CW)
Metric	CAT	CW
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.42	1.42
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	2.10	0.45
Net Debt / EBITDA	2.25	1.00

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Caterpillar (CAT) at 1.13% and Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 0.23% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

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%

CW

Capital Goods industry group

0.23%

Max: 2.66%
Q3: 1.14%
Median: 0.24%
CW: 0.23%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Curtiss-Wright (CW): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Caterpillar (CAT) at 24.18% and Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 6.67% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

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%

CW

Capital Goods industry group

6.67%

Max: 67.39%
Q3: 28.02%
Median: 6.86%
CW: 6.67%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Curtiss-Wright (CW): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Caterpillar (CAT) and Curtiss-Wright (CW)
Metric	CAT	CW
Dividend Yield (TTM)	1.13%	0.23%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	24.18%	6.67%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Caterpillar (CAT) at 21.92 and Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 30.92 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

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

CW

Capital Goods industry group

30.92

Max: 59.38
Q3: 35.92
CW: 30.92
Median: 25.41
Q1: 19.47
Min: 3.03

Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Curtiss-Wright (CW): 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 Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 4.50 sits in the pricier quartile — CW costs more per dollar of sales.

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

CW

Capital Goods industry group

4.50

Max: 7.54
CW: 4.50
Q3: 3.76
Median: 2.15
Q1: 1.03
Min: 0.03

Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Curtiss-Wright (CW): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both look rich against book: Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 6.64 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Caterpillar (CAT) at 11.90 prices even higher, above its industry range.

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

CW

Capital Goods industry group

6.64

Max: 9.66
CW: 6.64
Q3: 5.00
Median: 3.12
Q1: 1.81
Min: -1.08

Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Curtiss-Wright (CW): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Caterpillar (CAT) and Curtiss-Wright (CW)
Metric	CAT	CW
P/E Ratio (TTM)	21.92	30.92
P/S Ratio (TTM)	3.29	4.50
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	11.90	6.64
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	1.55%	2.86%