CAT vs. FERG: Caterpillar vs. Ferguson Enterprises Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Caterpillar (CAT) and Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) 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 Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but CAT is classified in Machinery while FERG is classified in Trading Companies & Distributors.

Company profile comparison for Caterpillar (CAT) and Ferguson Enterprises (FERG)
Profile Item	CAT	FERG
Name	Caterpillar Inc.	Ferguson Enterprises Inc.
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Industrials	Industrials
GICS Industry Group	Capital Goods	Capital Goods
GICS Industry	Machinery	Trading Companies & Distributors
GICS Sub-Industry	Construction Machinery & Heavy Transportation Equipment	Trading Companies & Distributors
Market Capitalization	255.63 billion USD	45.21 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	January 2, 1962	January 5, 2010
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CAT

FERG

GSPC

Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Ferguson Enterprises (FERG), 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

Loading price history…

Trailing total returns for Caterpillar (CAT) and Ferguson Enterprises (FERG). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Caterpillar (CAT) and Ferguson Enterprises (FERG)
Metric	CAT	FERG
Total Return (1Y)	6.75%	6.92%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	38.34%	20.73%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	25.28%	13.21%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CAT

FERG

GSPC

Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Ferguson Enterprises (FERG), 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

Loading price history…

Distribution of monthly total returns for Caterpillar (CAT) and Ferguson Enterprises (FERG). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Caterpillar (CAT) and Ferguson Enterprises (FERG)
Metric	CAT	FERG
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	41.33%	32.85%
Beta (5Y)	1.65	1.08
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-47.79%	-43.31%
Avg. Volume (3M)	2.82M	1.46M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

CAT and FERG 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 Ferguson Enterprises (FERG)
Metric	CAT	FERG
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	0.06	0.08
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	0.08	0.12

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Capital efficiency shows on one side only: Caterpillar (CAT) earns 56.14% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) has no ROE this period.

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%

FERG

Capital Goods industry group

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

Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Ferguson Enterprises (FERG): FERG does not report ROE, so it has no value marker; CAT is benchmarked against the Capital Goods industry group.

Net Margin (TTM)

Caterpillar (CAT) at 15.21% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) at 6.32%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

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%

FERG

Capital Goods industry group

6.32%

Max: 27.47%
Q3: 12.10%
FERG: 6.32%
Median: 6.30%
Q1: 1.40%
Min: -12.89%

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

Operating Margin (TTM)

Caterpillar (CAT) at 20.19% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) at 10.16%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

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%

FERG

Capital Goods industry group

10.16%

Max: 36.60%
Q3: 18.33%
Median: 11.12%
FERG: 10.16%
Q1: 5.14%
Min: -12.63%

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

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Caterpillar (CAT) and Ferguson Enterprises (FERG)
Metric	CAT	FERG
ROE (TTM)	56.14%	--
ROA (TTM)	9.09%	--
Net Margin (TTM)	15.21%	6.32%
Operating Margin (TTM)	20.19%	10.16%
Gross Margin (TTM)	29.54%	30.63%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Only one side can be read here: Caterpillar (CAT) reports revenue growth of 4.29%, ranked against its industry; Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) has no revenue growth figure this period.

Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Ferguson Enterprises (FERG): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Caterpillar (CAT) at -14.69% and Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) at 19.11% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Ferguson Enterprises (FERG): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Caterpillar (CAT) and Ferguson Enterprises (FERG)
Metric	CAT	FERG
Revenue Growth (YoY)	4.29%	--
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	4.38%	--
EPS Growth (YoY)	-14.69%	19.11%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	14.17%	--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) at 1.73 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.

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

FERG

Capital Goods industry group

1.73

Max: 5.22
Q3: 2.95
Median: 2.08
FERG: 1.73
Q1: 1.43
Min: 0.36

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

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) at 1.11 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

FERG

Capital Goods industry group

1.11

Max: 2.33
Q3: 1.12
FERG: 1.11
Median: 0.60
Q1: 0.29
Min: 0.00

Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Ferguson Enterprises (FERG): 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 Ferguson Enterprises (FERG)
Metric	CAT	FERG
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.42	1.73
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	2.10	1.11
Net Debt / EBITDA	2.25	2.10

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) at 1.80% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Caterpillar (CAT) at 1.13% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, FERG the richer one.

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%

FERG

Capital Goods industry group

1.80%

Max: 2.66%
FERG: 1.80%
Q3: 1.14%
Median: 0.24%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

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

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Caterpillar (CAT) at 24.18% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) at 33.57% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

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%

FERG

Capital Goods industry group

33.57%

Max: 67.39%
FERG: 33.57%
Q3: 28.02%
Median: 6.86%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

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

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Caterpillar (CAT) and Ferguson Enterprises (FERG)
Metric	CAT	FERG
Dividend Yield (TTM)	1.13%	1.80%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	24.18%	33.57%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Caterpillar (CAT) at 21.92 and Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) at 23.00 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

FERG

Capital Goods industry group

23.00

Max: 59.38
Q3: 35.92
Median: 25.41
FERG: 23.00
Q1: 19.47
Min: 3.03

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

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Caterpillar (CAT) at 3.29 and Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) at 1.44 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

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

FERG

Capital Goods industry group

1.44

Max: 7.54
Q3: 3.76
Median: 2.15
FERG: 1.44
Q1: 1.03
Min: 0.03

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

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both look rich against book: Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) at 7.29 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

FERG

Capital Goods industry group

7.29

Max: 9.66
FERG: 7.29
Q3: 5.00
Median: 3.12
Q1: 1.81
Min: -1.08

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

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Caterpillar (CAT) and Ferguson Enterprises (FERG)
Metric	CAT	FERG
P/E Ratio (TTM)	21.92	23.00
P/S Ratio (TTM)	3.29	1.44
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	11.90	7.29
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	1.55%	--