CAT vs. FIX: Caterpillar vs. Comfort Systems USA Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Caterpillar (CAT) and Comfort Systems USA (FIX) 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 Comfort Systems USA (FIX) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but CAT is classified in Machinery while FIX is classified in Construction & Engineering.

Company profile comparison for Caterpillar (CAT) and Comfort Systems USA (FIX)
Profile Item	CAT	FIX
Name	Caterpillar Inc.	Comfort Systems USA Inc.
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Industrials	Industrials
GICS Industry Group	Capital Goods	Capital Goods
GICS Industry	Machinery	Construction & Engineering
GICS Sub-Industry	Construction Machinery & Heavy Transportation Equipment	Construction & Engineering
Market Capitalization	255.63 billion USD	35.81 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	January 2, 1962	June 27, 1997
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CAT

FIX

GSPC

Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Comfort Systems USA (FIX), 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 Comfort Systems USA (FIX). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Caterpillar (CAT) and Comfort Systems USA (FIX). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Caterpillar (CAT) and Comfort Systems USA (FIX)
Metric	CAT	FIX
Total Return (1Y)	6.75%	15.31%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	38.34%	81.62%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	25.28%	62.48%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CAT

FIX

GSPC

Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Comfort Systems USA (FIX), 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 Comfort Systems USA (FIX). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Caterpillar (CAT) and Comfort Systems USA (FIX)
Metric	CAT	FIX
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	41.33%	60.97%
Beta (5Y)	1.65	1.68
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-47.79%	-53.28%
Avg. Volume (3M)	2.82M	471.64K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

CAT and FIX 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 Comfort Systems USA (FIX)
Metric	CAT	FIX
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	0.06	0.18
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	0.08	0.25

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Caterpillar (CAT) at 56.14% and Comfort Systems USA (FIX) at 58.61% turn shareholders’ equity into profit at rates above their industry benchmark ranges for ROE. That is a strong capital-efficiency signal, though leverage and the equity base still matter.

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%

FIX

Capital Goods industry group

58.61%

FIX: 58.61%
Max: 40.55%
Q3: 19.29%
Median: 12.12%
Q1: 4.08%
Min: -17.12%

Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Comfort Systems USA (FIX): 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 Comfort Systems USA (FIX) at 13.01% 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%

FIX

Capital Goods industry group

13.01%

Max: 27.47%
FIX: 13.01%
Q3: 12.10%
Median: 6.30%
Q1: 1.40%
Min: -12.89%

Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Comfort Systems USA (FIX): 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 Comfort Systems USA (FIX) at 16.47%, 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%

FIX

Capital Goods industry group

16.47%

Max: 36.60%
Q3: 18.33%
FIX: 16.47%
Median: 11.12%
Q1: 5.14%
Min: -12.63%

Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Comfort Systems USA (FIX): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Caterpillar (CAT) and Comfort Systems USA (FIX)
Metric	CAT	FIX
ROE (TTM)	56.14%	58.61%
ROA (TTM)	9.09%	16.88%
Net Margin (TTM)	15.21%	13.01%
Operating Margin (TTM)	20.19%	16.47%
Gross Margin (TTM)	29.54%	25.70%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Comfort Systems USA (FIX) at 29.52% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Caterpillar (CAT) at 4.29% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for FIX.

Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Comfort Systems USA (FIX): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Comfort Systems USA (FIX) at 97.81% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Caterpillar (CAT) at -14.69% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for FIX.

Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Comfort Systems USA (FIX): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Caterpillar (CAT) and Comfort Systems USA (FIX)
Metric	CAT	FIX
Revenue Growth (YoY)	4.29%	29.52%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	4.38%	30.03%
EPS Growth (YoY)	-14.69%	97.81%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	14.17%	61.78%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Caterpillar (CAT) at 1.42 and Comfort Systems USA (FIX) at 1.15 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

FIX

Capital Goods industry group

1.15

Max: 5.22
Q3: 2.95
Median: 2.08
Q1: 1.43
FIX: 1.15
Min: 0.36

Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Comfort Systems USA (FIX): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Comfort Systems USA (FIX) at 0.11 keeps leverage in the lower quartile, while Caterpillar (CAT) at 2.10 sits in the higher-leverage quartile.

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

FIX

Capital Goods industry group

0.11

Max: 2.33
Q3: 1.12
Median: 0.60
Q1: 0.29
FIX: 0.11
Min: 0.00

Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Comfort Systems USA (FIX): 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 Comfort Systems USA (FIX)
Metric	CAT	FIX
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.42	1.15
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	2.10	0.11
Net Debt / EBITDA	2.25	-0.81

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Caterpillar (CAT) at 1.13% and Comfort Systems USA (FIX) at 0.31% 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%

FIX

Capital Goods industry group

0.31%

Max: 2.66%
Q3: 1.14%
FIX: 0.31%
Median: 0.24%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Comfort Systems USA (FIX): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Caterpillar (CAT) at 24.18% and Comfort Systems USA (FIX) at 6.48% 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%

FIX

Capital Goods industry group

6.48%

Max: 67.39%
Q3: 28.02%
Median: 6.86%
FIX: 6.48%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Comfort Systems USA (FIX): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Caterpillar (CAT) and Comfort Systems USA (FIX)
Metric	CAT	FIX
Dividend Yield (TTM)	1.13%	0.31%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	24.18%	6.48%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Caterpillar (CAT) at 21.92 and Comfort Systems USA (FIX) at 21.98 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

FIX

Capital Goods industry group

21.98

Max: 59.38
Q3: 35.92
Median: 25.41
FIX: 21.98
Q1: 19.47
Min: 3.03

Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Comfort Systems USA (FIX): 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 Comfort Systems USA (FIX) at 2.85 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

FIX

Capital Goods industry group

2.85

Max: 7.54
Q3: 3.76
FIX: 2.85
Median: 2.15
Q1: 1.03
Min: 0.03

Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Comfort Systems USA (FIX): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Measured against book value, both Caterpillar (CAT) at 11.90 and Comfort Systems USA (FIX) at 10.66 look expensive — each P/B ratio sits above its industry’s benchmark 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

FIX

Capital Goods industry group

10.66

FIX: 10.66
Max: 9.66
Q3: 5.00
Median: 3.12
Q1: 1.81
Min: -1.08

Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Comfort Systems USA (FIX): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Caterpillar (CAT) and Comfort Systems USA (FIX)
Metric	CAT	FIX
P/E Ratio (TTM)	21.92	21.98
P/S Ratio (TTM)	3.29	2.85
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	11.90	10.66
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	1.55%	5.94%