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CAT vs. JCI: Caterpillar vs. Johnson Controls Stock Comparison

How do Caterpillar (CAT) and Johnson Controls (JCI) 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 Johnson Controls (JCI) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but CAT is classified in Machinery while JCI is classified in Building Products.

Company profile comparison for Caterpillar (CAT) and Johnson Controls (JCI)
Profile ItemCATJCI
NameCaterpillar Inc.Johnson Controls International plc
Country/RegionUnited StatesIreland
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryMachineryBuilding Products
GICS Sub-IndustryConstruction Machinery & Heavy Transportation EquipmentBuilding Products
Market Capitalization255.63 billion USD81.79 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJanuary 2, 1962September 28, 1987
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CAT
JCI
GSPC
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Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Johnson Controls (JCI), 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 Johnson Controls (JCI). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Caterpillar (CAT) and Johnson Controls (JCI). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Caterpillar (CAT) and Johnson Controls (JCI)
MetricCATJCI
Total Return (1Y)6.75%17.11%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)38.34%43.46%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)25.28%15.29%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CAT
JCI
GSPC
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Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Johnson Controls (JCI), 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 Johnson Controls (JCI). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Caterpillar (CAT) and Johnson Controls (JCI)
MetricCATJCI
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)41.33%32.91%
Beta (5Y)1.651.29
Max Drawdown (5Y)-47.79%-42.32%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.82M3.57M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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CAT and JCI 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 Johnson Controls (JCI)
MetricCATJCI
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.060.39
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.080.54

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both companies show strong equity returns, but Caterpillar (CAT) at 56.14% is the standout with ROE above its industry range; Johnson Controls (JCI) at 21.73% 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%

JCI

Capital Goods industry group

21.73%

Max
40.55%
JCI
21.73%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%
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Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Johnson Controls (JCI): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Caterpillar (CAT) at 15.21% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Johnson Controls (JCI) at 11.12%, 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%

JCI

Capital Goods industry group

11.12%

Max
27.47%
Q3
12.10%
JCI
11.12%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
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Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Johnson Controls (JCI): 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 Johnson Controls (JCI) at 17.21%, 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%

JCI

Capital Goods industry group

17.21%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
JCI
17.21%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
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Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Johnson Controls (JCI): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Caterpillar (CAT) and Johnson Controls (JCI)
MetricCATJCI
ROE (TTM)56.14%21.73%
ROA (TTM)9.09%6.41%
Net Margin (TTM)15.21%11.12%
Operating Margin (TTM)20.19%17.21%
Gross Margin (TTM)29.54%37.07%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Caterpillar (CAT) at 4.29% and Johnson Controls (JCI) at 2.81% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Johnson Controls (JCI): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Johnson Controls (JCI) at 99.60% 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 JCI.

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Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Johnson Controls (JCI): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Caterpillar (CAT) and Johnson Controls (JCI)
MetricCATJCI
Revenue Growth (YoY)4.29%2.81%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)4.38%4.57%
EPS Growth (YoY)-14.69%99.60%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)14.17%31.94%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Caterpillar (CAT) at 1.42 and Johnson Controls (JCI) at 0.90 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

JCI

Capital Goods industry group

0.90

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
JCI
0.90
Min
0.36
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Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Johnson Controls (JCI): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Johnson Controls (JCI) at 0.68 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

JCI

Capital Goods industry group

0.68

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
JCI
0.68
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00
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Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Johnson Controls (JCI): 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 Johnson Controls (JCI)
MetricCATJCI
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.420.90
Debt / Equity (MRQ)2.100.68
Net Debt / EBITDA2.251.86

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Johnson Controls (JCI) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Caterpillar (CAT) reports a yield of 1.13%, ranking against industry peers normally.

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%

JCI

Capital Goods industry group

0.00%

Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
JCI
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Johnson Controls (JCI): 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 Johnson Controls (JCI) at 45.20% 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%

JCI

Capital Goods industry group

45.20%

Max
67.39%
JCI
45.20%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Johnson Controls (JCI): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Caterpillar (CAT) and Johnson Controls (JCI)
MetricCATJCI
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.13%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)24.18%45.20%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Caterpillar (CAT) at 21.92 and Johnson Controls (JCI) at 28.61 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

JCI

Capital Goods industry group

28.61

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
JCI
28.61
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
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Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Johnson Controls (JCI): 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 Johnson Controls (JCI) at 3.19 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

JCI

Capital Goods industry group

3.19

Max
7.54
Q3
3.76
JCI
3.19
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03
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Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Johnson Controls (JCI): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both look rich against book: Johnson Controls (JCI) at 5.99 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

JCI

Capital Goods industry group

5.99

Max
9.66
JCI
5.99
Q3
5.00
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
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Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Johnson Controls (JCI): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Caterpillar (CAT) and Johnson Controls (JCI)
MetricCATJCI
P/E Ratio (TTM)21.9228.61
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.293.19
P/B Ratio (MRQ)11.905.99
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)1.55%3.81%