CAT vs. NVT: Caterpillar vs. nVent Electric Stock Comparison
How do Caterpillar (CAT) and nVent Electric (NVT) 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 nVent Electric (NVT) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but CAT is classified in Machinery while NVT is classified in Electrical Equipment.
| Profile Item | CAT | NVT |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Caterpillar Inc. | nVent Electric plc |
| Country/Region | United States | United Kingdom |
| GICS Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| GICS Industry Group | Capital Goods | Capital Goods |
| GICS Industry | Machinery | Electrical Equipment |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Construction Machinery & Heavy Transportation Equipment | Electrical Components & Equipment |
| Market Capitalization | 255.63 billion USD | 17.16 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | January 2, 1962 | April 24, 2018 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | CAT | NVT |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 6.75% | 2.86% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 38.34% | 32.72% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | 25.28% | 26.96% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | CAT | NVT |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 41.33% | 53.94% |
| Beta (5Y) | 1.65 | 1.41 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -47.79% | -46.67% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 2.82M | 2.54M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | CAT | NVT |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | 0.06 | -0.03 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | 0.08 | -0.03 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Caterpillar (CAT) at 56.14% clears its industry range for ROE, a sharper capital-efficiency signal than nVent Electric (NVT) at 17.42%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.
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%
NVT
Capital Goods industry group
17.42%
- Max
- 40.55%
- Q3
- 19.29%
- NVT
- 17.42%
- Median
- 12.12%
- Q1
- 4.08%
- Min
- -17.12%
Net Margin (TTM)
For every dollar of sales, both Caterpillar (CAT) at 15.21% and nVent Electric (NVT) at 12.83% 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%
NVT
Capital Goods industry group
12.83%
- Max
- 27.47%
- NVT
- 12.83%
- Q3
- 12.10%
- Median
- 6.30%
- Q1
- 1.40%
- Min
- -12.89%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Both Caterpillar (CAT) at 20.19% and nVent Electric (NVT) at 18.75% 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%
NVT
Capital Goods industry group
18.75%
- Max
- 36.60%
- NVT
- 18.75%
- Q3
- 18.33%
- Median
- 11.12%
- Q1
- 5.14%
- Min
- -12.63%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | CAT | NVT |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 56.14% | 17.42% |
| ROA (TTM) | 9.09% | 7.88% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 15.21% | 12.83% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 20.19% | 18.75% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | 29.54% | 36.17% |
Growth
Revenue Growth
nVent Electric (NVT) at 29.51% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Caterpillar (CAT) at 4.29% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for NVT.
EPS Growth
nVent Electric (NVT) at 118.78% clears its industry range for EPS growth, a much stronger earnings trajectory than Caterpillar (CAT) at -14.69%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | CAT | NVT |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 4.29% | 29.51% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 4.38% | 19.26% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | -14.69% | 118.78% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | 14.17% | 21.89% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
nVent Electric (NVT) at 2.40 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
NVT
Capital Goods industry group
2.40
- Max
- 5.22
- Q3
- 2.95
- NVT
- 2.40
- Median
- 2.08
- Q1
- 1.43
- Min
- 0.36
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
nVent Electric (NVT) at 0.57 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
NVT
Capital Goods industry group
0.57
- Max
- 2.33
- Q3
- 1.12
- Median
- 0.60
- NVT
- 0.57
- Q1
- 0.29
- Min
- 0.00
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | CAT | NVT |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.42 | 2.40 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | 2.10 | 0.57 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 2.25 | 1.05 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Both Caterpillar (CAT) at 1.13% and nVent Electric (NVT) at 0.84% 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%
NVT
Capital Goods industry group
0.84%
- Max
- 2.66%
- Q3
- 1.14%
- NVT
- 0.84%
- Median
- 0.24%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Both Caterpillar (CAT) at 24.18% and nVent Electric (NVT) at 20.15% 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%
NVT
Capital Goods industry group
20.15%
- Max
- 67.39%
- Q3
- 28.02%
- NVT
- 20.15%
- Median
- 6.86%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | CAT | NVT |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 1.13% | 0.84% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 24.18% | 20.15% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Both Caterpillar (CAT) at 21.92 and nVent Electric (NVT) at 25.78 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
NVT
Capital Goods industry group
25.78
- Max
- 59.38
- Q3
- 35.92
- NVT
- 25.78
- Median
- 25.41
- Q1
- 19.47
- Min
- 3.03
P/S Ratio (TTM)
On P/S ratio, both Caterpillar (CAT) at 3.29 and nVent Electric (NVT) at 3.24 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
NVT
Capital Goods industry group
3.24
- Max
- 7.54
- Q3
- 3.76
- NVT
- 3.24
- Median
- 2.15
- Q1
- 1.03
- Min
- 0.03
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
nVent Electric (NVT) at 4.17 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while Caterpillar (CAT) at 11.90 prices above its benchmark range — CAT looks rich relative to book.
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
NVT
Capital Goods industry group
4.17
- Max
- 9.66
- Q3
- 5.00
- NVT
- 4.17
- Median
- 3.12
- Q1
- 1.81
- Min
- -1.08
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | CAT | NVT |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 21.92 | 25.78 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 3.29 | 3.24 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 11.90 | 4.17 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | 1.55% | 2.93% |