CAT vs. PONY: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Updated on August 26, 2025

Here’s a clear look at CAT and PONY, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.

Company Profile

CAT is a standard domestic listing, while PONY trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors access to its foreign-listed shares.

Symbol	CAT	PONY
Company Name	Caterpillar Inc.	Pony AI Inc.
Country	United States	China
GICS Sector	Industrials	Information Technology
GICS Industry	Machinery	Software
Market Capitalization	204.10 billion USD	5.25 billion USD
Exchange	NYSE	NasdaqGS
Listing Date	January 2, 1962	November 27, 2024
Security Type	Common Stock	ADR

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of CAT and PONY by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.

CAT vs. PONY: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past one year.

Historical Performance at a Glance

Symbol	CAT	PONY
5-Day Price Return	5.58%	-7.74%
13-Week Price Return	27.20%	-14.46%
26-Week Price Return	23.07%	-19.22%
52-Week Price Return	27.03%	--
Month-to-Date Return	-0.54%	10.04%
Year-to-Date Return	20.10%	3.07%
10-Day Avg. Volume	3.44M	8.34M
3-Month Avg. Volume	2.77M	12.64M
3-Month Volatility	21.26%	114.76%
Beta	1.46	2.67

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

CAT

49.92%

Machinery Industry

Max: 34.68%
Q3: 19.06%
Median: 13.13%
Q1: 8.53%
Min: -4.87%

CAT’s Return on Equity of 49.92% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Machinery industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.

PONY

-41.07%

Software Industry

Max: 59.01%
Q3: 21.98%
Median: 7.15%
Q1: -11.12%
Min: -51.24%

PONY has a negative Return on Equity of -41.07%. This indicates the company is generating a loss for its shareholders, which can be a result of unprofitability or negative shareholder equity and is often a sign of financial distress.

CAT vs. PONY: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective Machinery and Software industry benchmarks.

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

CAT

14.95%

Machinery Industry

Max: 19.74%
Q3: 11.24%
Median: 8.13%
Q1: 5.38%
Min: -1.11%

A Net Profit Margin of 14.95% places CAT in the upper quartile for the Machinery industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.

PONY

-521.79%

Software Industry

Max: 48.14%
Q3: 18.23%
Median: 5.60%
Q1: -9.22%
Min: -49.36%

PONY has a negative Net Profit Margin of -521.79%, indicating the company is operating at a net loss as its expenses exceeded its revenues.

CAT vs. PONY: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Machinery and Software industry benchmarks.

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

CAT

18.23%

Machinery Industry

Max: 26.63%
Q3: 16.15%
Median: 11.27%
Q1: 7.72%
Min: -4.91%

An Operating Profit Margin of 18.23% places CAT in the upper quartile for the Machinery industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.

PONY

-567.77%

Software Industry

Max: 57.34%
Q3: 20.60%
Median: 7.84%
Q1: -8.72%
Min: -51.37%

PONY has a negative Operating Profit Margin of -567.77%. This signifies the company is unprofitable at the operational level, as its core business expenses exceed its revenue.

CAT vs. PONY: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Machinery and Software industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

Symbol	CAT	PONY
Return on Equity (TTM)	49.92%	-41.07%
Return on Assets (TTM)	10.81%	-36.85%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	14.95%	-521.79%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	18.23%	-567.77%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	36.53%	24.22%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

CAT

1.34

Machinery Industry

Max: 3.83
Q3: 2.32
Median: 1.72
Q1: 1.28
Min: 0.78

CAT’s Current Ratio of 1.34 aligns with the median group of the Machinery industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.

PONY

6.19

Software Industry

Max: 3.83
Q3: 2.31
Median: 1.45
Q1: 1.03
Min: 0.24

PONY’s Current Ratio of 6.19 is exceptionally high, placing it well outside the typical range for the Software industry. This indicates a very strong liquidity position, though such a high ratio may also suggest that the company is not using its assets efficiently to generate profits.

CAT vs. PONY: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Machinery and Software industry benchmarks.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

CAT

2.18

Machinery Industry

Max: 1.49
Q3: 0.75
Median: 0.44
Q1: 0.26
Min: 0.00

With a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 2.18, CAT operates with exceptionally high leverage compared to the Machinery industry norm. This suggests an aggressive reliance on debt financing, which can magnify returns but also significantly elevates financial risk.

PONY

0.00

Software Industry

Max: 2.14
Q3: 0.90
Median: 0.29
Q1: 0.00
Min: 0.00

PONY’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.00 is typical for the Software industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.

CAT vs. PONY: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Machinery and Software industry benchmarks.

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

CAT

12.53

Machinery Industry

Max: 67.55
Q3: 33.79
Median: 13.87
Q1: 7.97
Min: -1.43

CAT’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 12.53 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Machinery industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.

PONY

Software Industry

Max: 67.02
Q3: 19.86
Median: 0.70
Q1: -12.50
Min: -53.00

Interest Coverage Ratio data for PONY is currently unavailable.

CAT vs. PONY: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against their respective Machinery and Software industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

Symbol	CAT	PONY
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.34	6.19
Quick Ratio (MRQ)	0.72	5.67
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)	2.18	0.00
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)	12.53	--

Growth

Revenue Growth

CAT vs. PONY: A side-by-side comparison of their Revenue Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

EPS Growth

CAT vs. PONY: A side-by-side comparison of their EPS Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

Dividend

Dividend Yield (TTM)

CAT

1.37%

Machinery Industry

Max: 5.32%
Q3: 2.84%
Median: 1.87%
Q1: 1.09%
Min: 0.00%

CAT’s Dividend Yield of 1.37% is consistent with its peers in the Machinery industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.

PONY

0.00%

Software Industry

Max: 0.08%
Q3: 0.03%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

PONY currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.

CAT vs. PONY: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Machinery and Software industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

CAT

28.60%

Machinery Industry

Max: 202.17%
Q3: 98.65%
Median: 55.54%
Q1: 29.03%
Min: 0.00%

CAT’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 28.60% is in the lower quartile for the Machinery industry. This suggests a conservative dividend policy, with a strategic focus on reinvesting profits for future growth.

PONY

0.00%

Software Industry

Max: 1.32%
Q3: 0.53%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

PONY has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.

CAT vs. PONY: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective Machinery and Software industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

Symbol	CAT	PONY
Dividend Yield (TTM)	1.37%	0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	28.60%	0.00%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

CAT

20.88

Machinery Industry

Max: 53.66
Q3: 31.29
Median: 22.00
Q1: 16.18
Min: 7.00

CAT’s P/E Ratio of 20.88 is within the middle range for the Machinery industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.

PONY

Software Industry

Max: 149.35
Q3: 100.21
Median: 47.97
Q1: 26.77
Min: 11.68

P/E Ratio data for PONY is currently unavailable.

CAT vs. PONY: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against their respective Machinery and Software industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

CAT

3.12

Machinery Industry

Max: 5.04
Q3: 2.72
Median: 1.67
Q1: 1.04
Min: 0.24

CAT’s P/S Ratio of 3.12 is in the upper echelon for the Machinery industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.

PONY

76.97

Software Industry

Max: 25.24
Q3: 13.52
Median: 8.15
Q1: 4.87
Min: 0.98

With a P/S Ratio of 76.97, PONY trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Software industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.

CAT vs. PONY: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against their respective Machinery and Software industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

CAT

9.78

Machinery Industry

Max: 7.23
Q3: 3.90
Median: 2.52
Q1: 1.47
Min: 0.49

At 9.78, CAT’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Machinery industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.

PONY

5.50

Software Industry

Max: 30.95
Q3: 14.91
Median: 7.75
Q1: 3.60
Min: 0.38

PONY’s P/B Ratio of 5.50 is within the conventional range for the Software industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.

CAT vs. PONY: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Machinery and Software industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

Symbol	CAT	PONY
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)	20.88	--
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)	3.12	76.97
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)	9.78	5.50
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)	25.46	--