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CAT vs. RTX: Caterpillar vs. RTX Stock Comparison

How do Caterpillar (CAT) and RTX (RTX) 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 RTX (RTX) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but CAT is classified in Machinery while RTX is classified in Aerospace & Defense.

Company profile comparison for Caterpillar (CAT) and RTX (RTX)
Profile ItemCATRTX
NameCaterpillar Inc.RTX Corporation
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryMachineryAerospace & Defense
GICS Sub-IndustryConstruction Machinery & Heavy Transportation EquipmentAerospace & Defense
Market Capitalization393.74 billion USD300.51 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJanuary 2, 1962April 2, 1962
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CAT
RTX
GSPC
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Caterpillar (CAT) vs. RTX (RTX), 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 RTX (RTX). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Caterpillar (CAT) and RTX (RTX)
MetricCATRTX
Total Return (1Y)107.01%46.55%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)46.43%40.23%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)33.69%23.41%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

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

Risk Metrics

Caterpillar (CAT) has an aggressive beta of 1.61, indicating higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, while RTX (RTX) is defensive at 0.30 and tends to be less market-sensitive — they sit on opposite ends of the beta spectrum.

Risk profile metrics for Caterpillar (CAT) and RTX (RTX)
MetricCATRTX
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)39.41%25.82%
Beta (5Y)1.610.30
Max Drawdown (5Y)-34.05%-32.84%
Avg. Volume (3M)3.23M5.22M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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CAT and RTX 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 RTX (RTX)
MetricCATRTX
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)2.611.65
Sortino Ratio (1Y)4.262.68

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Caterpillar (CAT) at 56.97% clears its industry range for ROE, a sharper capital-efficiency signal than RTX (RTX) at 12.27%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.

CAT

Capital Goods industry group

56.97%

CAT
56.97%
Max
40.35%
Q3
18.67%
Median
11.40%
Q1
2.69%
Min
-19.86%

RTX

Capital Goods industry group

12.27%

Max
40.35%
Q3
18.67%
RTX
12.27%
Median
11.40%
Q1
2.69%
Min
-19.86%
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Caterpillar (CAT) vs. RTX (RTX): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Caterpillar (CAT) at 14.51% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of RTX (RTX) at 8.28%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

CAT

Capital Goods industry group

14.51%

Max
24.39%
CAT
14.51%
Q3
11.86%
Median
5.82%
Q1
0.61%
Min
-14.15%

RTX

Capital Goods industry group

8.28%

Max
24.39%
Q3
11.86%
RTX
8.28%
Median
5.82%
Q1
0.61%
Min
-14.15%
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Caterpillar (CAT) vs. RTX (RTX): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Caterpillar (CAT) at 22.18% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of RTX (RTX) at 12.70%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

CAT

Capital Goods industry group

22.18%

Max
35.46%
CAT
22.18%
Q3
17.57%
Median
10.45%
Q1
4.38%
Min
-12.63%

RTX

Capital Goods industry group

12.70%

Max
35.46%
Q3
17.57%
RTX
12.70%
Median
10.45%
Q1
4.38%
Min
-12.63%
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Caterpillar (CAT) vs. RTX (RTX): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Caterpillar (CAT) and RTX (RTX)
MetricCATRTX
ROE (TTM)56.97%12.27%
ROA (TTM)9.03%4.21%
Net Margin (TTM)14.51%8.28%
Operating Margin (TTM)22.18%12.70%
Gross Margin (TTM)29.71%20.35%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Caterpillar (CAT) at 4.29% and RTX (RTX) at 9.74% 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. RTX (RTX): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

RTX (RTX) at 39.72% 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 RTX.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Caterpillar (CAT) and RTX (RTX)
MetricCATRTX
Revenue Growth (YoY)4.29%9.74%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)4.38%9.72%
EPS Growth (YoY)-14.69%39.72%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)14.17%12.32%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Caterpillar (CAT) at 1.37 and RTX (RTX) at 1.01 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

1.37

Max
5.34
Q3
3.03
Median
2.12
Q1
1.45
CAT
1.37
Min
0.76

RTX

Capital Goods industry group

1.01

Max
5.34
Q3
3.03
Median
2.12
Q1
1.45
RTX
1.01
Min
0.76
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Caterpillar (CAT) vs. RTX (RTX): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

RTX (RTX) at 0.57 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Caterpillar (CAT) at 2.33 uses more debt funding than most peers.

CAT

Capital Goods industry group

2.33

CAT
2.33
Max
2.33
Q3
1.09
Median
0.57
Q1
0.26
Min
0.00

RTX

Capital Goods industry group

0.57

Max
2.33
Q3
1.09
Median
0.57
RTX
0.57
Q1
0.26
Min
0.00
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Caterpillar (CAT) vs. RTX (RTX): 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 RTX (RTX)
MetricCATRTX
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.371.01
Debt / Equity (MRQ)2.330.57
Net Debt / EBITDA2.411.92

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

RTX (RTX) at 1.26% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Caterpillar (CAT) at 0.72% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, RTX the richer one.

CAT

Capital Goods industry group

0.72%

Max
2.56%
Q3
1.03%
CAT
0.72%
Median
0.14%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

RTX

Capital Goods industry group

1.26%

Max
2.56%
RTX
1.26%
Q3
1.03%
Median
0.14%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Caterpillar (CAT) vs. RTX (RTX): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Caterpillar (CAT) at 26.01% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while RTX (RTX) at 48.77% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

CAT

Capital Goods industry group

26.01%

Max
72.00%
Q3
28.87%
CAT
26.01%
Median
5.09%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

RTX

Capital Goods industry group

48.77%

Max
72.00%
RTX
48.77%
Q3
28.87%
Median
5.09%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Caterpillar (CAT) vs. RTX (RTX): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Caterpillar (CAT) and RTX (RTX)
MetricCATRTX
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.72%1.26%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)26.01%48.77%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Caterpillar (CAT) at 36.91 and RTX (RTX) at 39.19 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

36.91

Max
79.68
Q3
45.61
CAT
36.91
Median
32.83
Q1
22.34
Min
1.26

RTX

Capital Goods industry group

39.19

Max
79.68
Q3
45.61
RTX
39.19
Median
32.83
Q1
22.34
Min
1.26
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Caterpillar (CAT) vs. RTX (RTX): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

RTX (RTX) at 3.21 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Caterpillar (CAT) at 5.27 sits in the pricier quartile — CAT costs more per dollar of sales.

CAT

Capital Goods industry group

5.27

Max
10.10
CAT
5.27
Q3
4.90
Median
2.71
Q1
1.27
Min
0.05

RTX

Capital Goods industry group

3.21

Max
10.10
Q3
4.90
RTX
3.21
Median
2.71
Q1
1.27
Min
0.05
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Caterpillar (CAT) vs. RTX (RTX): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

RTX (RTX) at 4.53 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while Caterpillar (CAT) at 20.30 prices above its benchmark range — CAT looks rich relative to book.

CAT

Capital Goods industry group

20.30

CAT
20.30
Max
13.00
Q3
6.66
Median
3.89
Q1
2.10
Min
-3.85

RTX

Capital Goods industry group

4.53

Max
13.00
Q3
6.66
RTX
4.53
Median
3.89
Q1
2.10
Min
-3.85
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Caterpillar (CAT) vs. RTX (RTX): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Caterpillar (CAT) and RTX (RTX)
MetricCATRTX
P/E Ratio (TTM)36.9139.19
P/S Ratio (TTM)5.273.21
P/B Ratio (MRQ)20.304.53
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)1.28%3.29%