CAT vs. ZTO: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at CAT and ZTO, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
CAT is a standard domestic listing, while ZTO trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors access to its foreign-listed shares.
| Symbol | CAT | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Caterpillar Inc. | ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. |
| Country | United States | China |
| GICS Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| GICS Industry | Machinery | Air Freight & Logistics |
| Market Capitalization | 232.08 billion USD | 15.17 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | January 2, 1962 | October 27, 2016 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | ADR |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of CAT and ZTO 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.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | CAT | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 3.82% | -1.53% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 26.53% | 6.32% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 49.86% | -5.67% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 26.67% | 2.50% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 3.82% | 0.34% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 36.56% | -2.18% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 2.84M | 1.58M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 2.79M | 2.53M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 22.34% | 37.44% |
| Beta | 1.55 | 0.76 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
CAT
49.92%
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 33.68%
- Q3
- 20.05%
- Median
- 12.37%
- Q1
- 8.67%
- Min
- -7.69%
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.
ZTO
13.99%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 35.27%
- Q3
- 18.63%
- Median
- 11.99%
- Q1
- 7.41%
- Min
- 2.11%
ZTO’s Return on Equity of 13.99% is on par with the norm for the Air Freight & Logistics industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
CAT
14.95%
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 19.72%
- Q3
- 11.07%
- Median
- 7.62%
- Q1
- 5.05%
- Min
- -1.52%
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.
ZTO
18.81%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 7.92%
- Q3
- 5.98%
- Median
- 4.11%
- Q1
- 2.45%
- Min
- 0.50%
ZTO’s Net Profit Margin of 18.81% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This demonstrates outstanding operational efficiency and a strong competitive advantage in converting revenue into profit.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
CAT
18.23%
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 26.63%
- Q3
- 15.99%
- Median
- 11.27%
- Q1
- 7.72%
- Min
- -0.51%
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.
ZTO
23.34%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 11.33%
- Q3
- 8.19%
- Median
- 5.82%
- Q1
- 3.63%
- Min
- 1.06%
ZTO’s Operating Profit Margin of 23.34% is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This demonstrates outstanding efficiency in managing its core operations, which can be a result of strong pricing power or superior cost control.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | CAT | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 49.92% | 13.99% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 10.81% | 9.33% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 14.95% | 18.81% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 18.23% | 23.34% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 36.53% | 27.48% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
CAT
1.34
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 3.13
- Q3
- 2.12
- Median
- 1.72
- Q1
- 1.34
- Min
- 0.77
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.
ZTO
1.21
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 1.73
- Q3
- 1.33
- Median
- 1.15
- Q1
- 0.95
- Min
- 0.61
ZTO’s Current Ratio of 1.21 aligns with the median group of the Air Freight & Logistics industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
CAT
2.18
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 1.56
- Q3
- 0.79
- Median
- 0.44
- Q1
- 0.27
- 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.
ZTO
0.29
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 1.57
- Q3
- 1.25
- Median
- 0.77
- Q1
- 0.32
- Min
- 0.00
Falling into the lower quartile for the Air Freight & Logistics industry, ZTO’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.29 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
CAT
12.53
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 81.58
- Q3
- 37.68
- Median
- 13.76
- 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.
ZTO
--
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 49.07
- Q3
- 23.59
- Median
- 8.92
- Q1
- 6.34
- Min
- -0.60
Interest Coverage Ratio data for ZTO is currently unavailable.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | CAT | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.34 | 1.21 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.72 | 1.02 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 2.18 | 0.29 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 12.53 | -- |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
CAT
1.16%
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 4.55%
- Q3
- 2.66%
- Median
- 1.90%
- Q1
- 1.23%
- Min
- 0.00%
CAT’s Dividend Yield of 1.16% is in the lower quartile for the Machinery industry. This suggests the company’s strategy likely favors retaining earnings for growth over providing a high dividend income.
ZTO
0.00%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 6.28%
- Q3
- 3.20%
- Median
- 1.90%
- Q1
- 0.55%
- Min
- 0.00%
ZTO 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.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
CAT
28.60%
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 198.34%
- Q3
- 101.42%
- Median
- 62.79%
- Q1
- 29.85%
- 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.
ZTO
0.00%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 160.95%
- Q3
- 92.80%
- Median
- 60.17%
- Q1
- 4.60%
- Min
- 0.00%
ZTO 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.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | CAT | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 1.16% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 28.60% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
CAT
24.61
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 47.95
- Q3
- 30.11
- Median
- 22.35
- Q1
- 16.56
- Min
- 6.48
CAT’s P/E Ratio of 24.61 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.
ZTO
12.12
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 30.08
- Q3
- 23.03
- Median
- 18.40
- Q1
- 12.84
- Min
- 5.90
In the lower quartile for the Air Freight & Logistics industry, ZTO’s P/E Ratio of 12.12 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
CAT
3.68
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 4.97
- Q3
- 2.76
- Median
- 1.65
- Q1
- 1.04
- Min
- 0.04
CAT’s P/S Ratio of 3.68 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.
ZTO
2.28
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 2.28
- Q3
- 1.40
- Median
- 0.63
- Q1
- 0.46
- Min
- 0.19
With a P/S Ratio of 2.28, ZTO trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
CAT
9.78
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 7.29
- Q3
- 4.06
- Median
- 2.67
- Q1
- 1.54
- Min
- 0.52
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.
ZTO
1.59
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 5.68
- Q3
- 3.23
- Median
- 1.97
- Q1
- 1.31
- Min
- 0.80
ZTO’s P/B Ratio of 1.59 is within the conventional range for the Air Freight & Logistics 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.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | CAT | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 24.61 | 12.12 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 3.68 | 2.28 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 9.78 | 1.59 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 30.01 | 10.10 |