Caterpillar Inc vs General Motors Company — how do they compare? Caterpillar Inc trades at $939.95 (market cap $429.89B), while General Motors Company trades at $77 (market cap $69.31B). The key difference: Caterpillar Inc is far larger — about 6.2× General Motors Company's market cap, and General Motors Company pays the higher dividend (0.94%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CAT | GM | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $429.89B | $69.31B |
Sector | Industrials | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $1.06K | $86.38 |
52-Week Low | $404.64 | $48.89 |
Enterprise Value | $468.88B | $172.65B |
Dividend Yield | 0.7% | 0.94% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Caterpillar (CAT) trades at $933.34, down 2.0% on the day but up 51% year-to-date, reflecting strong momentum from AI-driven infrastructure demand. The company has beaten earnings estimates for three consecutive quarters, with Q1 2026 EPS of $5.54 surpassing expectations by 19%. Valuation metrics remain elevated with a P/E of 46.39 and P/S of 6.18, while profitability remains robust with a 13.33% net margin and 51.35% ROE. Technical indicators show neutral signals with support at $922 and resistance at $943.
Outlook remains positive with analyst consensus pointing to $1,020 price target (9% upside) and 55% buy ratings. Key opportunities include AI data center power demand generating $10.2B in generator sales, while risks include elevated valuation and cyclical exposure to economic conditions. The company's 32nd consecutive dividend increase expected in June supports income investors.
General Motors (GM) trades at $76.72, down 1.45% on the day, with a bearish technical signal from moving averages. The company shows strong cash flow from operations at $26.87B for 2025 and has beaten earnings estimates for three consecutive quarters. Recent news highlights GM's strategic pivot into energy and domestic manufacturing expansion, supported by a 63% analyst buy rating. Valuation metrics include a P/E of 28 and P/S of 0.4, indicating potential value relative to sales.
GM's outlook is mixed: solid cash generation and analyst optimism (consensus target $102) contrast with declining net margins (1.38% in 2025) and rising debt-to-asset ratios (46.79% in 2024). Risks include competitive pressures and macroeconomic headwinds, but the stock offers upside if margin improvements and energy initiatives materialize.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Caterpillar Inc. designs, manufactures, and markets construction, mining, and forestry machinery. The Company also manufactures engines and other related parts for its equipment, and offers financing and insurance. Caterpillar distributes its products through a worldwide organization of dealers.
Read more on CAT →General Motors Co. emerged from the bankruptcy of General Motors Corp. (old GM) in July 2009. GM has eight brands and operates under four segments: GM North America, GM International, Cruise, and GM Financial. The United States now has four brands instead of eight under old GM. The company lost its U.S. market share leader crown in 2021 with share down 280 basis points to 14.6%, but we expect GM to reclaim the top spot in 2022 as 2021 suffered from the chip shortage. GM Financial became the company's captive finance arm in October 2010 via the purchase of AmeriCredit.
Read more on GM →