Dow Today: Caterpillar (CAT) Leads The Day Higher, Chevron (CVX) Lags

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) closed down 27 points (-0.2%) at 12,938. During the day, 659.3 million shares of the 30 Dow components have changed hands vs. an average daily trading volume of 818.6 million. The NYSE advances/declines ratio closed at 1,179 issues advancing vs. 1,828 declining with 102 unchanged.

The Dow component that led the way higher today was Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT), which sported an 81-cent gain (+0.7%) bringing the stock to $115.81. Volume for Caterpillar ended the day at five million shares traded vs. an average daily trading volume of 7.8 million shares.

Caterpillar has a market cap of $68.73 billion and is part of the industrial goods sector and industrial industry. Shares are up 26.9% year to date as of Tuesday's close. The stock's dividend yield sits at 1.6%.

Caterpillar Inc. manufactures and sells construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines, and diesel-electric locomotives worldwide. It operates through three lines of businesses: Machinery, Engines, and Financial Products. The company has a P/E ratio of 15.4, below the average industrial industry P/E ratio of 16.3 and below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7.

TheStreet Ratings rates Caterpillar as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its robust revenue growth, notable return on equity, solid stock price performance, impressive record of earnings per share growth and compelling growth in net income. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had generally poor debt management on most measures that we evaluated.

• You can view the full Caterpillar Ratings Report.

Holding the Dow back today was Chevron (NYSE:CVX), which lagged the broader Dow index with a 91-cent decline (-0.8%) bringing the stock to $107.50. This single loss lowered the Dow Jones Industrial Average by 6.89 points or roughly accounting for 25.5% of the Dow's overall loss. Volume for Chevron ended the day at 7.1 million shares traded vs. an average daily trading volume of 8.8 million shares.

• See our dividend calendar or top-yielding stocks list.

Chevron has a market cap of $212.53 billion and is part of the basic materials sector and energy industry. Shares are up 1.9% year to date as of Tuesday's close. The stock's dividend yield sits at 3%.

Chevron Corporation, through its subsidiaries, engages in petroleum, chemicals, mining, power generation, and energy operations worldwide. It operates in two segments, Upstream and Downstream. The company has a P/E ratio of 7.9, equal to the average energy industry P/E ratio and below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7.

TheStreet Ratings rates Chevron as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, attractive valuation levels, notable return on equity and solid stock price performance. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had sub par growth in net income.

• You can view the full Chevron Ratings Report.

For more information on Chevron Corp click any of the following:

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