Caterpillar Inc (CAT): Today's Featured Conglomerates Winner

Editor's Note: TheStreet ratings do not represent the views of TheStreet's staff or its contributors. Ratings are established by computer based on metrics for performance (which includes growth, stock performance, efficiency and valuation) and risk (volatility and solvency). Companies with poor cash flow or high debt levels tend to earn lower ratings in our model.

Caterpillar (CAT) pushed the Conglomerates sector higher today making it today's featured conglomerates winner. The sector as a whole closed the day up 0.3%. By the end of trading, Caterpillar rose $1.10 (1.1%) to $99.49 on average volume. Throughout the day, 6.1 million shares of Caterpillar exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 6.2 million shares. The stock ranged in a price between $98.95-$99.70 after having opened the day at $99 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $98.39. Another company within the Conglomerates sector that increased today was Tredegar Corporation (TG), up 3.9%.

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Caterpillar Inc. manufactures and sells construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines, and diesel-electric locomotives worldwide. Caterpillar has a market cap of $64.51 billion and is part of the conglomerates industry. The company has a P/E ratio of 11.6, below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are up 10.1% year to date as of the close of trading on Thursday. Currently there are 10 analysts that rate Caterpillar a buy, no analysts rate it a sell, and 10 rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates Caterpillar as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, notable return on equity, 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 high debt management risk by most measures that we evaluated.

• You can view the full Caterpillar Ratings Report.

• Use our conglomerates section to find sector-relevant news.
• Or find some new ideas from our top rated stocks lists.

For investors not wanting singular stock exposure, ETFs may be of interest. Investors who are bullish on the conglomerates sector could consider SPDR Trust Series one (SPY) while those bearish on the conglomerates sector could consider ProShares Short S&P 500 (SH).

• Find other investment ideas from our top rated ETFs lists.

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For more information on Caterpillar Inc click any of the following:

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• Caterpillar Inc Key Stats & Profile

• Caterpillar Inc Earnings

• Caterpillar Inc Ratio Comparison

• Caterpillar Inc Growth Rates

• Caterpillar Inc Balance Sheet

• Caterpillar Inc Cash Flow

• Caterpillar Inc Income Statement