$600.20
Value $279B
CaterpillarvsPreformed Line Products
CAT and PLPC stock compared: price, dividend, valuation and results, from SEC filings.
-0.84%
$285.88
Value $1.4B
Caterpillar (CAT) has a market value of $279B and Preformed Line Products (PLPC) $1.4B. Over the last year, with dividends, CAT moved +5.6% and PLPC +37.9%. The P/E is 23.6 for CAT and 23.9 for PLPC. Dividend yield: CAT 1.02%, PLPC 0.29%.
At a glance
The main figures of both. A bar only shows which number is larger, not which is better.
Market value
CAT$279B
PLPC$1.4B
CAT is 199 times PLPC
Revenue, 12 months
CAT$77.8B
PLPC$772M
CAT is 101 times PLPC
Net income, 12 months
CAT$11.8B
PLPC$59M
CAT is 202 times PLPC
Operating margin
CAT18.3%
PLPC10.1%
8.2 points apart
ROIC
CAT21.1%
PLPC10.8%
10.3 points apart
P/E
CAT23.6
PLPC23.9
About the same
Dividend yield
CAT1.0%
PLPC0.3%
0.7 points apart
5-year return
CAT+211.6%
PLPC+330.3%
118.7 points apart
A fainter bar means a negative number. The 5-year return includes dividends.
The price over time
Both start at 100 at the beginning of the period, so the lines show how much each changed. With dividends means each dividend buys more shares.
CAT+211.6%
PLPC+330.3%
| Period | CATWith dividends | PLPCWith dividends |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year since November 12, 2025 | +5.6%Price +4.7% | +37.9%Price +37.5% |
| 3 years since November 13, 2023 | +158.3%+37.2% a yearPrice +148.4% | +132.0%+32.4% a yearPrice +128.7% |
| 5 years since November 12, 2021 | +211.6%+25.5% a yearPrice +186.8% | +330.3%+33.9% a yearPrice +316.2% |
| 10 years since November 15, 2016 | +685.9%+22.9% a yearPrice +535.5% | +477.8%+19.2% a yearPrice +422.6% |
Each cell: the total return with dividends, its yearly rate, and the price change alone. Before taxes and costs. Past returns do not predict future ones.
Every figure
As on each company's page. A description, not a recommendation: no one figure says which is better.
CATCaterpillarPLPCPreformed Line Products
Valuation
CATPLPC| Price | $600.20 | $285.88 |
|---|---|---|
| Market value | $279B | $1.4B |
| Enterprise value (EV) | $314B | $1.4B |
| P/E | 23.6 | 23.9 |
| P/E, 5-year median | 17.5 | 10.6 |
| P/B | 13.0 | 2.7 |
| EV/EBIT | 22.0 | 17.3 |
| Free cash flow yield | 4.0% | 2.6% |
Results and growth
CATPLPC| Revenue, 12 months | $77.8B | $772M |
|---|---|---|
| Net income, 12 months | $11.8B | $59M |
| Free cash flow, 12 months | $11.3B | $36M |
| Earnings per share, 12 months | $25.49 | $11.91 |
| Revenue growth, year on year | 4.3% | 12.7% |
| Revenue growth a year, past | +10.1%over 5 years | +7.5%over 5 years |
| EPS growth a year, past | +28.1%over 5 years | +3.6%over 5 years |
Margins and returns on capital
CATPLPC| Gross margin | 34.8% | 32.4% |
|---|---|---|
| Operating margin | 18.3% | 10.1% |
| Net margin | 15.2% | 7.6% |
| ROIC | 21.1% | 10.8% |
| ROE | 58.3% | 12.1% |
Balance sheet
CATPLPC| Cash | $8.8B | $99M |
|---|---|---|
| Total debt | $43.3B | $62M |
| Net debt / EBITDA | 2.1 | -0.5 |
| Interest cover | – | 52.3× |
Dividends and buybacks
CATPLPC| Dividend yield | 1.0% | 0.3% |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend per share, 12 months | $6.13 | $0.84 |
| Dividend growth a year, past | +7.6%over 5 years | -0.1%over 5 years |
| Buyback yield | 1.9% | 0.1% |
| Shareholder yield | 2.9% | 0.4% |
Last 12 months from the latest 10-Q and 10-K. Value, P/E and yields at today's price. A dash means the figure does not exist or did not pass our checks.
Which is bigger, Caterpillar or Preformed Line Products?
By market value, Caterpillar ($279B) is about 199.5 times Preformed Line Products ($1.4B), at today's prices.
How did CAT and PLPC stock do over the last 10 years?
Since November 15, 2016, CAT's price moved +535.5% and PLPC's +422.6%. With dividends: CAT +685.9% (+22.9% a year), PLPC +477.8% (+19.2% a year). Past returns do not predict future ones.
Which pays the higher dividend, CAT or PLPC?
The dividend yield at today's price is 1.02% for Caterpillar and 0.29% for Preformed Line Products. Over the last twelve months they paid $6.13 and $0.84 per share.
What is the P/E of CAT and PLPC?
At today's price, the P/E is 23.6 for CAT and 23.9 for PLPC. The median of the last five years was 17.5 and 10.6, which shows where each stands against its own past.
Which has the higher profit margins, Caterpillar or Preformed Line Products?
Over the last twelve months, the net margin was 15.2% for Caterpillar and 7.6% for Preformed Line Products, and the operating margin 18.3% and 10.1%. Revenue was $77.8B and $772M.
Which is the better investment, Caterpillar or Preformed Line Products?
The page does not answer that and does not suggest buying or selling. It puts the two companies' numbers side by side, from their SEC filings, for you to read and form your own view. The decision depends on your goals and situation.
Other comparisons
With each of the two, and with the largest in its sector.
Related pages
The other pages on US stocks, free to read. On the company pages, the last three fiscal years are open to everyone, five with a free account, and every year with Ploutos Investor.
US stocksThe market today, the sectors, the largest companies and the week's results.The market's sectorsThe 11 sectors side by side: returns, share of the market, median P/E and dividend.Compare stocksTwo companies side by side: price over up to ten years, with and without dividends, and every figure.US dividend stocksEach dividend's yield next to whether the company's cash covers it and whether it was ever cut.
Descriptive data from SEC filings and market prices.