Comprehensive Financial Planning Inc. PA Makes New Investment in Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT)

Comprehensive Financial Planning Inc. PA purchased a new position in Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT) in the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor purchased 218 shares of the industrial products company’s stock, valued at approximately $79,000.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the stock. First Affirmative Financial Network bought a new stake in shares of Caterpillar in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $204,000. Retirement Planning Group LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Caterpillar by 11.8% in the 3rd quarter. Retirement Planning Group LLC now owns 1,233 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $482,000 after acquiring an additional 130 shares during the last quarter. Carnegie Investment Counsel lifted its holdings in shares of Caterpillar by 24.3% in the 3rd quarter. Carnegie Investment Counsel now owns 2,677 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $1,047,000 after acquiring an additional 524 shares during the last quarter. Rise Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Caterpillar by 3.0% in the 3rd quarter. Rise Advisors LLC now owns 1,488 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $582,000 after acquiring an additional 43 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Willis Investment Counsel lifted its holdings in shares of Caterpillar by 0.6% in the 3rd quarter. Willis Investment Counsel now owns 72,835 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $28,487,000 after acquiring an additional 424 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 70.98% of the company’s stock.

Insider Transactions at Caterpillar

In other Caterpillar news, Director Gerald Johnson bought 100 shares of Caterpillar stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 4th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $365.57 per share, with a total value of $36,557.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 3,053 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,116,085.21. This represents a 3.39 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CFO Andrew R. J. Bonfield sold 10,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $380.09, for a total transaction of $3,800,900.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 45,182 shares in the company, valued at $17,173,226.38. This represents a 18.12 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.29% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

CAT has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. StockNews.com lowered shares of Caterpillar from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, January 17th. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price objective on shares of Caterpillar from $455.00 to $475.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, December 6th. Bank of America lowered their price target on shares of Caterpillar from $452.00 to $414.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Friday, January 31st. UBS Group upgraded shares of Caterpillar from a “sell” rating to a “neutral” rating and upped their price target for the company from $355.00 to $385.00 in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Finally, DA Davidson upped their price target on shares of Caterpillar from $350.00 to $357.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 4th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have assigned a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $383.13.

Caterpillar Stock Down 0.2 %

Shares of NYSE CAT opened at $363.11 on Tuesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.42, a quick ratio of 0.89 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.40. Caterpillar Inc. has a 12 month low of $307.05 and a 12 month high of $418.50. The firm has a market capitalization of $175.31 billion, a PE ratio of 16.45, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.94 and a beta of 1.12. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $376.59 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $371.73.

Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT) last released its earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The industrial products company reported $5.14 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.97 by $0.17. Caterpillar had a net margin of 16.65% and a return on equity of 58.18%. Equities analysts expect that Caterpillar Inc. will post 20.05 earnings per share for the current year.

Caterpillar Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, February 20th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, January 21st will be given a $1.41 dividend. This represents a $5.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.55%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, January 21st. Caterpillar’s dividend payout ratio is presently 25.56%.

About Caterpillar

Caterpillar Inc manufactures and sells construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines, and diesel-electric locomotives in worldwide. Its Construction Industries segment offers asphalt pavers, compactors, road reclaimers, forestry machines, cold planers, material handlers, track-type tractors, excavators, telehandlers, motor graders, and pipelayers; compact track, wheel, track-type, backhoe, and skid steer loaders; and related parts and tools.