The Boeing Company (BA) vs Caterpillar Inc. (CAT)
CAT leads on 11 of 12 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of The Boeing Company and Caterpillar Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 13, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
Total return — BA vs CAT
growth of $100 · last 30yBA +426.2%CAT +5534.7%CAT compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
BA CAT
BA vs CAT: by the numbers
- •CAT is the larger company ($419.44B vs $172.68B market cap).
- •CAT trades at the lower earnings multiple (45.30 vs 106.33 P/E).
- •CAT converts more revenue to profit (13.31% vs 2.46% net margin).
- •CAT grew revenue faster over the past five years (10.47% vs 10.30% CAGR).
- •CAT pays a dividend (0.66% yield) while BA does not currently pay one.
Which is better, BA or CAT?
Metric tally: BA 1 · CAT 11It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueCAT(lower P/E)
QualityCAT(higher ROIC)
Valuation
| Metric | BA | CAT |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 106.33 | 45.30● |
| Forward P/E | 53.24 | 36.92● |
| P/S ratio | 1.94● | 5.99 |
| P/B ratio | 29.94 | 22.73● |
| PEG ratio | — | 1.62 |
| EV / EBITDA | 29.63 | 29.10 |
| FCF yield | — | 2.70% |
Profitability
| Metric | BA | CAT |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 4.79% | 32.52%● |
| Operating margin | -5.89% | 16.56%● |
| Net margin | 2.46% | 13.31%● |
| ROE | 37.88% | 50.48%● |
| ROIC | -6.67% | 11.42%● |
Dividends
| Metric | BA | CAT |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | — | 0.66% |
| Payout ratio | — | 31.96% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | BA | CAT |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 10.30% | 10.47% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | -24.64% | 27.96%● |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | -37.08% | 17.77%● |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | -2.39% | 35.15%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, BA or CAT?
- It depends on your goal. value: CAT (lower P/E); quality: CAT (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, CAT leads 11 to 1.
- Is BA or CAT cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, CAT is cheaper: BA trades at a 106.33 P/E and CAT at 45.30.
- Which has grown faster, BA or CAT?
- Over the past five years, CAT grew revenue faster — BA at a 10.30% CAGR versus CAT at 10.47%.
- Does BA or CAT pay a bigger dividend?
- CAT pays a dividend (0.66% yield) while BA does not currently pay one.
- Is BA or CAT more profitable?
- CAT runs the higher net margin — BA at 2.46% versus CAT at 13.31%.
- Which has been the better investment, BA or CAT?
- Over the past 10-year, CAT delivered the higher annualized total return — BA at 6.23% versus CAT at 31.11%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Boeing P/E ratioCaterpillar P/E ratioBoeing dividend yieldCaterpillar dividend yieldBoeing ROECaterpillar ROEBoeing operating marginCaterpillar operating marginBoeing revenue growthCaterpillar revenue growthBoeing free cash flowCaterpillar free cash flow
Boeing & Caterpillar appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified June 13, 2026.