Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) vs Deere & Company (DE)
A side-by-side comparison of Caterpillar Inc. and Deere & Company across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of September 13, 2026. Differences are shown without an overall score or investment verdict.
CAT
Caterpillar Inc.
$783.54IndustrialsDelayed quote: Sep 15, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
DE
Deere & Company
$684.04IndustrialsDelayed quote: Sep 15, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
Total return — CAT vs DE
growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 10yCAT +1144.4% (+28.7%/yr)DE +845.2% (+25.2%/yr)CAT compounded faster over this window
CAT DE
CAT vs DE: by the numbers
- •CAT is the larger company ($360.93B vs $184.65B market cap).
- •CAT trades at the lower trailing earnings multiple (33.70 vs 38.00 P/E), one valuation lens rather than an overall verdict.
- •CAT converts more revenue to profit (14.50% vs 10.22% net margin).
- •CAT grew revenue faster over the past five years (10.24% vs 2.84% CAGR).
- •DE pays the higher dividend yield (0.96% vs 0.75%).
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | CAT | DE |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 33.70 | 38.00 |
| Forward P/E | 28.76 | 37.74 |
| P/S ratio | 4.83 | 3.87 |
| P/B ratio | 18.61 | 6.60 |
| EV / EBITDA | 25.81 | 21.05 |
| FCF yield | 2.49% | 2.09% |
Profitability
| Metric | CAT | DE |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 33.87% | 35.74% |
| Operating margin | 17.52% | 18.97% |
| Net margin | 14.50% | 10.22% |
| ROE | 55.85% | 17.41% |
| ROIC | 13.30% | 7.20% |
Dividends
| Metric | CAT | DE |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 0.75% | 0.96% |
| Payout ratio | 26.49% | 36.00% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | CAT | DE |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 10.24% | 2.84% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 27.96% | -0.77% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 9.80% | -6.06% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 34.18% | 14.72% |
Frequently asked
- Which has the lower trailing P/E, CAT or DE?
- CAT has the lower trailing P/E: CAT trades at 33.70 and DE at 38.00. P/E is one valuation measure and does not by itself establish which business is cheaper.
- Which has grown faster, CAT or DE?
- Over the past five years, CAT grew revenue faster — CAT at a 10.24% CAGR versus DE at 2.84%.
- Does CAT or DE pay a bigger dividend?
- CAT yields 0.75% and DE yields 0.96% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is CAT or DE more profitable?
- CAT runs the higher net margin — CAT at 14.50% versus DE at 10.22%.
- How have CAT and DE total returns compared?
- Over the past 10 years, CAT delivered 28.83% and DE delivered 25.38% annualized total return. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Caterpillar P/E ratioDeere P/E ratioCaterpillar dividend yieldDeere dividend yieldCaterpillar ROEDeere ROECaterpillar operating marginDeere operating marginCaterpillar revenue growthDeere revenue growthCaterpillar free cash flowDeere free cash flow
Caterpillar & Deere 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 September 13, 2026.