Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) vs Honeywell International Inc. (HON)
CAT leads on 9 of 17 compared metrics, though HON is the cheaper stock.
A side-by-side comparison of Caterpillar Inc. and Honeywell International Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 15, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
CAT
Caterpillar Inc.
$910.57Industrials
HON
Honeywell International Inc.
$220.31Industrials
Total return — CAT vs HON
growth of $100 · last 30yCAT +5472.6%HON +722.7%CAT compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
CAT HON
CAT vs HON: by the numbers
- •CAT is the larger company ($419.44B vs $139.60B market cap).
- •HON trades at the lower earnings multiple (31.21 vs 45.30 P/E).
- •CAT converts more revenue to profit (13.31% vs 11.16% net margin).
- •CAT grew revenue faster over the past five years (10.47% vs 2.42% CAGR).
- •HON pays the higher dividend yield (2.13% vs 0.66%).
Which is better, CAT or HON?
Metric tally: CAT 9 · HON 8It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueHON(lower P/E)
GrowthCAT(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeHON(higher dividend yield)
QualityCAT(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | CAT | HON |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 45.30 | 31.21● |
| Forward P/E | 36.92 | 19.22● |
| P/S ratio | 5.99 | 3.83● |
| P/B ratio | 22.73 | 6.60● |
| PEG ratio | 1.62● | 17.93 |
| EV / EBITDA | 29.10 | 23.95● |
| FCF yield | 2.70% | 2.92%● |
Profitability
| Metric | CAT | HON |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 32.52% | 36.95%● |
| Operating margin | 16.56%● | 14.87% |
| Net margin | 13.31%● | 11.16% |
| ROE | 50.48%● | 19.24% |
| ROIC | 11.42%● | 9.22% |
Dividends
| Metric | CAT | HON |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 0.66% | 2.13%● |
| Payout ratio | 31.96% | 63.51% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | CAT | HON |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 10.47%● | 2.42% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 27.96%● | 1.74% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 17.77%● | -4.80% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 35.15%● | 1.55% |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, CAT or HON?
- It depends on your goal. value: HON (lower P/E); growth: CAT (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: HON (higher dividend yield); quality: CAT (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, CAT leads 9 to 8.
- Is CAT or HON cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, HON is cheaper: CAT trades at a 45.30 P/E and HON at 31.21.
- Which has grown faster, CAT or HON?
- Over the past five years, CAT grew revenue faster — CAT at a 10.47% CAGR versus HON at 2.42%.
- Does CAT or HON pay a bigger dividend?
- CAT yields 0.66% and HON yields 2.13% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is CAT or HON more profitable?
- CAT runs the higher net margin — CAT at 13.31% versus HON at 11.16%.
- Which has been the better investment, CAT or HON?
- Over the past 10-year, CAT delivered the higher annualized total return — CAT at 31.11% versus HON at 9.42%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Caterpillar P/E ratioHoneywell International P/E ratioCaterpillar dividend yieldHoneywell International dividend yieldCaterpillar ROEHoneywell International ROECaterpillar operating marginHoneywell International operating marginCaterpillar revenue growthHoneywell International revenue growthCaterpillar free cash flowHoneywell International free cash flow
Caterpillar & Honeywell International 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 15, 2026.