Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) vs NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA)
NVDA leads on 13 of 17 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of Caterpillar Inc. and NVIDIA Corporation 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).
Total return — CAT vs NVDA
growth of $100 · last 27yCAT +4044.6%NVDA +500157.2%NVDA compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
CAT NVDA
CAT vs NVDA: by the numbers
- •NVDA is the larger company ($4.97T vs $419.44B market cap).
- •NVDA trades at the lower earnings multiple (31.42 vs 45.30 P/E).
- •NVDA converts more revenue to profit (62.97% vs 13.31% net margin).
- •NVDA grew revenue faster over the past five years (68.23% vs 10.47% CAGR).
- •CAT pays the higher dividend yield (0.66% vs 0.01%).
Which is better, CAT or NVDA?
Metric tally: CAT 4 · NVDA 13It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueNVDA(lower P/E)
GrowthNVDA(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeCAT(higher dividend yield)
QualityNVDA(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | CAT | NVDA |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 45.30 | 31.42● |
| Forward P/E | 36.92 | 16.44● |
| P/S ratio | 5.99● | 19.74 |
| P/B ratio | 22.73● | 25.60 |
| PEG ratio | 1.62 | 0.57● |
| EV / EBITDA | 29.10 | 25.96● |
| FCF yield | 2.70%● | 2.38% |
Profitability
| Metric | CAT | NVDA |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 32.52% | 74.15%● |
| Operating margin | 16.56% | 64.02%● |
| Net margin | 13.31% | 62.97%● |
| ROE | 50.48% | 81.65%● |
| ROIC | 11.42% | 62.88%● |
Dividends
| Metric | CAT | NVDA |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 0.66%● | 0.01% |
| Payout ratio | 31.96% | 0.61% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | CAT | NVDA |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 10.47% | 68.23%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 27.96% | 85.78%● |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 17.77% | 85.52%● |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 35.15% | 63.05%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, CAT or NVDA?
- It depends on your goal. value: NVDA (lower P/E); growth: NVDA (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: CAT (higher dividend yield); quality: NVDA (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, NVDA leads 13 to 4.
- Is CAT or NVDA cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, NVDA is cheaper: CAT trades at a 45.30 P/E and NVDA at 31.42.
- Which has grown faster, CAT or NVDA?
- Over the past five years, NVDA grew revenue faster — CAT at a 10.47% CAGR versus NVDA at 68.23%.
- Does CAT or NVDA pay a bigger dividend?
- CAT yields 0.66% and NVDA yields 0.01% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is CAT or NVDA more profitable?
- NVDA runs the higher net margin — CAT at 13.31% versus NVDA at 62.97%.
- Which has been the better investment, CAT or NVDA?
- Over the past 10-year, NVDA delivered the higher annualized total return — CAT at 31.11% versus NVDA at 68.06%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Caterpillar P/E ratioNVIDIA P/E ratioCaterpillar dividend yieldNVIDIA dividend yieldCaterpillar ROENVIDIA ROECaterpillar operating marginNVIDIA operating marginCaterpillar revenue growthNVIDIA revenue growthCaterpillar free cash flowNVIDIA free cash flow
Caterpillar & NVIDIA appear in these rankings
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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.