Caterpillar Inc (CAT)vsInternational Business Machines (IBM)
CAT
Caterpillar Inc
$897.45
+0.20%
INDUSTRIALS · Cap: $412.55B
IBM
International Business Machines
$229.76
+0.06%
TECHNOLOGY · Cap: $217.40B
Smart Verdict
WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison
Caterpillar Inc generates 3% more annual revenue ($70.75B vs $68.91B). IBM leads profitability with a 15.6% profit margin vs 13.3%. IBM appears more attractively valued with a PEG of 2.11. CAT earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 67/100 (B-).
CAT
Strong Buy67
out of 100
Grade: B-
IBM
Buy60
out of 100
Grade: C
Intrinsic Value Comparison
Multi-model valuation · Graham Formula
Intrinsic value data unavailable for CAT.
Margin of Safety
-29.8%
Fair Value
$178.18
Current Price
$229.76
$51.58 premium
Key Strengths & Concerns
Side-by-side fundamental analysis
Key Strengths
Mega-cap, among the largest globally
Every $100 of equity generates 51 in profit
Revenue surging 22.2% year-over-year
Earnings expanding 30.2% YoY
Generating 1.5B in free cash flow
Mega-cap, among the largest globally
Every $100 of equity generates 36 in profit
Generating 4.8B in free cash flow
Areas to Watch
Expensive relative to growth rate
Weak financial health signals
Premium valuation, high expectations priced in
Trading at 22.3x book value
Expensive relative to growth rate
Weak financial health signals
Elevated debt levels
Comparative Analysis Report
WallStSmart ResearchBull Case : CAT
The strongest argument for CAT centers on Market Cap, Return on Equity, Revenue Growth. Revenue growth of 22.2% demonstrates continued momentum.
Bull Case : IBM
The strongest argument for IBM centers on Market Cap, Return on Equity, Free Cash Flow. Profitability is solid with margins at 15.6% and operating margin at 13.8%.
Bear Case : CAT
The primary concerns for CAT are PEG Ratio, Piotroski F-Score, P/E Ratio. A P/E of 44.6x leaves little room for execution misses. Debt-to-equity of 2.03 is elevated, increasing financial risk.
Bear Case : IBM
The primary concerns for IBM are PEG Ratio, Piotroski F-Score, Debt/Equity. Debt-to-equity of 2.06 is elevated, increasing financial risk.
Key Dynamics to Monitor
CAT profiles as a growth stock while IBM is a mature play — different risk/reward profiles.
CAT carries more volatility with a beta of 1.63 — expect wider price swings.
CAT is growing revenue faster at 22.2% — sustainability is the question.
IBM generates stronger free cash flow (4.8B), providing more financial flexibility.
Bottom Line
CAT scores higher overall (67/100 vs 60/100) and 22.2% revenue growth. Both earn "Strong Buy" and "Buy" ratings respectively — the choice depends on your investment horizon and risk tolerance.
This analysis is generated from publicly available financial data. Not financial advice.
Caterpillar Inc
INDUSTRIALS · FARM & HEAVY CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY · USA
Caterpillar Inc. (often shortened to CAT) is an American Fortune 100 corporation that designs, develops, engineers, manufactures, markets, and sells machinery, engines, financial products, and insurance to customers via a worldwide dealer network.
Visit Website →International Business Machines
TECHNOLOGY · INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES · USA
International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) is an American multinational technology company headquartered in Armonk, New York, with operations in over 170 countries. The company began in 1911, founded in Endicott, New York, as the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company (CTR) and was renamed International Business Machines in 1924. IBM is incorporated in New York. IBM produces and sells computer hardware, middleware and software, and provides hosting and consulting services in areas ranging from mainframe computers to nanotechnology. IBM is also a major research organization, holding the record for most annual U.S. patents generated by a business (as of 2020) for 28 consecutive years. Inventions by IBM include the automated teller machine (ATM), the floppy disk, the hard disk drive, the magnetic stripe card, the relational database, the SQL programming language, the UPC barcode, and dynamic random-access memory (DRAM). The IBM mainframe, exemplified by the System/360, was the dominant computing platform during the 1960s and 1970s.
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