Q3 EPS Estimates for Caterpillar Boosted by Zacks Research

Posted by Brenda Bartman on Oct 8th, 2026

Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT – Free Report) – Stock analysts at Zacks Research lifted their Q3 2026 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for shares of Caterpillar in a report issued on Tuesday, October 6th. Zacks Research analyst Team now forecasts that the industrial products company will earn $6.78 per share for the quarter, up from their prior forecast of $6.57. Zacks Research has a “Hold” rating on the stock. The consensus estimate for Caterpillar’s current full-year earnings is $27.50 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Caterpillar’s Q4 2026 earnings at $6.88 EPS, FY2026 earnings at $27.36 EPS, Q1 2027 earnings at $6.48 EPS, Q2 2027 earnings at $8.52 EPS, Q3 2027 earnings at $8.40 EPS, Q4 2027 earnings at $9.04 EPS, FY2027 earnings at $32.44 EPS and Q3 2028 earnings at $10.16 EPS.

Several other equities analysts have also recently issued reports on the stock. President Capital began coverage on shares of Caterpillar in a research report on Friday, September 18th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $999.00 price target for the company. Oppenheimer reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $1,118.00 price objective on shares of Caterpillar in a research note on Tuesday, August 4th. Needham & Company LLC set a $980.00 target price on Caterpillar in a research report on Thursday, September 10th. Barclays lifted their target price on Caterpillar from $800.00 to $900.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday, August 6th. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $970.00 price target on Caterpillar in a research report on Wednesday, August 5th. Fifteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and twelve have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Caterpillar has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $989.17.

View Our Latest Analysis on CAT

Caterpillar Stock Down 5.8%

Shares of NYSE CAT opened at $813.03 on Wednesday. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $822.83 and a 200 day simple moving average of $853.15. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.65, a current ratio of 1.37 and a quick ratio of 0.85. Caterpillar has a 1 year low of $489.34 and a 1 year high of $1,073.46. The firm has a market cap of $373.72 billion, a PE ratio of 34.98, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.49 and a beta of 1.58.

Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The industrial products company reported $8.17 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.22 by $1.95. Caterpillar had a return on equity of 55.53% and a net margin of 14.51%.The firm had revenue of $20.54 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $19.34 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $4.72 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 23.7% on a year-over-year basis.

Insider Transactions at Caterpillar

In related news, CEO Joseph E. Creed sold 32,401 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, August 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $808.98, for a total value of $26,211,760.98. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 34,555 shares in the company, valued at $27,954,303.90. The trade was a 48.39% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.33% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Venture Visionary Partners LLC boosted its position in shares of Caterpillar by 6.3% during the 3rd quarter. Venture Visionary Partners LLC now owns 24,185 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $19,610,000 after purchasing an additional 1,430 shares in the last quarter. Steph & Co. lifted its stake in Caterpillar by 1,512.2% in the third quarter. Steph & Co. now owns 661 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $536,000 after buying an additional 620 shares during the period. Elevation Wealth Partners LLC lifted its stake in Caterpillar by 77.2% in the third quarter. Elevation Wealth Partners LLC now owns 296 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $240,000 after buying an additional 129 shares during the period. Cooper Financial Group grew its position in shares of Caterpillar by 8.6% during the 3rd quarter. Cooper Financial Group now owns 5,097 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $4,132,000 after buying an additional 403 shares during the period. Finally, Canandaigua National Trust Co of Florida acquired a new stake in shares of Caterpillar during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $2,134,000. 70.98% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Key Stories Impacting Caterpillar

Here are the key news stories impacting Caterpillar this week:

Positive Sentiment: Caterpillar announced a $1 billion expansion of its compact-equipment manufacturing operations in North Carolina. The investment will add advanced manufacturing, automation and digital capabilities, supporting U.S. production, workforce development and anticipated customer demand. Caterpillar Commits $1 Billion to Expand North Carolina Manufacturing
Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research raised its Caterpillar earnings forecasts across several periods, including fiscal 2026 EPS to $27.36 from $27.01 and fiscal 2027 EPS to $32.44 from $31.43. The firm also increased estimates for upcoming quarters and retained a generally bullish long-term view, although its current-quarter rating was reported as “Hold.” Caterpillar Earnings Estimate Revisions
Positive Sentiment: Commentary from Jim Cramer and other analysts highlighted Caterpillar’s potential exposure to data-center power demand, while one Seeking Alpha analysis upgraded the stock ahead of earnings. Caterpillar is also collaborating with CoreWeave on physical-AI applications, which could support longer-term technology and productivity initiatives. Jim Cramer Sees a Possible Buying Opportunity in Caterpillar
Neutral Sentiment: The Federal Trade Commission and Department of Agriculture are seeking public information about the farm-equipment market. The inquiry does not establish wrongdoing, but it adds uncertainty for manufacturers such as Caterpillar and Deere as investors assess possible future regulation. Caterpillar and Deere Stock Fall as Regulatory Pressure Continues
Negative Sentiment: Rising long-term Treasury yields triggered a broader industrial-sector selloff. Higher financing costs can reduce demand for large construction and mining equipment, particularly when purchases depend on credit, making Caterpillar especially sensitive to interest-rate expectations. Caterpillar Drops as Industrials Sell Off
Negative Sentiment: Zacks Research cut its stock rating from “Strong Buy” to “Hold,” tempering the impact of its higher earnings estimates. Caterpillar’s elevated valuation also leaves the stock vulnerable to profit-taking when interest rates rise or market sentiment toward cyclical industrial companies weakens.

Caterpillar Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Caterpillar Inc is a global manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines, and diesel-electric locomotives. Its products are used in infrastructure development, construction, mining, energy production, transportation, agriculture, forestry, and other industrial applications.

The company markets equipment and related services through a worldwide network of independent dealers. Its operations are generally organized around Construction Industries, Resource Industries, and Energy & Transportation.