Caterpillar Inc. (CAT - $81)
Caterpillar is the world’s largest provider of construction equipment, diesel engines and industrial gas turbines. Caterpillar’s products earn high marks, as do the quality and scope of its dealer network, but the company has considerable exposure to the highly cyclical and currently depressed oil and gas and mining segments. With substantial pressure from weak energy spending and the negative impact of the strong U.S. dollar, Caterpillar’s 2015 earnings will likely be down considerably from 2014 and toward the bottom end of their cyclical range. We prefer to value cyclical businesses on their earnings potential throughout the cycle, and we think that Caterpillar’s mid-cycle earnings will be considerably higher than current levels. With the Caterpillar share price falling to multi-year lows, the business is now attractively valued at just 10x our forecast of mid-cycle earnings. When we combine this attractive valuation with a 3.4% dividend yield and a strong balance sheet, we find Caterpillar to be a compelling investment.
From Bill Nygren (Trades, Portfolio)’s Oakmark Fund - 1Q 2015 Letter.
