Caterpillar (XSWX:CAT) 5-Year RORE % : 8.44% (As of Mar. 2026)


XSWX:CAT Caterpillar Inc XSWX:CAT
83 GF Score
Price CHF855.92
GF Value CHF335.84
! 6 Warning Signs
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What is Caterpillar 5-Year RORE %?

Caterpillar XSWX:CAT +3.75% 83 5-Year RORE % is 8.44 as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus rates XSWX:CAT with a GF Score™ of 83/100 and a GF Value™ of CHF335.84. The stock has 6 warning signs investors should review. Among 187 Farm & Heavy Construction Machinery companies, Caterpillar ranks better than 62.03% on this metric.

Return on Retained Earnings (RORE) is an indicator of a company's growth potential, it shows how much a company earns by reinvesting its retained earnings, i.e. profits after dividend payments. Caterpillar's 5-Year RORE % for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 8.44%.

The industry rank for Caterpillar's 5-Year RORE % or its related term are showing as below:

XSWX:CAT's 5-Year RORE % is ranked better than
62.03% of 187 companies
in the Farm & Heavy Construction Machinery industry
Industry Median: 3.68 vs XSWX:CAT: 8.44

Caterpillar  (XSWX:CAT) 5-Year RORE % Explanation

Return on Retained Earnings (RORE) is important to investors because it reveals a company's efficiency and growth potential. A higher RORE indicates a higher return. A high RORE indicates that the company should reinvest profits into the business. A lower RORE suggests that the company should distribute profits to shareholders by paying out dividends, since those dollars aren't generating much additional growth for the company.

There are a several different ways to arrive at the Return on Retained Earnings. The simplest way to calculate it is by using published information on Earnings per Share (EPS) and Dividend per Share (DPS) over a selected period. Here, 5-year period is chosen.

Be Aware

Please keep in mind that the RORE is relative to the nature of the business and its competitors. If another company in the same sector is producing a lower return on retained earnings, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a bad investment. It may just suggest the company is older and no longer in a high growth stage. At such a stage in the business cycle, it would be expected to see a lower RORE and higher dividend payout.


Caterpillar 5-Year RORE % Related Terms


Caterpillar 5-Year RORE % Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for Caterpillar's 5-Year RORE % can be seen below:

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

Caterpillar 5-Year RORE % Chart

Caterpillar Annual Data
Trend Dec16 Dec17 Dec18 Dec19 Dec20 Dec21 Dec22 Dec23 Dec24 Dec25
5-Year RORE %
Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 48.66 7.17 20.43 32.58 7.78

Caterpillar Quarterly Data
Jun21 Sep21 Dec21 Mar22 Jun22 Sep22 Dec22 Mar23 Jun23 Sep23 Dec23 Mar24 Jun24 Sep24 Dec24 Mar25 Jun25 Sep25 Dec25 Mar26
5-Year RORE % Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 26.21 18.94 14.56 7.78 8.44

XSWX:CAT vs DE, PCAR, CNH: 5-Year RORE % Comparison

For the Farm & Heavy Construction Machinery subindustry, Caterpillar's 5-Year RORE %, along with its competitors' market caps and 5-Year RORE % data, can be viewed below:

* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.


Caterpillar 5-Year RORE % vs Farm & Heavy Construction Machinery Industry

For the Farm & Heavy Construction Machinery industry and Industrials sector, Caterpillar's 5-Year RORE % distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where Caterpillar's 5-Year RORE % falls into.


XSWX:CAT
83GF Score
Caterpillar Inc XSWX:CAT
5-Year RORE % is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
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Caterpillar 5-Year RORE % Calculation

Caterpillar's 5-Year RORE % for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 is calculated as:

5-Year RORE %=( Most Recent EPS (Diluted)- First Period EPS (Diluted) )/( Cumulative EPS (Diluted) for 5-year -Cumulative Dividends per Share for 5-year )
=( 16.029-10.982 )/( 77.607-17.818 )
=5.047/59.789
=8.44 %

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

In the calculation of 5-Year RORE %, the most recent and first period EPS (Diluted) is the trailing twelve months (TTM) data ended in Mar. 2026 and 5-year before.

Frequently Asked Questions Learn more about 5-Year RORE % →
What does a 5-Year RORE % of 8.44 mean?
Caterpillar (XSWX:CAT) has a 5-Year RORE % of 8.44 as of Mar. 2026. 5-Year RORE % shows how much a company earns by reinvesting its retained earnings in 5-year. View historical data on Caterpillar and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Caterpillar ranks #71 out of 187 companies in the Farm & Heavy Construction Machinery industry, placing it in the top 38%.
Is Caterpillar's 5-Year RORE % too high?
Caterpillar's current 5-Year RORE % is 8.44. The Farm & Heavy Construction Machinery industry median 5-Year RORE % is 3.68. Caterpillar's value of 8.44 is 129.3% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Caterpillar ranks #71 out of 187 companies in the Farm & Heavy Construction Machinery industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, Caterpillar has a GF Score™ of 83/100, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Caterpillar's 5-Year RORE % compare to DE and PCAR?
According to the Farm & Heavy Construction Machinery industry distribution chart, Caterpillar ranks #71 out of 187 companies for 5-Year RORE %. This puts Caterpillar in the upper half of its industry. The industry median 5-Year RORE % is 3.68. Caterpillar's value of 8.44 is 129.3% above this benchmark. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good 5-Year RORE % for a Farm & Heavy Construction Machinery company?
The median 5-Year RORE % among Farm & Heavy Construction Machinery companies is 3.68, based on 187 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a 5-Year RORE % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, 5-Year RORE % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Caterpillar's current 5-Year RORE % of 8.44 is 129.3% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high 5-Year RORE % mean?
A high 5-Year RORE % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. 5-Year RORE % shows how much a company earns by reinvesting its retained earnings in 5-year. View historical data on Caterpillar and its competitors. For the Farm & Heavy Construction Machinery industry, the median 5-Year RORE % is 3.68 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Caterpillar's current 5-Year RORE % is 8.44. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Caterpillar stock overvalued right now?
Caterpillar (XSWX:CAT) has a current 5-Year RORE % of 8.44. The stock's GF Value™ is CHF335.84, compared to a current price of CHF855.92 — trading 154.9% above its estimated fair value. The current 5-Year RORE % is 8.44 and 129.3% above the Farm & Heavy Construction Machinery industry median of 3.68. Caterpillar's overall GF Score™ is 83/100 with 6 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is 5-Year RORE % calculated?
5-Year RORE % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Caterpillar (XSWX:CAT), the current 5-Year RORE % is 8.44 as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.

Is Caterpillar (XSWX:CAT) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Caterpillar stock appears to be overvalued. The current stock price of CHF855.92 is trading 154.9% above its estimated GF Value™ of CHF335.84.

Key valuation signals for XSWX:CAT:

  • 5-Year RORE %: 8.44
  • GF Value™: CHF335.84 vs. price of CHF855.92 (154.9% above fair value)
  • GF Score™: 83/100 with 6 warning signs
  • Industry Position: 129.3% above the Farm & Heavy Construction Machinery median (#71 of 187)

No single metric tells the full story. See the XSWX:CAT stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.


Caterpillar Business Description

Address 5205 N. O\'Connor Boulevard, Suite 100, Irving, TX, USA, 75039
Caterpillar is the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines, and diesel-electric locomotives. Its reporting segments are construction, resource, energy, and transportation. Market share approaches 20% across many products. Caterpillar operates a captive finance subsidiary to facilitate sales. The firm has a global reach that is approximately evenly balanced between the US and the rest of the world. Construction skews more domestic, while the other divisions are more geographically diversified. An independent network of over 150 dealers operates approximately 2,800 facilities, giving Caterpillar reach into about 190 countries for sales and support services.
83GF Score

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5-Year RORE % is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

CHF855.92
Price
CHF335.84
GF Value