AMAT vs CAT: Which Is the Better Buy?
Side-by-side comparison of Applied Materials, Inc. and Caterpillar Inc. — fair value, conviction, valuation metrics, and QuantHub research signals.
Updated 2026-04-22.
Applied Materials, Inc. · Technology
$394.33
-58.9% upside to fair value
Grade C
High Quality
VS
Caterpillar Inc. · Industrials
$794.65
+30.6% upside to fair value
Grade C
High Quality
QuantHub Verdict
CAT has more upside to fair value
(+30.6%).
AMAT trades at a lower forward P/E
(39.9x).
These are model outputs — not personalized investment advice.
See all research →
Valuation & Fundamentals
| Metric |
AMAT |
CAT |
| Current Price |
$394.33 |
$794.65 |
| Fair Value Estimate |
$162.08 |
$1,037.56 |
| Upside to Fair Value |
-58.9%
|
+30.6%
|
| Market Cap |
$312.9B |
$371.9B |
| Forward P/E |
39.9x
|
41.8x
|
| EV / EBITDA |
31.6x
|
27.3x
|
| Price / Sales |
11.1x
|
5.5x
|
| Price / FCF |
50.5x
|
36.2x
|
| Revenue Growth YoY |
-2.1%
|
+18.0%
|
| Gross Margin |
48.7%
|
32.3%
|
| Operating Margin |
29.1%
|
16.6%
|
| Return on Equity |
38.9%
|
45.1%
|
| Dividend Yield |
0% |
0% |
| FCF Yield |
1.98%
|
2.76%
|
| Analyst Consensus |
Strong Buy
|
Buy
|
Investment Thesis
Applied Materials, Inc. is a leading global provider of semiconductor and display equipment, specializing in materials engineering solutions critical to chip manufacturing. The company benefits from a durable competitive moat supported by its market leadership, innovation engine with over 8,500 patents since 2013, and a strong management team led by CEO Gary E. Dickerson. Despite these strengths,…
Caterpillar Inc. is the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, with a diversified revenue base across Energy and Transportation, Construction Industries, Resource Industries, and Financial Products. The company benefits from a durable competitive moat driven by its extensive global operations, strong brand, and operational excellence. Despite strong revenue growth of 1…
Accumulation Zones
| Metric |
AMAT |
CAT |
| Zone Low |
$121.56 |
$778.17 |
| Zone High |
$137.77 |
$881.93 |
| In Buy Zone? |
No
|
Yes
|