CAT vs HD: Which Is the Better Buy?
Side-by-side comparison of Caterpillar Inc. and The Home Depot, Inc. — fair value, conviction, valuation metrics, and QuantHub research signals.
Updated 2026-07-13.
Caterpillar Inc. · Industrials
$940.12
-39.4% upside to fair value
Grade C
High Quality
VS
The Home Depot, Inc. · Consumer Cyclical
$343.30
+34.6% upside to fair value
Grade A
High Quality
QuantHub Verdict
HD has more upside to fair value
(+34.6%).
HD trades at a lower forward P/E
(24.3x).
These are model outputs — not personalized investment advice.
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Valuation & Fundamentals
| Metric |
CAT |
HD |
| Current Price |
$940.12 |
$343.30 |
| Fair Value Estimate |
$569.47 |
$462.14 |
| Upside to Fair Value |
-39.4%
|
+34.6%
|
| Market Cap |
$433.1B |
$342.3B |
| Forward P/E |
46.6x
|
24.3x
|
| EV / EBITDA |
29.7x
|
16.5x
|
| Price / Sales |
6.1x
|
2.0x
|
| Price / FCF |
37.8x
|
23.9x
|
| Revenue Growth YoY |
+22.2%
|
+4.8%
|
| Gross Margin |
32.5%
|
33.1%
|
| Operating Margin |
16.6%
|
12.4%
|
| Return on Equity |
47.5%
|
113.3%
|
| Dividend Yield |
0% |
0% |
| FCF Yield |
2.64%
|
4.18%
|
| Analyst Consensus |
Hold
|
Buy
|
Investment Thesis
Caterpillar Inc. is a leading global manufacturer of agricultural and construction machinery, operating within the Industrials sector. The company demonstrates high business quality with a durable competitive moat supported by strong brand recognition, cost advantages, and intangible assets. It posted robust revenue growth of 22.2% and earnings growth of 27.3% in the most recent quarter, reflecti…
The Home Depot, Inc. operates as a leading home improvement retailer in the consumer cyclical sector, leveraging a strong brand and cost advantages to maintain a durable competitive moat. Despite a modest revenue growth of 4.8% and a decline in earnings by 4.2% in the most recent quarter, the company exhibits exceptional profitability metrics including a 113.3% return on equity and solid margins …
Accumulation Zones
| Metric |
CAT |
HD |
| Zone Low |
$427.10 |
$346.61 |
| Zone High |
$484.05 |
$392.82 |
| In Buy Zone? |
No
|
Yes
|