CAT vs ISRG: Which Is the Better Buy?

Side-by-side comparison of Caterpillar Inc. and Intuitive Surgical, Inc. β€” fair value, conviction, valuation metrics, and QuantHub research signals. Updated 2026-04-22.
Caterpillar Inc. Β· Industrials
$794.65
+30.6% upside to fair value
Grade C High Quality
VS
Intuitive Surgical, Inc. Β· Healthcare
$451.29
+130.4% upside to fair value
Grade B High Quality
QuantHub Verdict
ISRG has more upside to fair value (+130.4%). CAT trades at a lower forward P/E (41.8x). These are model outputs β€” not personalized investment advice. See all research β†’
Valuation & Fundamentals
Metric CAT ISRG
Current Price $794.65 $451.29
Fair Value Estimate $1,037.56 $1,039.74
Upside to Fair Value +30.6% +130.4%
Market Cap $371.9B $160.3B
Forward P/E 41.8x 53.8x
EV / EBITDA 27.3x 40.5x
Price / Sales 5.5x 15.2x
Price / FCF 36.2x 64.3x
Revenue Growth YoY +18.0% +23.0%
Gross Margin 32.3% 66.3%
Operating Margin 16.6% 30.5%
Return on Equity 45.1% 17.0%
Dividend Yield 0% 0%
FCF Yield 2.76% 1.55%
Analyst Consensus Buy Strong Buy
Investment Thesis
CAT β€” Caterpillar Inc.
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…
ISRG β€” Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
Intuitive Surgical, Inc. is a leading healthcare company specializing in robotic-assisted surgery through its flagship da Vinci system, which has established a durable competitive moat with approximately 10,000 systems installed globally and nearly 17 million procedures performed by the end of 2024. The company benefits from a high-quality business model characterized by 85% recurring revenue, st…
Accumulation Zones
Metric CAT ISRG
Zone Low $778.17 $779.81
Zone High $881.93 $883.78
In Buy Zone? Yes Yes
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