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 2026-05-13.
Caterpillar Inc. Β· Industrials
$912.14
-47.9% upside to fair value
Grade D High Quality
VS
Intuitive Surgical, Inc. Β· Healthcare
$451.29
+45.0% upside to fair value
Grade B High Quality
QuantHub Verdict
ISRG has more upside to fair value (+45.0%). CAT trades at a lower forward P/E (44.9x). These are model outputs β€” not personalized investment advice. See all research β†’
Valuation & Fundamentals
Metric CAT ISRG
Current Price $912.14 $451.29
Fair Value Estimate $475.00 $654.37
Upside to Fair Value -47.9% +45.0%
Market Cap $420.2B $160.3B
Forward P/E 44.9x 53.8x
EV / EBITDA 30.0x 40.5x
Price / Sales 5.9x 15.2x
Price / FCF 36.7x 64.3x
Revenue Growth YoY +22.2% +23.0%
Gross Margin 32.5% 66.3%
Operating Margin 16.6% 30.5%
Return on Equity 47.5% 17.0%
Dividend Yield 1.5% 0%
FCF Yield 2.73% 1.55%
Analyst Consensus Hold Strong Buy
Investment Thesis
CAT β€” Caterpillar Inc.
Caterpillar is the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, with diversified revenue across Construction Industries, Resource Industries, Energy & Transportation, and Cat Financial. Q1 2026 results reported April 30 showed revenue of $17.4 billion (+22.2% YoY) and EPS of $5.50 (+30.3% YoY), driven by powerful demand from data center build-outs (large engine and power gen…
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 $356.00 $490.78
Zone High $404.00 $556.21
In Buy Zone? No Yes
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