CAT vs UNH: Which Is the Better Buy?
Side-by-side comparison of Caterpillar Inc. and UnitedHealth Group Incorporated — fair value, conviction, valuation metrics, and QuantHub research signals.
Updated 2026-07-17.
Caterpillar Inc. · Industrials
$940.12
-39.4% upside to fair value
Grade C
High Quality
VS
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated · Healthcare
$423.38
+45.0% upside to fair value
Grade B
High Quality
QuantHub Verdict
UNH has more upside to fair value
(+45.0%).
UNH trades at a lower forward P/E
(27.2x).
These are model outputs — not personalized investment advice.
See all research →
Valuation & Fundamentals
| Metric |
CAT |
UNH |
| Current Price |
$940.12 |
$423.38 |
| Fair Value Estimate |
$569.47 |
$613.90 |
| Upside to Fair Value |
-39.4%
|
+45.0%
|
| Market Cap |
$433.1B |
$384.5B |
| Forward P/E |
46.6x
|
27.2x
|
| EV / EBITDA |
29.7x
|
13.8x
|
| Price / Sales |
6.1x
|
0.8x
|
| Price / FCF |
37.8x
|
19.6x
|
| Revenue Growth YoY |
+22.2%
|
+0.4%
|
| Gross Margin |
32.5%
|
18.8%
|
| Operating Margin |
16.6%
|
4.2%
|
| Return on Equity |
47.5%
|
12.4%
|
| Dividend Yield |
0% |
0% |
| FCF Yield |
2.64%
|
5.12%
|
| Analyst Consensus |
Hold
|
Strong 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…
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated operates in the healthcare sector, specifically within medical and healthcare plans, providing a durable business model supported by a strong competitive moat and consistent earnings growth. The company currently trades at a price of $423.38 with a market cap of $359.873 billion, reflecting a valuation that is cheap relative to its five-year history, supported by a…
Accumulation Zones
| Metric |
CAT |
UNH |
| Zone Low |
$427.10 |
$460.42 |
| Zone High |
$484.05 |
$521.81 |
| In Buy Zone? |
No
|
Yes
|