LemmaAnalysis
Login
Quality score · CAT · Industrials

Is Caterpillar a quality business?

Builds construction and mining equipment and engines, and finances their purchase through a captive lending arm.

6.6/ 10
Solid quality
as of September 13, 2026
Profitability
7.5 Strong
Solvency
5.2 Average
Growth
6.1 Average
Efficiency
6.2 Average
Predictability
7.5 Strong
Strongest pillar: Profitability · Weakest: Solvency

Caterpillar (CAT) scores 6.6 out of 10 as of September 13, 2026, computed from its reported financial statements. That reads as solid quality. The reading rests on profitability, and solvency is what holds it back.

Data provided by Twelve Data. Scores are computed by Lemma Analysis from reported financials.

Why quality is the interesting question for Caterpillar

Heavy machinery is about as cyclical as industry gets, so predictability scored across a full cycle is the pillar that matters and the one most likely to look weak in a good year. The captive finance arm also puts lending debt on an industrial balance sheet, which distorts solvency unless read carefully. Profitability at the peak is not the same thing as profitability through the cycle.

What each pillar measures

Profitability

7.5 / 10

How much profit the company generates from its capital and sales.

Solvency

5.2 / 10

The company’s ability to service debt and meet its obligations.

Growth

6.1 / 10

How fast revenue, earnings and cash flow are compounding.

Efficiency

6.2 / 10

How well assets and earnings convert into cash and output.

Predictability

7.5 / 10

How stable and consistent results have been over time.

How this score is calculated

Each metric is scored from 0 to 10 against sector-aware benchmarks, where higher is better. Metrics roll up into five pillars, and the pillars combine into the overall score using the weights shown. Sector-sensitive metrics are judged relative to peers in the same sector.

Limitations

This score is a systematic, backward-looking read of reported fundamentals. It does not judge valuation, management quality, competitive moat, or future prospects, and can be distorted by one-off items or unusual accounting. Treat it as a starting point, not a recommendation.

Educational only. Not investment advice.

FAQ

Is Caterpillar a quality business?

On this reading Caterpillar scores 6.6 out of 10, which reads as solid quality. Its strongest pillar is profitability, its weakest is solvency. Quality is not the same as a good investment: the score says nothing about the price you would pay.

What does the CAT quality score measure?

Five pillars, each scored from 0 to 10 against sector-aware benchmarks and then weighted into one overall reading: profitability, solvency, growth, efficiency and predictability. Everything comes from reported financials, and nothing comes from price, sentiment or forecasts.

How current is this score?

It was last recomputed on September 13, 2026. The score moves with the financial statements, i.e. quarterly, so this page changes when a new filing changes the answer rather than on a schedule. Live figures for CAT are in the app.

Does a high score mean the stock is cheap?

No. Quality and valuation are separate questions, and a good business at the wrong price is still a bad purchase. Score the business here, then price it with a DCF you control.

Other companies scored

BA · BoeingHON · HoneywellUNP · Union PacificAAPL · AppleAll quality scoresIndustrials screener

Score any company, not just these.

Inside Lemma Analysis the same five pillars run on every company we cover, with the metrics behind each one, current fundamentals, a DCF you control and a watchlist that tells you when the price catches up.

Free to start · No credit card