AIT vs. CAT
AIT (Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc.) and CAT (Caterpillar Inc.) are both stocks. Both are in the Industrials sector — AIT in Industrial Distribution, CAT in Farm & Heavy Construction Machinery. Over the past 10 years, AIT returned 23.04%/yr vs 31.33%/yr for CAT. At a 0.38 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
AIT vs. CAT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, AIT achieves a 25.10% return, which is significantly lower than CAT's 59.62% return. Over the past 10 years, AIT has underperformed CAT with an annualized return of 23.04%, while CAT has yielded a comparatively higher 31.33% annualized return.
AIT
- 1D
- 0.38%
- 1M
- 4.21%
- YTD
- 25.10%
- 6M
- 22.72%
- 1Y
- 42.85%
- 3Y*
- 33.34%
- 5Y*
- 28.88%
- 10Y*
- 23.04%
CAT
- 1D
- 1.44%
- 1M
- 2.51%
- YTD
- 59.62%
- 6M
- 52.94%
- 1Y
- 157.79%
- 3Y*
- 57.16%
- 5Y*
- 35.17%
- 10Y*
- 31.33%
AIT vs. CAT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AIT Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. | 25.10% | 8.01% | 39.67% | 38.35% | 24.25% | 33.57% | 19.37% | 26.35% | -19.41% | 16.89% |
CAT Caterpillar Inc. | 59.62% | 60.30% | 24.66% | 25.95% | 18.60% | 15.95% | 26.97% | 19.51% | -17.56% | 75.03% |
Correlation
The correlation between AIT and CAT is 0.59, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.59 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.61 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.60 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.60 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 7, 1984 | 0.38 |
Over the past year, AIT and CAT have become more correlated (0.59) than their long-term average of 0.38, meaning their price movements have been converging.
Fundamentals
AIT:
$12.16B
CAT:
$424.14B
AIT:
$10.56
CAT:
$20.07
AIT:
30.31
CAT:
45.37
AIT:
0.95
CAT:
3.00
AIT:
2.53
CAT:
6.04
AIT:
4.07
CAT:
22.73
AIT:
$4.84B
CAT:
$70.76B
AIT:
$1.47B
CAT:
$23.01B
AIT:
$563.38M
CAT:
$15.31B
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Return for Risk
AIT vs. CAT — Risk / Return Rank
AIT
CAT
AIT vs. CAT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. (AIT) and Caterpillar Inc. (CAT). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| AIT | CAT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -2.92 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.97 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.26 | 1.65 | -0.38 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.13 | 11.24 | -8.11 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 7.52 | 36.80 | -29.28 |
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Drawdowns
AIT vs. CAT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum AIT drawdown since its inception was -66.47%, smaller than the maximum CAT drawdown of -73.43%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AIT and CAT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| AIT | CAT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -66.47% | -73.43% | +6.96% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -12.86% | -13.88% | +1.02% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -26.42% | -34.05% | +7.63% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -26.42% | -34.05% | +7.63% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -59.29% | -43.36% | -15.93% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.84% | -3.18% | +2.34% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -18.04% | -19.73% | +1.69% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.34% | 4.23% | +1.11% |
Volatility
AIT vs. CAT - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. (AIT) is 6.81%, while Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) has a volatility of 13.16%. This indicates that AIT experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than CAT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| AIT | CAT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.81% | 13.16% | -6.35% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 19.32% | 28.37% | -9.05% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 26.52% | 35.19% | -8.67% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 30.51% | 30.79% | -0.28% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 33.29% | 30.98% | +2.31% |
Dividends
AIT vs. CAT - Dividend Comparison
AIT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.61%, less than CAT's 0.66% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AIT Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. | 0.61% | 0.72% | 0.62% | 0.81% | 1.08% | 1.29% | 1.64% | 1.86% | 2.22% | 1.70% | 1.89% | 2.67% |
CAT Caterpillar Inc. | 0.66% | 1.02% | 1.49% | 1.69% | 1.93% | 2.07% | 2.26% | 2.56% | 2.58% | 1.97% | 3.32% | 4.33% |
Financials
AIT vs. CAT - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. and Caterpillar Inc.. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
AIT vs. CAT - Profitability Comparison
AIT - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. reported a gross profit of 397.52M and revenue of 1.25B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 31.8%.
CAT - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Caterpillar Inc. reported a gross profit of 6.11B and revenue of 17.42B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 35.1%.
AIT - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. reported an operating income of 137.93M and revenue of 1.25B, resulting in an operating margin of 11.0%.
CAT - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Caterpillar Inc. reported an operating income of 3.09B and revenue of 17.42B, resulting in an operating margin of 17.7%.
AIT - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. reported a net income of 99.77M and revenue of 1.25B, resulting in a net margin of 8.0%.
CAT - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Caterpillar Inc. reported a net income of 2.55B and revenue of 17.42B, resulting in a net margin of 14.6%.
Frequently Asked Questions
AIT and CAT have a correlation of 0.59, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
CAT has higher volatility (13.16%) compared to AIT (6.81%). In terms of maximum drawdown, AIT dropped -66.47% vs CAT's -73.43%.
CAT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (4.43 vs 1.52), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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