CAT vs. VMC
CAT (Caterpillar Inc.) and VMC (Vulcan Materials Company) are both stocks. CAT operates in Farm & Heavy Construction Machinery (Industrials), while VMC operates in Building Materials (Basic Materials). Over the past 10 years, CAT returned 33.12%/yr vs 10.37%/yr for VMC. At a 0.40 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
CAT vs. VMC - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, CAT achieves a 86.68% return, which is significantly higher than VMC's 3.83% return. Over the past 10 years, CAT has outperformed VMC with an annualized return of 33.12%, while VMC has yielded a comparatively lower 10.37% annualized return.
CAT
- 1D
- 3.07%
- 1M
- 21.58%
- YTD
- 86.68%
- 6M
- 85.22%
- 1Y
- 177.28%
- 3Y*
- 65.44%
- 5Y*
- 39.98%
- 10Y*
- 33.12%
VMC
- 1D
- -2.90%
- 1M
- 4.27%
- YTD
- 3.83%
- 6M
- 2.52%
- 1Y
- 13.93%
- 3Y*
- 10.20%
- 5Y*
- 12.05%
- 10Y*
- 10.37%
CAT vs. VMC - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAT Caterpillar Inc. | 86.68% | 60.30% | 24.66% | 25.95% | 18.60% | 15.95% | 26.97% | 19.51% | -17.56% | 75.03% |
VMC Vulcan Materials Company | 3.83% | 11.70% | 14.12% | 30.75% | -14.87% | 41.09% | 4.15% | 47.13% | -22.28% | 3.42% |
Correlation
The correlation between CAT and VMC is 0.45, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.45 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.49 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.51 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.47 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 5, 1988 | 0.40 |
The correlation between CAT and VMC shifts across timeframes, from 0.40 (all time) to 0.51 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
CAT:
$20.10
VMC:
$12.66
CAT:
52.97
VMC:
23.30
CAT:
3.50
VMC:
1.45
CAT:
7.05
VMC:
3.23
CAT:
$70.76B
VMC:
$8.05B
CAT:
$23.01B
VMC:
$2.22B
CAT:
$15.31B
VMC:
$2.59B
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Return for Risk
CAT vs. VMC — Risk / Return Rank
CAT
VMC
CAT vs. VMC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) and Vulcan Materials Company (VMC). 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.
| CAT | VMC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +4.32 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +4.35 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.67 | 1.11 | +0.56 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 12.85 | 0.63 | +12.22 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 41.84 | 1.52 | +40.32 |
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Drawdowns
CAT vs. VMC - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum CAT drawdown since its inception was -73.43%, roughly equal to the maximum VMC drawdown of -76.02%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CAT and VMC.
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Drawdown Indicators
| CAT | VMC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -73.43% | -76.02% | +2.59% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -13.88% | -22.05% | +8.17% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -34.05% | -24.43% | -9.62% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -34.05% | -32.50% | -1.55% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -43.36% | -49.23% | +5.87% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -10.36% | +10.36% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -19.72% | -18.71% | -1.01% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.26% | 9.18% | -4.92% |
Volatility
CAT vs. VMC - Volatility Comparison
Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) has a higher volatility of 15.83% compared to Vulcan Materials Company (VMC) at 10.23%. This indicates that CAT's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VMC based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| CAT | VMC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 15.83% | 10.23% | +5.60% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 29.60% | 22.64% | +6.96% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 36.76% | 26.14% | +10.62% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 31.16% | 26.27% | +4.89% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 31.11% | 30.43% | +0.68% |
Dividends
CAT vs. VMC - Dividend Comparison
CAT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.57%, less than VMC's 0.68% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAT Caterpillar Inc. | 0.57% | 1.02% | 1.49% | 1.69% | 1.93% | 2.07% | 2.26% | 2.56% | 2.58% | 1.97% | 3.32% | 4.33% |
VMC Vulcan Materials Company | 0.68% | 0.69% | 0.72% | 0.76% | 0.91% | 0.71% | 0.92% | 0.86% | 1.13% | 0.78% | 0.64% | 0.42% |
Financials
CAT vs. VMC - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Caterpillar Inc. and Vulcan Materials Company. 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
CAT vs. VMC - Profitability Comparison
CAT - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 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%.
VMC - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Vulcan Materials Company reported a gross profit of 422.70M and revenue of 1.76B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 24.1%.
CAT - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Caterpillar Inc. reported an operating income of 3.09B and revenue of 17.42B, resulting in an operating margin of 17.7%.
VMC - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Vulcan Materials Company reported an operating income of 265.40M and revenue of 1.76B, resulting in an operating margin of 15.1%.
CAT - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Caterpillar Inc. reported a net income of 2.55B and revenue of 17.42B, resulting in a net margin of 14.6%.
VMC - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Vulcan Materials Company reported a net income of 165.50M and revenue of 1.76B, resulting in a net margin of 9.4%.
Frequently Asked Questions
CAT and VMC have a correlation of 0.45, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
CAT has higher volatility (15.83%) compared to VMC (10.23%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CAT dropped -73.43% vs VMC's -76.02%.
CAT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (4.85 vs 0.54), 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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