KLAC vs. CAT
KLAC (KLA Corporation) and CAT (Caterpillar Inc.) are both stocks. KLAC operates in Semiconductor Equipment & Materials (Technology), while CAT operates in Farm & Heavy Construction Machinery (Industrials). Over the past 10 years, KLAC returned 45.08%/yr vs 31.33%/yr for CAT. At a 0.34 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
KLAC vs. CAT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, KLAC achieves a 110.02% return, which is significantly higher than CAT's 59.62% return. Over the past 10 years, KLAC has outperformed CAT with an annualized return of 45.08%, while CAT has yielded a comparatively lower 31.33% annualized return.
KLAC
- 1D
- 5.55%
- 1M
- 37.79%
- YTD
- 110.02%
- 6M
- 113.75%
- 1Y
- 192.78%
- 3Y*
- 75.88%
- 5Y*
- 52.93%
- 10Y*
- 45.08%
CAT
- 1D
- 1.44%
- 1M
- 0.92%
- YTD
- 59.62%
- 6M
- 52.94%
- 1Y
- 154.99%
- 3Y*
- 57.16%
- 5Y*
- 35.17%
- 10Y*
- 31.33%
KLAC vs. CAT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
KLAC KLA Corporation | 110.02% | 94.48% | 9.36% | 56.05% | -11.20% | 68.05% | 47.94% | 103.99% | -12.49% | 36.80% |
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 KLAC and CAT is 0.56, 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 | 0.56 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.49 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.47 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.44 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 26, 1990 | 0.34 |
Over the past year, KLAC and CAT have become more correlated (0.56) than their long-term average of 0.34, meaning their price movements have been converging.
Fundamentals
KLAC:
$33.62B
CAT:
$424.14B
KLAC:
$35.29
CAT:
$20.07
KLAC:
7.21
CAT:
45.37
KLAC:
0.27
CAT:
3.00
KLAC:
2.57
CAT:
6.04
KLAC:
5.77
CAT:
22.73
KLAC:
$13.10B
CAT:
$70.76B
KLAC:
$8.09B
CAT:
$23.01B
KLAC:
$5.77B
CAT:
$15.31B
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Return for Risk
KLAC vs. CAT — Risk / Return Rank
KLAC
CAT
KLAC vs. CAT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for KLA Corporation (KLAC) 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.
| KLAC | CAT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.50 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.29 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.54 | 1.65 | -0.10 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 8.66 | 11.24 | -2.58 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 27.54 | 36.80 | -9.26 |
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Drawdowns
KLAC vs. CAT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum KLAC drawdown since its inception was -83.74%, which is greater than CAT's maximum drawdown of -73.43%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for KLAC and CAT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| KLAC | CAT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -83.74% | -73.43% | -10.31% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -22.41% | -13.88% | -8.53% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -34.95% | -34.05% | -0.90% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -40.28% | -34.05% | -6.23% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -40.28% | -43.36% | +3.08% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -3.18% | +3.18% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -29.32% | -19.73% | -9.59% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 7.03% | 4.23% | +2.80% |
Volatility
KLAC vs. CAT - Volatility Comparison
KLA Corporation (KLAC) has a higher volatility of 22.17% compared to Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) at 13.16%. This indicates that KLAC's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier 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
| KLAC | CAT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 22.17% | 13.16% | +9.01% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 42.02% | 28.37% | +13.65% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 49.38% | 35.19% | +14.19% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 43.88% | 30.79% | +13.09% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 41.86% | 30.98% | +10.88% |
Dividends
KLAC vs. CAT - Dividend Comparison
KLAC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.31%, less than CAT's 0.66% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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% |
KLAC KLA Corporation | 0.31% | 0.61% | 0.96% | 0.92% | 1.25% | 0.91% | 1.35% | 1.74% | 3.17% | 2.15% | 2.67% | 2.94% |
Financials
KLAC vs. CAT - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between KLA Corporation 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
KLAC vs. CAT - Profitability Comparison
KLAC - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, KLA Corporation reported a gross profit of 2.09B and revenue of 3.42B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 61.1%.
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%.
KLAC - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, KLA Corporation reported an operating income of 1.41B and revenue of 3.42B, resulting in an operating margin of 41.2%.
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%.
KLAC - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, KLA Corporation reported a net income of 1.20B and revenue of 3.42B, resulting in a net margin of 35.2%.
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
KLAC and CAT have a correlation of 0.56, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
KLAC has higher volatility (22.17%) compared to CAT (13.16%). In terms of maximum drawdown, KLAC dropped -83.74% vs CAT's -73.43%.
CAT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (4.43 vs 3.93), 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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