PLUG vs. CAT
PLUG (Plug Power Inc.) and CAT (Caterpillar Inc.) are both stocks. Both are in the Industrials sector — PLUG in Electrical Equipment & Parts, CAT in Farm & Heavy Construction Machinery. Over the past 10 years, PLUG returned 5.29%/yr vs 30.90%/yr for CAT. At a 0.27 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
PLUG vs. CAT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, PLUG achieves a 63.20% return, which is significantly higher than CAT's 58.52% return. Over the past 10 years, PLUG has underperformed CAT with an annualized return of 5.29%, while CAT has yielded a comparatively higher 30.90% annualized return.
PLUG
- 1D
- -10.69%
- 1M
- -2.87%
- YTD
- 63.20%
- 6M
- 46.14%
- 1Y
- 268.90%
- 3Y*
- -29.15%
- 5Y*
- -36.27%
- 10Y*
- 5.29%
CAT
- 1D
- -3.85%
- 1M
- -2.44%
- YTD
- 58.52%
- 6M
- 50.56%
- 1Y
- 161.94%
- 3Y*
- 61.01%
- 5Y*
- 32.30%
- 10Y*
- 30.90%
PLUG vs. CAT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PLUG Plug Power Inc. | 63.20% | -7.51% | -52.67% | -63.62% | -56.18% | -16.75% | 973.10% | 154.84% | -47.46% | 96.67% |
CAT Caterpillar Inc. | 58.52% | 60.30% | 24.66% | 25.95% | 18.60% | 15.95% | 26.97% | 19.51% | -17.56% | 75.03% |
Correlation
The correlation between PLUG and CAT is 0.33, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.33 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.35 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.35 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.30 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 1, 1999 | 0.27 |
Fundamentals
PLUG:
$4.47B
CAT:
$421.21B
PLUG:
-$1.39
CAT:
$20.07
PLUG:
5.25
CAT:
6.00
PLUG:
5.96
CAT:
22.57
PLUG:
$739.76M
CAT:
$70.76B
PLUG:
-$189.79M
CAT:
$23.01B
PLUG:
-$745.89M
CAT:
$15.31B
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Return for Risk
PLUG vs. CAT — Risk / Return Rank
PLUG
CAT
PLUG vs. CAT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Plug Power Inc. (PLUG) 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.
| PLUG | CAT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -2.33 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.09 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.36 | 1.69 | -0.32 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 4.78 | 11.74 | -6.96 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 8.14 | 38.98 | -30.84 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| PLUG | CAT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.43 | 4.76 | -2.33 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.38 | 1.06 | -1.44 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.06 | 1.00 | -0.94 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | -0.14 | 0.35 | -0.49 |
Drawdowns
PLUG vs. CAT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum PLUG drawdown since its inception was -99.99%, which is greater than CAT's maximum drawdown of -73.43%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PLUG and CAT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| PLUG | CAT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -99.99% | -73.43% | -26.56% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -56.66% | -13.88% | -42.78% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -94.69% | -34.05% | -60.64% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -98.43% | -34.05% | -64.38% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -99.04% | -43.36% | -55.68% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -99.79% | -3.85% | -95.94% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -96.23% | -19.74% | -76.49% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 33.20% | 4.17% | +29.03% |
Volatility
PLUG vs. CAT - Volatility Comparison
Plug Power Inc. (PLUG) has a higher volatility of 31.05% compared to Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) at 11.26%. This indicates that PLUG'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
| PLUG | CAT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 31.05% | 11.26% | +19.79% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 63.41% | 27.35% | +36.06% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 111.54% | 34.24% | +77.30% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 94.53% | 30.67% | +63.86% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 89.44% | 30.88% | +58.56% |
Dividends
PLUG vs. CAT - Dividend Comparison
PLUG has not paid dividends to shareholders, while CAT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.67%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAT Caterpillar Inc. | 0.67% | 1.02% | 1.49% | 1.69% | 1.93% | 2.07% | 2.26% | 2.56% | 2.58% | 1.97% | 3.32% | 4.33% |
PLUG Plug Power Inc. | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Financials
PLUG vs. CAT - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Plug Power 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
Frequently Asked Questions
PLUG and CAT have a correlation of 0.33, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
PLUG has higher volatility (31.05%) compared to CAT (11.26%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PLUG dropped -99.99% vs CAT's -73.43%.
CAT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (4.76 vs 2.43), 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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