CAT
$845.42+2.31%
as of close, Oct 2, 2026
☾ AH $845.42 +2.31%
Caterpillar Inc.Stock · IndustrialsDow Jones 9.2%S&P 500 0.8%Russell 1000 0.7%US Stock Market 0.7%Russell 3000 0.7%MSCI World 0.4%MSCI ACWI 0.4%S&P 500 Equal Weight 0.2%
Caterpillar Inc. returns by year
As of market close, Oct 2, 2026
Caterpillar Inc. returns by year (1971–2026)#
Calendar-year returns with each year's path and its dividend contribution (dividend return = total minus price return). Every year has a direct link you can bookmark or share.
| Year | Start price | End price | Path | Dividend | Total return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | $572.87 | $845.42 | 0.9% | +48.5% | |
| 2025 | $362.76 | $572.87 | 2.4% | +60.3% | |
| 2024 | $295.67 | $362.76 | 2.0% | +24.7% | |
| 2023 | $239.56 | $295.67 | 2.5% | +25.9% | |
| 2022 | $206.74 | $239.56 | 2.7% | +18.6% | |
| 2021 | $182.02 | $206.74 | 2.4% | +16.0% | |
| 2020 | $147.68 | $182.02 | 3.7% | +27.0% | |
| 2019 | $127.07 | $147.68 | 3.3% | +19.5% | |
| 2018 | $157.58 | $127.07 | 1.8% | -17.6% | |
| 2017 | $92.74 | $157.58 | 5.1% | +75.0% | |
| 2016 | $67.96 | $92.74 | 5.6% | +42.1% | |
| 2015 | $91.53 | $67.96 | 2.8% | -23.0% | |
| 2014 | $90.81 | $91.53 | 2.7% | +3.5% | |
| 2013 | $89.61 | $90.81 | 2.1% | +3.4% | |
| 2012 | $90.60 | $89.61 | 2.7% | +1.6% | |
| 2011 | $93.66 | $90.60 | 1.8% | -1.5% | |
| 2010 | $56.99 | $93.66 | 4.2% | +68.5% | |
| 2009 | $44.67 | $56.99 | 5.6% | +33.2% | |
| 2008 | $72.56 | $44.67 | 1.9% | -36.5% | |
| 2007 | $61.33 | $72.56 | 2.2% | +20.5% | |
| 2006 | $57.77 | $61.33 | 1.7% | +7.9% | |
| 2005 | $48.76 | $57.77 | 2.2% | +20.7% | |
| 2004 | $41.51 | $48.76 | 2.3% | +19.7% | |
| 2003 | $22.86 | $41.51 | 4.6% | +86.1% | |
| 2002 | $26.13 | $22.86 | 2.7% | -9.8% | |
| 2001 | $23.66 | $26.13 | 3.2% | +13.6% | |
| 2000 | $23.53 | $23.66 | 3.6% | +4.1% | |
| 1999 | $23.00 | $23.53 | 2.4% | +4.7% | |
| 1998 | $24.25 | $23.00 | 2.1% | -3.1% | |
| 1997 | $18.81 | $24.25 | 2.4% | +31.3% | |
| 1996 | $14.69 | $18.81 | 3.0% | +31.1% | |
| 1995 | $13.78 | $14.69 | 1.7% | +8.3% | |
| 1994 | $11.13 | $13.78 | 0.0% | +23.9% | |
| 1993 | $6.70 | $11.13 | 0.0% | +66.0% | |
| 1992 | $5.48 | $6.70 | 0.0% | +22.2% | |
| 1991 | $5.88 | $5.48 | 0.0% | -6.7% | |
| 1990 | $7.23 | $5.88 | 0.0% | -18.8% | |
| 1989 | $7.95 | $7.23 | 0.0% | -9.0% | |
| 1988 | $7.75 | $7.95 | 0.0% | +2.6% | |
| 1987 | $5.02 | $7.75 | 0.0% | +54.5% | |
| 1986 | $5.25 | $5.02 | 0.0% | -4.5% | |
| 1985 | $3.88 | $5.25 | 0.0% | +35.5% | |
| 1984 | $5.91 | $3.88 | 0.0% | -34.4% | |
| 1983 | $5.02 | $5.91 | 0.0% | +17.8% | |
| 1982 | $6.94 | $5.02 | 0.0% | -27.7% | |
| 1981 | $7.25 | $6.94 | 0.0% | -4.3% | |
| 1980 | $6.75 | $7.25 | 0.0% | +7.4% | |
| 1979 | $7.34 | $6.75 | 0.0% | -8.1% | |
| 1978 | $6.86 | $7.34 | 0.0% | +7.1% | |
| 1977 | $7.25 | $6.86 | 0.0% | -5.4% | |
| 1976 | $5.81 | $7.25 | 0.0% | +24.7% | |
| 1975 | $4.04 | $5.81 | 0.0% | +43.8% | |
| 1974 | $5.58 | $4.04 | 0.0% | -27.6% | |
| 1973 | $5.54 | $5.58 | 0.0% | +0.8% | |
| 1972 | $3.94 | $5.54 | 0.0% | +40.7% | |
| 1971 | $3.56 | $3.94 | 0.0% | +10.5% |
- Annualized
- +12.0%
- 1971–2026
- Average year
- +14.3%
- 55 full years
- Best year
- +86.1%
- 2003
- Worst year
- -36.5%
- 2008
- Positive years
- 39/55
- 71% up
Annualized (CAGR)
+12.0%
1971–2026
Average year
+14.3%
55 full years
Best year
+86.1%
2003
Worst year
-36.5%
2008
Positive years
39/55
71% up
Total return by period#
Annual
-50%0%50%
1971+11%'71
1972+41%
1973+0.75%
1974-28%
1975+44%
1976+25%'76
1977-5.4%
1978+7.1%
1979-8.1%
1980+7.4%
1981-4.3%'81
1982-28%
1983+18%
1984-34%
1985+35%
1986-4.5%'86
1987+55%
1988+2.6%
1989-9.0%
1990-19%
1991-6.7%'91
1992+22%
1993+66%
1994+24%
1995+8.3%
1996+31%'96
1997+31%
1998-3.1%
1999+4.7%
2000+4.1%
2001+14%'01
2002-9.8%
2003+86%
2004+20%
2005+21%
2006+7.9%'06
2007+20%
2008-37%
2009+33%
2010+69%
2011-1.5%'11
2012+1.6%
2013+3.4%
2014+3.5%
2015-23%
2016+42%'16
2017+75%
2018-18%
2019+20%
2020+27%
2021+16%'21
2022+19%
2023+26%
2024+25%
2025+60%
2026+48%'26
Methodology#
Total returns, dividends reinvested, measured on CAT. Annualized return is the compound annual growth rate; the current year is year-to-date. Past performance does not predict future returns.
FAQ#
- What is Caterpillar Inc.'s average annual return?
- Since 1971, Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) has returned about 12.0% a year (the compound annual growth rate) and an average calendar-year return of 14.3%.
- What were Caterpillar Inc.'s best and worst years?
- Over 1971–2026, the best year was 2003 (+86.1%) and the worst was 2008 (-36.5%).
- How often is Caterpillar Inc. up in a year?
- 39 of the 55 full years since 1971 were positive — about 71% of the time.
More on Caterpillar Inc.
Annual returns for: S&P 500 · S&P 500 Equal Weight · US Stock Market · Nasdaq-100