Caterpillar(CAT) ZACKS·2025-04-29 16:51Industry Overview - The Zacks Manufacturing - Construction and Mining industry is positioned to benefit from increased infrastructure investment in the U.S. and strong demand from the mining sector driven by the energy transition trend [1][5] - The industry includes companies that manufacture and sell construction, mining, and utility equipment, supporting various sectors such as oil and gas, power generation, and industrial applications [3] Current Trends - The U.S. manufacturing sector showed resilience in early 2025, with a manufacturing index reading of 50.9% in January and 50.3% in February, indicating expansion, although it dipped to 49% in March due to tariff concerns [4] - Industrial production increased at an annual rate of 5.5% in Q1 2025, despite a 0.3% decline in March [4] - The energy transition trend is expected to drive demand for mining equipment as the shift from fossil fuels to zero emissions requires more commodities [5] Financial Performance - The Manufacturing - Construction and Mining industry has underperformed compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite, declining 12.8% over the past year, while the S&P 500 rose 8.2% [10] - The industry is currently trading at a forward 12-month EV/EBITDA ratio of 10.11, lower than the S&P 500's 12.88 and the Industrial Products sector's 19.30 [11] Company Highlights - Komatsu: Reported a 6.2% increase in fiscal 2024 consolidated net sales, driven by higher demand for mining equipment, and targets business growth above industry levels with a return on equity (ROE) target of over 10% [18][19] - Hitachi Construction Machinery: Achieved a fiscal 2025 revenue target of 300 billion JPY from the Americas, focusing on value-chain businesses and digital technologies [22][23] - Caterpillar: Holds a substantial backlog of $30 billion, with long-term demand supported by increased infrastructure spending and a shift toward clean energy, despite a 19.6% decline in shares over the past six months [26][27]