Caterpillar was founded in 1925. But it is having a moment in the AI age.
Shares of the company have climbed to record levels in recent weeks, pushing its market capitalization sharply higher—from $270 billion at the end of 2025 to about $347 billion as of Feb. 10. The stock, which has roughly doubled over the past 12 months to an all-time high of $742, has vastly outperformed such tech behemoths as Apple (up 20%) and Microsoft (up about 1%). And investors are betting that Caterpillar’s growing exposure to data centers, energy infrastructure, and AI-related demand hasn’t peaked yet. In fact, over the past 12 months, Caterpillar has ranked as the No. 1 best performer in the Dow.
