Caterpillar stock today: CAT slips into New Year holiday as AI data-center power theme stays in focus

Caterpillar stock today: CAT slips into New Year holiday as AI data-center power theme stays in focus

NEW YORK, January 1, 2026, 16:11 ET — Market closed.

  • Caterpillar shares last closed down 0.8% at $572.87 in the year’s final session on Dec. 31. 1
  • U.S. equity markets were shut Thursday for the New Year’s Day holiday after Wall Street ended 2025 lower. 2
  • Investors are tracking whether AI-driven demand for on-site power generation can keep lifting Caterpillar’s fastest-growing businesses into 2026. 3

Caterpillar (CAT) shares last closed down 0.8% at $572.87 on Dec. 31, and U.S. stock markets were closed Thursday for the New Year’s Day holiday. 1

The machinery maker is a bellwether — a stock investors use to gauge the broader economy — because its sales tend to rise and fall with construction, mining and energy investment. That role is back in focus as 2026 begins after a volatile year for cyclicals.

What matters now is the split in Caterpillar’s drivers. Traditional demand from construction and mining remains sensitive to interest rates, while a newer tailwind has emerged from power equipment tied to artificial intelligence data centers. 4

On Dec. 31, the Dow fell 0.63% and the S&P 500 slid 0.74% in thin holiday trade, Reuters reported, giving Caterpillar little help from the broader tape. 2

The Wall Street Journal reported this week that data-center developers are increasingly turning to on-site generation to sidestep grid constraints, lifting demand for large generators and related equipment — a trend that has pulled Caterpillar into the AI infrastructure conversation. 3

Caterpillar’s latest quarterly results underscore why the market is watching that shift. The company reported that Energy & Transportation sales rose 17% year-on-year to $8.397 billion in the third quarter of 2025, topping its construction and resource industries segments in that period. 5

Mizuho analyst Jordan Klein pointed to the scale of the opportunity, writing: “We are not talking small generators you put next to the house.” 4

The Journal also cited Cummins and GE Vernova as other beneficiaries of data-center power spending, highlighting a competitive set that spans engines, turbines and grid equipment. 3

Caterpillar has been investing to expand supply. It announced a $725 million expansion of its large engine facility in Lafayette, Indiana in October, part of a push to increase engine production. 6

Income investors also have a near-term date on the calendar. Caterpillar’s next quarterly dividend is $1.51 a share, with an ex-dividend date of Jan. 20 — the cutoff date after which buyers typically no longer receive the upcoming payment — and a payable date of Feb. 19, according to the company’s dividend history. 7

Before next session:

When Wall Street reopens Friday, traders will parse U.S. initial jobless claims at 8:30 a.m. ET and construction spending at 10:00 a.m. ET, both closely watched for signals on labor conditions and building activity that can influence demand for heavy equipment. 8

Next week brings more macro read-through for industrial names, including the ISM manufacturing survey on Jan. 5 and the U.S. employment report on Jan. 9, according to official calendars. 8

Two company-specific waypoints follow quickly: Caterpillar CEO Joseph Creed is scheduled to deliver a keynote at CES on Jan. 7, and investors are also looking ahead to late-January earnings season, with third-party calendars widely pointing to a report around Jan. 29. 9

Technically, Caterpillar enters 2026 about 3% below its Oct. 29 record high near $592, leaving traders watching whether the stock can hold recent gains as the market tests how durable the data-center power narrative proves in orders and margins. 10

Stock Market Today

GSK share price set for Monday watch after EU clears Nucala COPD use

GSK share price set for Monday watch after EU clears Nucala COPD use

7 February 2026
GSK shares closed Friday up 0.83% at a 52-week high after the EU approved Nucala for certain uncontrolled COPD patients. Insider filings showed chairman Jonathan Symonds bought 2,500 shares while executive David Redfern sold 100,000. The FTSE 100 rose 0.6%. Broker ratings on GSK remained mixed.
Aye Finance IPO: Rs 454-crore anchor haul follows valuation cut below last round

Aye Finance IPO: Rs 454-crore anchor haul follows valuation cut below last round

7 February 2026
Aye Finance raised Rs 454.5 crore from 19 anchor investors ahead of its Feb 9 IPO, pricing shares at the top of a Rs 122–129 range. The company’s profit fell 40% to Rs 64.3 crore in the six months to September as bad loans rose to 4.85%. The IPO values Aye at about Rs 3,200 crore, below its last private round. Major investors include Nippon Life India and Goldman Sachs funds.
Carvana stock dips to $422 as 2025 ends lower — what CVNA investors watch next
Previous Story

Carvana stock dips to $422 as 2025 ends lower — what CVNA investors watch next

Corcept Therapeutics stock tanks on FDA relacorilant setback — what happens next for CORT
Next Story

Corcept Therapeutics stock tanks on FDA relacorilant setback — what happens next for CORT

Go toTop