Computed head-to-head · 6 dimensions

CAT vs GE

Caterpillar Inc. versus GE Aerospace — yield, safety, growth trend, cost, scale, and tax treatment.

CAT wins 2–1 on our six-dimension comparison, but GE can still be the better fit depending on your priorities — see each dimension below.

Scorecard at a glance

Dimension	CAT	GE	Winner
Yield	0.69%	0.66%	Tie
Dividend safety	8.8/10	7.1/10	CAT wins
Growth trend	-1.03% vs 5y	+0.27% vs 5y	CAT wins
Volatility (beta)	1.60	1.43	GE wins
Scale	$440.3B	$297.3B	Tie
Tax efficiency	Qualified-eligible	Qualified-eligible	Tie
Overall	2 wins	1 wins	CAT wins

Dimension by dimension

CAT and GE have nearly identical yields (0.69% vs 0.66%)

Yields are within 5 basis points — effectively a coin-flip on income.

CAT: 0.69%GE: 0.66%

CAT wins on safety (8.8/10 vs 7.1/10)

Our score combines yield zone, payout ratio, trend vs 5-year average, instrument type, and size. CAT scores better on the weighted average of those factors.

CAT: 8.8/10GE: 7.1/10

CAT shows healthier dividend-vs-price trend

CAT's yield is 1.03% below its 5y average, versus 0.27% for GE. Lower (or below-average) yield trend often means price appreciation outpaced distributions — a healthier signal.

CAT: -1.03% vs 5yGE: +0.27% vs 5y

GE is less volatile (beta 1.43 vs 1.60)

Lower beta means smaller swings vs the S&P 500 — generally a steadier hold for income investors.

CAT: 1.60GE: 1.43

Comparable scale ($440.3B vs $297.3B)

Within 1.5x of each other on market cap / AUM — similar institutional footprint.

CAT: $440.3BGE: $297.3B

Both pay qualified-dividend-eligible distributions

Neither is structurally flagged for ordinary-income tax treatment. Most distributions should qualify for the lower long-term capital gains rate if holding-period requirements are met.

CAT: Qualified-eligibleGE: Qualified-eligible

How we compare these

Every comparison on this page is computed from current public data, not written by hand. Yield comes from the most recent dividend distribution annualized over current price. Safety scores combine yield zone, payout ratio, trend vs 5-year average, instrument type, and size — see our methodology for the exact formula. Tax-efficiency flags identify covered-call ETFs, REITs, and mREITs which distribute primarily as ordinary income.

This is educational, not investment advice.Scores reflect a snapshot of public data on the "as of" dates shown on each ticker's safety page. Verify on the issuer's investor relations page or your brokerage before making decisions.

Frequently asked

Which is better, CAT or GE?

CAT wins 2–1 on our six-dimension comparison, but GE can still be the better fit depending on your priorities — see each dimension below.

Does CAT or GE have a higher yield?

Yields are within 5 basis points — effectively a coin-flip on income.

Is CAT or GE a safer dividend?

CAT scores 8.8/10 (Strong) on the Infnits dividend safety scale. GE scores 7.1/10 (Solid). See the safety dimension above for what drove each score.

Should I own both CAT and GE?

It depends on overlap. Two ETFs in similar categories often hold many of the same companies — owning both can mean paying two expense ratios for similar exposure. Check the underlying holdings before stacking.

Already own CAT or GE? See if the other adds anything.

Connect your brokerage and Infnits checks whether adding CAT to your existing portfolio actually diversifies — or just duplicates exposure (ETF look-through included).

Check overlap with my portfolio →