Will Caterpillar’s Top Institutional Shareholders Sell More From Economic Conditions?

For the year-to-date, Caterpillar Inc.’s (NYSE:CAT) shares are down 8.76 percent. On Monday, the company’s stock fell its greatest amount in almost two months thanks to a slowing in mine investment and manufacturing in the U.S. and China.

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Its shares dropped 3.1 percent to $82.66, representing the greatest decline in Dow Jones Industrial Average.

Ted Grace, a Susquehanna Financial Group analyst said that Caterpillar is “a barometer for the perception of global growth. People look at the data points and they are starting to pile up.”

With its declining share price amid tough economic conditions, will Caterpillar’s largest shareholders decrease their holdings? 1309 institutional firms indicated owning shares of Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT) in Q2 2012. These firms reported owning a total of 448.602 million shares on 06/30/2012. The shares closed at $84.37 on 06/30/2012.

Here are the ten largest positions in Caterpillar Inc. at the end of June 30th, 2012.

State Street Corp held 72,197,731 shares on 06/30/2012 worth $6,130,309,604. This brought the portfolio total to 0.97%.

Vanguard Group Inc held 31,806,574 shares on 06/30/2012 worth $2,700,696,315. This brought the portfolio total to 0.37%.

State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co held 19,707,800 shares on 06/30/2012 worth $1,673,389,370. This brought the portfolio total to 3.46%.

Blackrock Institutional Trust Company N.A. held 16,392,461 shares on 06/30/2012 worth $1,391,883,924. This brought the portfolio total to 0.33%.

Bank of New York Mellon Corp held 10,626,343 shares on 06/30/2012 worth $902,282,823. This brought the portfolio total to 0.35%.

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust held 10,090,400 shares on 06/30/2012 worth $856,775,901. This brought the portfolio total to 5.48%.

Northern Trust Corp held 9,413,663 shares on 06/30/2012 worth $799,314,160. This brought the portfolio total to 0.35%.

FMR LLC held 9,166,129 shares on 06/30/2012 worth $778,296,047. This brought the portfolio total to 0.15%.

JPMorgan Chase & Co held 5,242,818 shares on 06/30/2012 worth $445,167,696. This brought the portfolio total to 0.17%.

Primecap Management Co/CA/ held 5,219,013 shares on 06/30/2012 worth $443,146,413. This brought the portfolio total to 0.76%.

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