(NYSE: CAT) is an economic bellwether, given its leadership in heavy machinery for key sectors like construction, mining, and energy. It's a cyclical stock, but you might be surprised by the kind of money its patient investors have made. Caterpillar stock has crushed the Dow Jones Industrial Average over time, whether you look back three, five, or 10 years.

The Dow Jones is an iconic index that's considered a barometer for the overall stock market's performance. It's comprised of 30 blue chip stocks, including Caterpillar.

If you'd invested $10,000 in Caterpillar stock five years ago, your money would be worth nearly $29,000, including dividends, as of this writing. In other words, you'd have nearly tripled your money in just five years. In comparison, an investment of $10,000 in the Dow Jones index would have been worth around $16,500 today.

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Source Fool.com