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Rockwell Automation (ROK) Gains But Lags Market: What You Should Know

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In the latest trading session, Rockwell Automation (ROK - Free Report) closed at $290.47, marking a +0.06% move from the previous day. This move lagged the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.63%. At the same time, the Dow added 0.59%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq gained 0.39%.

Heading into today, shares of the industrial equipment and software maker had lost 2.21% over the past month, outpacing the Industrial Products sector's loss of 5.41% and the S&P 500's loss of 3.39% in that time.

Market participants will be closely following the financial results of Rockwell Automation in its upcoming release. The company's upcoming EPS is projected at $3.48, signifying a 14.47% increase compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Meanwhile, our latest consensus estimate is calling for revenue of $2.43 billion, up 14.51% from the prior-year quarter.

Investors should also take note of any recent adjustments to analyst estimates for Rockwell Automation. Such recent modifications usually signify the changing landscape of near-term business trends. With this in mind, we can consider positive estimate revisions a sign of optimism about the company's business outlook.

Our research reveals that these estimate alterations are directly linked with the stock price performance in the near future. To exploit this, we've formed the Zacks Rank, a quantitative model that includes these estimate changes and presents a viable rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, which varies between #1 (Strong Buy) and #5 (Strong Sell), carries an impressive track record of exceeding expectations, confirmed by external audits, with stocks at #1 delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988. The Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 0.24% lower within the past month. Rockwell Automation is holding a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold) right now.

Valuation is also important, so investors should note that Rockwell Automation has a Forward P/E ratio of 21.96 right now. This expresses a discount compared to the average Forward P/E of 26.73 of its industry.

One should further note that ROK currently holds a PEG ratio of 1.85. The PEG ratio bears resemblance to the frequently used P/E ratio, but this parameter also includes the company's expected earnings growth trajectory. Industrial Automation and Robotics stocks are, on average, holding a PEG ratio of 5.94 based on yesterday's closing prices.

The Industrial Automation and Robotics industry is part of the Industrial Products sector. With its current Zacks Industry Rank of 105, this industry ranks in the top 42% of all industries, numbering over 250.

The Zacks Industry Rank evaluates the power of our distinct industry groups by determining the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks forming the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

Remember to apply Zacks.com to follow these and more stock-moving metrics during the upcoming trading sessions.


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