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ROK Q1 Earnings Surpass Estimates, Decline Y/Y on Low Volumes
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Rockwell Automation Inc. (ROK - Free Report) reported adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.83 in first-quarter fiscal 2025 (ended Dec. 31, 2024), which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.61. The bottom line fell 10% year over year on a lower sales volume, somewhat offset by benefits from ROK’s cost reduction and margin expansion actions.
Find the latest earnings estimates and surprises on Zacks Earnings Calendar.
Including one-time items, ROK's earnings were $1.61 per share in the fiscal first quarter compared with the prior-year quarter’s $1.86.
Rockwell Automation, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
ROK’s total revenues were $1.88 billion, down 8% from the prior-year quarter. The top line surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.87 billion. Organic sales were down 7.6% year over year. We expected organic sales to decline 7.4% in the quarter.
ROK’s Margin Performance in Q1
The cost of sales decreased 8% year over year to $1.16 billion. The gross profit fell 9% year over year to $722 million. Selling, general and administrative expenses moved down 7% year over year to $476 million.
Consolidated segment operating income totaled $321 million, down 9.8% from the prior-year quarter. The total segment operating margin was 17.1%, lower than the prior-year period’s 17.3%. The decline was due to lower sales volume, partially negated by gains from cost-reduction actions.
Rockwell Automation’s Segmental Results in Q1
Intelligent Devices: Net sales amounted to $806 million , down 13% year over year. The reported figure missed our estimate of $823 million.
The segment’s operating earnings totaled $120 million compared with the year-earlier quarter’s $150 million. We predicted the segment’s operating earnings to be $110.7 million. The segment’s operating margin decreased to 14.9% from the year-ago quarter’s 16.2%. The decline was due to lower sales volume, partially offset by the gains from cost reduction and margin expansion actions.
Software & Control: Net sales plunged 34% year over year to $529 million. Reported sales surpassed our estimate of $502 million.
The segment’s operating earnings declined 12% year over year to $133 million. We predicted segmental operating earnings of $102.9 million. The segment’s operating margin was 25.1% compared with 18.8% in the year-earlier quarter. The benefits from cost reduction and margin expansion actions, and positive price/cost were somewhat offset by lower sales volume.
Lifecycle Services: Net sales for the segment were $546 million, up 5% year over year. We projected the segment’s sales to be $576 million. The segment’s operating earnings totaled $68 million compared with the prior-year quarter’s $55 million.
Our estimate for the segment’s operating earnings was $77.7 million. The segment’s operating margin was 12.5% compared with the year-earlier quarter’s 10.6%, reflecting gains from cost reduction and margin expansion actions and higher sales volume.
Rockwell Automation’s Cash Position & Balance Sheet Updates
At the end of the first quarter of fiscal 2025, cash and cash equivalents were $0.47 billion, flat compared with the end of fiscal 2023. The long-term debt was $2.56 billion at the end of the quarter, unchanged from the fiscal 2023-end figure.
Cash flow from operations in the first quarter of fiscal 2025 was $364 million compared with the prior-year quarter’s $33 million. Return on invested capital was 14.5% as of Dec. 3, 2024.
In the first quarter, ROK repurchased 0.4 million shares for $99 million. As of the end of the quarter, $1.2 billion was available under the existing share-repurchase authorization.
ROK’s FY25 Guidance
The company updated its reported sales growth range to a decline of 5.5% to growth of 0.5%. It had earlier projected a decline of 4% to 2% growth in sales. The revised guidance includes a negative foreign currency impact of 1.5%. Organic sales growth range is maintained at a decline of 4% to growth of 2%.
Rockwell Automation expects adjusted EPS to be in the band of $8.60-$9.80 for fiscal 2025. The mid-point indicates a year-over-year dip of 5%.
Rockwell Automation’s Price Performance
In the past year, ROK shares have lost 4.4% compared with the industry’s 32.3% decline.
Recent Performance of Electronics - Miscellaneous Product Stocks
Flex Ltd. (FLEX - Free Report) reported third-quarter fiscal 2025 (ended Dec. 31, 2024) adjusted EPS of 77 cents, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 20.3%. The bottom line compared favorably with 54 cents per share in the prior-year quarter.
Flex’s revenues increased 2.1% year over year to $6.6 billion. Also, it beat the consensus mark by 5.5%. The uptick was driven by strong demand across its data center, medical device and consumer-focused portfolios.
KLA Corporation (KLAC - Free Report) reported second-quarter fiscal 2025 (ended Dec. 31, 2024) adjusted earnings of $8.20 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 6.08%. The figure jumped 11.9% year over year.
KLA’s revenues increased 23.7% year over year to $3.08 billion, surpassing the consensus estimate by 4.88%.
The Timken Company (TKR - Free Report) reported fourth-quarter 2024 adjusted EPS of $1.16, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 97 cents. The bottom line, however, marked a 15% year-over-year decline reflecting lower end-market demand in Europe and unfavorable foreign currency translation, partially offset by the benefit of acquisitions.
Total revenues were $1.07 billion, down 1.6% from the year-ago quarter. The top line beat the consensus estimate of $1.06 billion. Organically, sales were down 2.6%.
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ROK Q1 Earnings Surpass Estimates, Decline Y/Y on Low Volumes
Rockwell Automation Inc. (ROK - Free Report) reported adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.83 in first-quarter fiscal 2025 (ended Dec. 31, 2024), which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.61. The bottom line fell 10% year over year on a lower sales volume, somewhat offset by benefits from ROK’s cost reduction and margin expansion actions.
Find the latest earnings estimates and surprises on Zacks Earnings Calendar.
Including one-time items, ROK's earnings were $1.61 per share in the fiscal first quarter compared with the prior-year quarter’s $1.86.
Rockwell Automation, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Rockwell Automation, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Rockwell Automation, Inc. Quote
ROK’s total revenues were $1.88 billion, down 8% from the prior-year quarter. The top line surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.87 billion. Organic sales were down 7.6% year over year. We expected organic sales to decline 7.4% in the quarter.
ROK’s Margin Performance in Q1
The cost of sales decreased 8% year over year to $1.16 billion. The gross profit fell 9% year over year to $722 million. Selling, general and administrative expenses moved down 7% year over year to $476 million.
Consolidated segment operating income totaled $321 million, down 9.8% from the prior-year quarter. The total segment operating margin was 17.1%, lower than the prior-year period’s 17.3%. The decline was due to lower sales volume, partially negated by gains from cost-reduction actions.
Rockwell Automation’s Segmental Results in Q1
Intelligent Devices: Net sales amounted to $806 million , down 13% year over year. The reported figure missed our estimate of $823 million.
The segment’s operating earnings totaled $120 million compared with the year-earlier quarter’s $150 million. We predicted the segment’s operating earnings to be $110.7 million. The segment’s operating margin decreased to 14.9% from the year-ago quarter’s 16.2%. The decline was due to lower sales volume, partially offset by the gains from cost reduction and margin expansion actions.
Software & Control: Net sales plunged 34% year over year to $529 million. Reported sales surpassed our estimate of $502 million.
The segment’s operating earnings declined 12% year over year to $133 million. We predicted segmental operating earnings of $102.9 million. The segment’s operating margin was 25.1% compared with 18.8% in the year-earlier quarter. The benefits from cost reduction and margin expansion actions, and positive price/cost were somewhat offset by lower sales volume.
Lifecycle Services: Net sales for the segment were $546 million, up 5% year over year. We projected the segment’s sales to be $576 million. The segment’s operating earnings totaled $68 million compared with the prior-year quarter’s $55 million.
Our estimate for the segment’s operating earnings was $77.7 million. The segment’s operating margin was 12.5% compared with the year-earlier quarter’s 10.6%, reflecting gains from cost reduction and margin expansion actions and higher sales volume.
Rockwell Automation’s Cash Position & Balance Sheet Updates
At the end of the first quarter of fiscal 2025, cash and cash equivalents were $0.47 billion, flat compared with the end of fiscal 2023. The long-term debt was $2.56 billion at the end of the quarter, unchanged from the fiscal 2023-end figure.
Cash flow from operations in the first quarter of fiscal 2025 was $364 million compared with the prior-year quarter’s $33 million. Return on invested capital was 14.5% as of Dec. 3, 2024.
In the first quarter, ROK repurchased 0.4 million shares for $99 million. As of the end of the quarter, $1.2 billion was available under the existing share-repurchase authorization.
ROK’s FY25 Guidance
The company updated its reported sales growth range to a decline of 5.5% to growth of 0.5%. It had earlier projected a decline of 4% to 2% growth in sales. The revised guidance includes a negative foreign currency impact of 1.5%. Organic sales growth range is maintained at a decline of 4% to growth of 2%.
Rockwell Automation expects adjusted EPS to be in the band of $8.60-$9.80 for fiscal 2025. The mid-point indicates a year-over-year dip of 5%.
Rockwell Automation’s Price Performance
In the past year, ROK shares have lost 4.4% compared with the industry’s 32.3% decline.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
ROK’s Zacks Rank
Rockwell Automation currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Recent Performance of Electronics - Miscellaneous Product Stocks
Flex Ltd. (FLEX - Free Report) reported third-quarter fiscal 2025 (ended Dec. 31, 2024) adjusted EPS of 77 cents, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 20.3%. The bottom line compared favorably with 54 cents per share in the prior-year quarter.
Flex’s revenues increased 2.1% year over year to $6.6 billion. Also, it beat the consensus mark by 5.5%. The uptick was driven by strong demand across its data center, medical device and consumer-focused portfolios.
KLA Corporation (KLAC - Free Report) reported second-quarter fiscal 2025 (ended Dec. 31, 2024) adjusted earnings of $8.20 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 6.08%. The figure jumped 11.9% year over year.
KLA’s revenues increased 23.7% year over year to $3.08 billion, surpassing the consensus estimate by 4.88%.
The Timken Company (TKR - Free Report) reported fourth-quarter 2024 adjusted EPS of $1.16, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 97 cents. The bottom line, however, marked a 15% year-over-year decline reflecting lower end-market demand in Europe and unfavorable foreign currency translation, partially offset by the benefit of acquisitions.
Total revenues were $1.07 billion, down 1.6% from the year-ago quarter. The top line beat the consensus estimate of $1.06 billion. Organically, sales were down 2.6%.