Rockwell Automation (NYSE:ROK) just pulled off an earnings beat, and investors are loving it. Shares popped over 13.7% as of 3pm today, after the company reported adjusted earnings per share of $1.83blowing past the $1.58 analysts expected. Revenue dipped 8.4% year-over-year to $1.88 billion, slightly missing estimates, but cost-cutting efforts paid off, cushioning the impact of weaker sales volume. CEO Blake Moret acknowledged ongoing macro uncertainty affecting customer spending but highlighted strong order growth and successful margin expansion initiatives.
Despite the upbeat profit numbers, Rockwell trimmed its full-year sales forecast, now expecting revenue to shrink as much as 5.5% or grow by a modest 0.5%. Orders, however, jumped 10% year-over-year, with major deals locked in across key industries. Software & Control and Intelligent Devices took a hit, down 12% and 13% respectively, while Lifecycle Services defied the trend with 5% growth. On the cash flow front, the company flipped from a $35 million outflow last year to $293 million in free cash flow this quarter, thanks to tighter cost controls and skipping incentive compensation payouts.
Looking ahead, Moret sees a gradual rebound in sales and margins through the year as operational efficiencies kick in. Tariffs and broader economic uncertainty remain wild cards, but Rockwell's strategic positioning in U.S. manufacturing keeps it in the game. Investors took notice, making Rockwell one of the S&P 500's biggest winners of the day.
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