Acropolis Investment Management LLC Sells 60 Shares of Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE:ROK)

Acropolis Investment Management LLC trimmed its stake in Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE:ROK) by 2.5% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 2,383 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after selling 60 shares during the period. Acropolis Investment Management LLC’s holdings in Rockwell Automation were worth $681,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Prospera Financial Services Inc increased its holdings in Rockwell Automation by 0.9% in the 3rd quarter. Prospera Financial Services Inc now owns 4,033 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $1,083,000 after buying an additional 37 shares during the period. Great Valley Advisor Group Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Rockwell Automation by 2.2% during the third quarter. Great Valley Advisor Group Inc. now owns 1,928 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $518,000 after purchasing an additional 42 shares during the last quarter. Second Line Capital LLC lifted its position in Rockwell Automation by 5.1% during the second quarter. Second Line Capital LLC now owns 963 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $265,000 after purchasing an additional 47 shares during the period. Richardson Financial Services Inc. boosted its holdings in Rockwell Automation by 100.0% in the third quarter. Richardson Financial Services Inc. now owns 96 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 48 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Moran Wealth Management LLC grew its position in Rockwell Automation by 2.1% during the 3rd quarter. Moran Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,342 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $629,000 after purchasing an additional 48 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 75.75% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity at Rockwell Automation

In other news, VP John M. Miller sold 467 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $284.07, for a total transaction of $132,660.69. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 4,800 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,363,536. The trade was a 8.87 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, SVP Veena M. Lakkundi sold 579 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $266.86, for a total transaction of $154,511.94. Following the sale, the senior vice president now owns 4,576 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,221,151.36. The trade was a 11.23 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 36,436 shares of company stock valued at $10,832,549. 0.68% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Rockwell Automation Trading Up 0.5 %

Shares of ROK opened at $276.84 on Wednesday. Rockwell Automation, Inc. has a 52-week low of $242.81 and a 52-week high of $307.71. The stock has a market cap of $31.29 billion, a PE ratio of 33.43, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.12 and a beta of 1.36. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $287.86 and its two-hundred day moving average is $274.04. The company has a quick ratio of 0.72, a current ratio of 1.08 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.70.

Rockwell Automation (NYSE:ROK) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 7th. The industrial products company reported $2.47 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.40 by $0.07. Rockwell Automation had a net margin of 11.53% and a return on equity of 30.42%. The firm had revenue of $2.04 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.06 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $3.64 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was down 20.6% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts forecast that Rockwell Automation, Inc. will post 9.37 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Rockwell Automation Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 10th. Stockholders of record on Monday, November 18th were given a $1.31 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, November 18th. This is a positive change from Rockwell Automation’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.25. This represents a $5.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.89%. Rockwell Automation’s dividend payout ratio is 63.29%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Bank of America boosted their price objective on Rockwell Automation from $270.00 to $285.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, October 17th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on Rockwell Automation from $293.00 to $305.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, October 7th. Mizuho boosted their target price on shares of Rockwell Automation from $245.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 17th. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on shares of Rockwell Automation from $320.00 to $335.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, November 15th. Finally, HSBC upgraded shares of Rockwell Automation from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $355.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Wednesday, December 11th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Rockwell Automation currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $300.89.

About Rockwell Automation

Rockwell Automation, Inc provides industrial automation and digital transformation solutions in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific, and Latin America. The company operates through three segments, Intelligent Devices, Software & Control, and Lifecycle Services. Its solutions include hardware and software products and services.