JFS Wealth Advisors LLC Reduces Stake in Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE:ROK)

JFS Wealth Advisors LLC cut its holdings in shares of Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE:ROK) by 6.5% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 701 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after selling 49 shares during the quarter. JFS Wealth Advisors LLC’s holdings in Rockwell Automation were worth $200,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the business. Prospera Financial Services Inc raised 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 valued at $1,083,000 after buying an additional 37 shares during the period. Bank Pictet & Cie Europe AG boosted its stake in Rockwell Automation by 0.9% during the fourth quarter. Bank Pictet & Cie Europe AG now owns 4,195 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $1,199,000 after buying an additional 38 shares during the period. Fortitude Advisory Group L.L.C. boosted its stake in Rockwell Automation by 3.8% during the fourth quarter. Fortitude Advisory Group L.L.C. now owns 1,082 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $309,000 after buying an additional 40 shares during the period. Great Valley Advisor Group Inc. increased its position 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 valued at $518,000 after acquiring an additional 42 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Richardson Financial Services Inc. raised its stake in shares of Rockwell Automation by 100.0% in the 3rd quarter. Richardson Financial Services Inc. now owns 96 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 48 shares during the period. 75.75% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Buying and Selling at Rockwell Automation

In other Rockwell Automation news, SVP Cyril Perducat sold 1,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $300.00, for a total transaction of $300,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 3,630 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,089,000. This trade represents a 21.60 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CEO Blake D. Moret sold 26,700 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, November 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $298.63, for a total value of $7,973,421.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 78,115 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $23,327,482.45. This trade represents a 25.47 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 36,240 shares of company stock valued at $10,800,555. 0.68% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price objective on shares of Rockwell Automation from $257.00 to $290.00 and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 11th. Stephens raised Rockwell Automation from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $275.00 to $350.00 in a research note on Thursday, January 16th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on Rockwell Automation from $315.00 to $337.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 11th. Oppenheimer lifted their target price on Rockwell Automation from $300.00 to $320.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 11th. Finally, Morgan Stanley increased their price target on shares of Rockwell Automation from $335.00 to $345.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 12th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Rockwell Automation presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $308.05.

Rockwell Automation Stock Performance

NYSE ROK opened at $294.81 on Tuesday. Rockwell Automation, Inc. has a 1 year low of $242.81 and a 1 year high of $308.70. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.70, a current ratio of 1.08 and a quick ratio of 0.72. The company has a market capitalization of $33.32 billion, a PE ratio of 35.61, a P/E/G ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 1.35. The company has a fifty day moving average of $286.25 and a two-hundred day moving average of $275.95.

Rockwell Automation (NYSE:ROK) last announced its earnings results on Monday, February 10th. The industrial products company reported $1.83 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.61 by $0.22. Rockwell Automation had a net margin of 11.53% and a return on equity of 30.42%. As a group, analysts expect that Rockwell Automation, Inc. will post 9.32 earnings per share for the current year.

Rockwell Automation Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 10th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 18th will be paid a dividend of $1.31 per share. This represents a $5.24 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.78%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, February 18th. Rockwell Automation’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 63.29%.

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.