Cognex Company Profile: History, Financials, Products, Leadership and Stock
Updated: 7 days ago
Cognex is an American machine vision company with revenue of USD 994 million in 2025 and about 3,000 employees. Founded in 1981, it makes the cameras, barcode readers and software that inspect products, read codes and guide robots on production and logistics lines. In the second quarter of 2026 it reported record revenue for the quarter and doubled its operating income. This profile sets out its history, financial performance, products, leadership and share data.
Cognex at a Glance
Fact | Detail |
Company | Cognex Corporation |
Founded | 1981, by Robert J. Shillman, Bill Silver and Marilyn Matz |
Headquarters | Natick, Massachusetts, USA |
Employees | About 3,000 |
Revenue | USD 994 million in 2025 |
Net income | USD 114 million in 2025 |
Latest quarter | USD 291 million of revenue in the second quarter of 2026, up 17% |
Guidance for 2026 | Revenue of USD 1,130 to 1,150 million |
Product lines | In-Sight, DataMan, VisionPro, OneVision |
Stock listing | Nasdaq: CGNX |
Market capitalization | About USD 10.6 billion in October 2026 |
President and CEO | Matt Moschner |
Company History
Cognex was founded in 1981 by Robert Shillman together with Bill Silver and Marilyn Matz. It introduced its first vision system, DataMan, in 1982 and went public on Nasdaq in 1989. Over the following decades it built its position through its own development and a series of acquisitions, and in 2004 it won a widely watched patent case against the Lemelson estate, which had claimed royalties from users of machine vision.
The company narrowed its focus in 2015 by selling its Surface Vision Division to Ametek for about USD 160 million. It then invested in deep learning, acquiring ViDi Systems in 2017 and Sualab in 2019. Founder Robert Shillman stepped down from the board and from his executive role in May 2021.
Key milestones
1981: Cognex founded.
1982: DataMan, the first vision system, introduced.
1989: Initial public offering on Nasdaq.
2004: Patent case won against the Lemelson estate.
2015: Surface Vision Division sold to Ametek.
2017: Acquisition of ViDi Systems.
2019: Acquisition of Sualab.
2021: Founder Robert Shillman leaves the board.
2026: General availability of the OneVision platform.
Financial Performance
Item | Second quarter 2026 | Comment |
Revenue | USD 291 million | Up 17%; a record for the quarter |
Gross margin | 70.6% | Up from 67.4% |
Operating income | USD 85.5 million | Up 100%; margin of 29.4% |
Net income | USD 72.8 million | USD 0.43 per diluted share, up from USD 0.24 |
Adjusted EBITDA margin | 32.2% | Up 11.5 percentage points |
The quarter ended on July 5, 2026. Cognex described the strength as broad-based across most of its major end markets, and attributed the higher gross margin mainly to product mix and volume. For the third quarter it expects revenue of USD 300 to 320 million. For the full year it expects revenue of USD 1,130 to 1,150 million and an adjusted EBITDA margin of 29% to 31%, which would take the company back above USD 1 billion in annual revenue. The board declared a quarterly dividend of USD 0.085 per share in August 2026.
Products
Product line | Purpose |
In-Sight | Vision systems and sensors for inspection, measurement and guidance |
DataMan | Barcode readers for manufacturing and logistics |
VisionPro | Vision software for building custom applications |
OneVision | Platform for configuring and deploying AI-powered vision applications |
OneVision became generally available in 2026, and Cognex says hundreds of customers are already using it. The company describes its strategy as extending its leadership in AI-enabled machine vision. In robotics its products provide the eyes: locating parts for robot guidance, checking assemblies and reading codes as goods move through factories and warehouses.
Cognex product reviews on All Things Cobots
Leadership
Name | Role |
Matt Moschner | President and Chief Executive Officer |
Dennis Fehr | Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
Sheila DiPalma | Executive Vice President, Employee Services |
Stock Information
Item | Detail |
Listing | Nasdaq: CGNX |
Share price | About USD 63 in October 2026 |
Market capitalization | About USD 10.6 billion |
One-year change | Up about 54% |
Quarterly dividend | USD 0.085 per share |
Note: share prices are indicative figures as of early October 2026 and change daily. This section is general information, not investment advice.
Strengths and Challenges
Strengths
A pioneer and one of the largest pure-play machine vision suppliers.
Gross margins above 70%.
Record quarterly revenue and sharply higher profit in 2026.
An AI vision platform already adopted by hundreds of customers.
Challenges
Revenue that swings with capital spending in electronics, automotive and logistics.
Competition from larger automation groups and lower-cost vision suppliers.
Part of 2026 growth reflects a one-time benefit from a channel partnership in medical lab automation.
Outlook
Cognex expects full-year revenue of USD 1,130 to 1,150 million. Its direction under Matt Moschner is to make AI-based vision easier to deploy, with OneVision as the platform.
Current Catalogue Coverage
Catalogue checked on 15 October 2026: 12 associated product records. The links below are representative entries, rather than a claim that every historical model is currently available.
Cognex FAQ
Is Cognex publicly traded?
Yes, on Nasdaq under the symbol CGNX. It went public in 1989.
When was Cognex founded?
In 1981, by Robert J. Shillman, Bill Silver and Marilyn Matz.
Where is Cognex headquartered?
In Natick, Massachusetts.
What does Cognex make?
Machine vision systems, barcode readers and vision software, sold under the In-Sight, DataMan, VisionPro and OneVision names.
How big is Cognex?
Revenue was USD 994 million in 2025, and the company expects USD 1,130 to 1,150 million in 2026.
Who is the CEO of Cognex?
Matt Moschner is President and CEO.
Sources
Cognex: second quarter 2026 results
Wikipedia: Cognex Corporation
