Rockwell Automation Company Profile: History, Structure, Financials, Robotics and Stock
Updated: 7 days ago
Rockwell Automation is the largest company in the world dedicated purely to industrial automation, with revenue of USD 8.34 billion in fiscal 2025 and about 26,000 employees. Its Allen-Bradley controllers and FactoryTalk software run factories across North America, and since 2023 it has owned OTTO Motors, a maker of autonomous mobile robots. This profile sets out its history, segment structure, latest results and guidance, robotics business, leadership and share data.
Rockwell Automation at a Glance
Fact | Detail |
Company | Rockwell Automation, Inc. |
Founded | 1903, as the Compression Rheostat Company; renamed Allen-Bradley in 1909 |
Founders | Dr. Stanton Allen and Lynde Bradley |
Headquarters | Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA |
Employees | About 26,000 |
Revenue | USD 8.34 billion in fiscal 2025 |
Net income | USD 869 million in fiscal 2025 |
Segments | Intelligent Devices, Software and Control, Lifecycle Services |
Brands | Allen-Bradley, FactoryTalk, LifecycleIQ |
Stock listing | New York Stock Exchange: ROK |
Market capitalization | About USD 48.2 billion in October 2026 |
Chairman and CEO | Blake Moret |
Company History
The company began in 1903 with an investment of USD 1,000 by Dr. Stanton Allen and Lynde Bradley. Its first patented product, a motor controller for industrial cranes, was shown at the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904, and the business took the name Allen-Bradley Company in 1909. In 1981 Allen-Bradley introduced a new line of programmable logic controllers, the product category that still defines the company.
Rockwell International bought Allen-Bradley in 1985 for USD 1.651 billion. In 2001 Rockwell International split in two: the industrial automation division became Rockwell Automation and the avionics division became Rockwell Collins. The company has since narrowed its focus to automation, spinning off Reliance Electric Drives and Dodge Bearings in 2007.
Key milestones
1903: Company founded by Stanton Allen and Lynde Bradley.
1909: Renamed Allen-Bradley Company.
1981: New line of programmable logic controllers introduced.
1985: Rockwell International acquires Allen-Bradley.
2001: Rockwell Automation becomes an independent company.
2019: Sensia joint venture formed with Schlumberger.
2023: Acquisition of Clearpath Robotics and OTTO Motors completed on October 2.
2026: Sensia joint venture businesses dissolved on April 1.
Corporate Structure
Rockwell Automation is an independent, publicly traded company and a component of the S&P 500. It reports three operating segments:
Intelligent Devices: drives, motion, safety, sensing and industrial components, plus the Clearpath and OTTO Motors mobile robot businesses.
Software and Control: control and visualization hardware and software, information software and network products.
Lifecycle Services: consulting, professional services and solutions, and maintenance services.
Financial Performance
Rockwell's fiscal year ends on September 30. In the third quarter of fiscal 2026, which ended on June 30, 2026, sales were USD 2,313 million, up 8% as reported and 10% organically.
Segment, third quarter fiscal 2026 | Sales | Change | Operating margin |
Intelligent Devices | USD 1,080 million | +12% | 20.0% |
Software and Control | USD 751 million | +19% | 34.8% |
Lifecycle Services | USD 482 million | -12% | 15.1% |
Diluted earnings per share rose 40% to USD 3.65, and the enterprise operating margin was 22.3%, up from 19.5%. The fall in Lifecycle Services reflects divestitures; organically it was down 2%. Annual recurring revenue grew 6% organically.
The company cited continued strength in semiconductor, data center and warehouse automation, and improving activity in automotive and life sciences. On August 4, 2026 it raised its guidance for the full fiscal year to sales growth of 7.5% to 9.5%, a midpoint of about USD 9.0 billion, and diluted earnings per share of USD 12.72 to 13.02.
Robotics: Clearpath and OTTO Motors
Rockwell completed its acquisition of Clearpath Robotics on October 2, 2023. Clearpath, based in Ontario, Canada, came with two parts: a research robotics division and an industrial division, OTTO Motors, which makes autonomous mobile robots for moving materials inside factories. Both report to the Intelligent Devices segment.
Rockwell described the deal as completing an end-to-end production logistics offering, with material handling as the missing piece. It cited a forecast that the market for mobile robots in manufacturing would grow by about 30% a year and reach an estimated USD 6.2 billion by 2027, and said the acquisition would add about one percentage point to its revenue growth in fiscal 2024. Chairman and chief executive Blake Moret said the company was simplifying and transforming the difficult but critical function of material handling.
OTTO Motors product reviews on All Things Cobots
Leadership
Name | Role |
Blake Moret | Chairman and Chief Executive Officer |
Stock Information
Item | Detail |
Listing | New York Stock Exchange: ROK |
Share price | About USD 434 in October 2026 |
Market capitalization | About USD 48.2 billion |
One-year change | Up about 25% |
Capital return | About USD 145 million of share repurchases in the third quarter; USD 464 million of dividends in nine months |
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 leading position in controllers and industrial software in North America.
Software and Control margins of nearly 35%.
Double-digit organic growth and raised guidance.
Exposure to semiconductor, data center and warehouse investment.
Its own autonomous mobile robots through OTTO Motors.
Challenges
Dependence on cyclical capital spending.
A shrinking Lifecycle Services segment after divestitures.
No industrial robot arms of its own, which makes it reliant on partners for that part of a production line.
Outlook
Rockwell says it is performing at the high end of its growth framework while expanding margins. With guidance raised to about USD 9.0 billion of sales, fiscal 2026 is set to be a year of recovery after a slower period.
Current Catalogue Coverage
Catalogue checked on 15 October 2026: 4 associated product records. The links below are representative entries, rather than a claim that every historical model is currently available.
Rockwell Automation FAQ
Is Rockwell Automation publicly traded?
Yes, on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ROK.
When was Rockwell Automation founded?
Its origins go back to 1903 and the company that became Allen-Bradley. Rockwell Automation became an independent company in 2001, when Rockwell International split.
What is Allen-Bradley?
Allen-Bradley is Rockwell Automation's brand of controllers and industrial components. The company was founded in 1903 and acquired by Rockwell International in 1985.
Does Rockwell Automation make robots?
It makes autonomous mobile robots through OTTO Motors, part of Clearpath Robotics, which it acquired in October 2023.
How big is Rockwell Automation?
Revenue was USD 8.34 billion in fiscal 2025, and guidance for fiscal 2026 points to about USD 9.0 billion.
Who is the CEO of Rockwell Automation?
Blake Moret is Chairman and CEO.
Sources
Rockwell Automation: third quarter 2026 results
Rockwell Automation: acquisition of Clearpath Robotics and OTTO Motors completed
Wikipedia: Rockwell Automation
