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RKLB vs. ROK: Rocket Lab vs. Rockwell Automation Stock Comparison

How do Rocket Lab (RKLB) and Rockwell Automation (ROK) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Rocket Lab (RKLB) and Rockwell Automation (ROK) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but RKLB is classified in Aerospace & Defense while ROK is classified in Electrical Equipment.

Rockwell Automation (ROK) has more than two decades of public-market history since December 31, 1981, whereas Rocket Lab (RKLB) listed on November 24, 2020 and has a much shorter record to draw on.

Company profile comparison for Rocket Lab (RKLB) and Rockwell Automation (ROK)
Profile ItemRKLBROK
NameRocket Lab CorporationRockwell Automation Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryAerospace & DefenseElectrical Equipment
GICS Sub-IndustryAerospace & DefenseElectrical Components & Equipment
Market Capitalization33.93 billion USD41.82 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNYSE
Listing DateNovember 24, 2020December 31, 1981
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

RKLB
ROK
GSPC
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Rocket Lab (RKLB) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Rocket Lab (RKLB) and Rockwell Automation (ROK). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Rocket Lab (RKLB) and Rockwell Automation (ROK). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Rocket Lab (RKLB) and Rockwell Automation (ROK)
MetricRKLBROK
Total Return (1Y)12.96%6.19%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)138.86%16.94%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)31.49%4.86%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

RKLB
ROK
GSPC
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Rocket Lab (RKLB) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Rocket Lab (RKLB) and Rockwell Automation (ROK). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Rocket Lab (RKLB) is heavily traded at around 19.51M shares per day, whereas Rockwell Automation (ROK) sees a more moderate 799.28K — larger orders in the latter may require more patience and tighter control over order sizing.

Risk profile metrics for Rocket Lab (RKLB) and Rockwell Automation (ROK)
MetricRKLBROK
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)95.71%34.28%
Beta (5Y)3.141.54
Max Drawdown (5Y)-78.32%-45.09%
Avg. Volume (3M)19.51M799.28K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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RKLB and ROK are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Rocket Lab (RKLB) and Rockwell Automation (ROK)
MetricRKLBROK
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.090.06
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.140.07

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Rocket Lab (RKLB) reports a negative ROE of -7.92%; negative ROE can reflect losses or negative shareholders’ equity, so it is harder to read as capital efficiency. Meanwhile Rockwell Automation (ROK) reports 38.73%, ranking against industry peers normally.

RKLB

Capital Goods industry group

-7.92%

Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
RKLB
-7.92%
Min
-17.12%

ROK

Capital Goods industry group

38.73%

Max
40.55%
ROK
38.73%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%
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Rocket Lab (RKLB) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Rocket Lab (RKLB) reports a negative net margin of -21.51%, usually indicating a net loss over the period. Meanwhile Rockwell Automation (ROK) reports 15.68%, ranking against industry peers normally.

RKLB

Capital Goods industry group

-21.51%

Max
27.47%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
RKLB
-21.51%

ROK

Capital Goods industry group

15.68%

Max
27.47%
ROK
15.68%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
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Rocket Lab (RKLB) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Rocket Lab (RKLB) reports a negative operating margin of -24.57%, usually indicating that operating costs exceeded revenue at the operating-income line. Meanwhile Rockwell Automation (ROK) reports 14.75%, ranking against industry peers normally.

RKLB

Capital Goods industry group

-24.57%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
RKLB
-24.57%

ROK

Capital Goods industry group

14.75%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
ROK
14.75%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
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Rocket Lab (RKLB) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Rocket Lab (RKLB) and Rockwell Automation (ROK)
MetricRKLBROK
ROE (TTM)-7.92%38.73%
ROA (TTM)-4.62%9.32%
Net Margin (TTM)-21.51%15.68%
Operating Margin (TTM)-24.57%14.75%
Gross Margin (TTM)37.26%48.95%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Only one side can be read here: Rocket Lab (RKLB) reports revenue growth of 37.96%, ranked against its industry; Rockwell Automation (ROK) has no revenue growth figure this period.

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Rocket Lab (RKLB) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Only one side can be read here: Rockwell Automation (ROK) reports EPS growth of 63.49%, ranked against its industry; Rocket Lab (RKLB) has no EPS growth figure this period.

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Rocket Lab (RKLB) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Rocket Lab (RKLB) and Rockwell Automation (ROK)
MetricRKLBROK
Revenue Growth (YoY)37.96%--
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)41.82%--
EPS Growth (YoY)--63.49%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)--1.62%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 2.11 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Rocket Lab (RKLB) at 5.48 sits above its industry’s typical mid-range — comfortable liquidity, though possibly with more idle current assets relative to peers.

RKLB

Capital Goods industry group

5.48

RKLB
5.48
Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
Min
0.36

ROK

Capital Goods industry group

2.11

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
ROK
2.11
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
Min
0.36
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Rocket Lab (RKLB) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Rocket Lab (RKLB) at 0.04 keeps leverage in the lower industry quartile, while Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 1.00 runs a more typical debt-to-equity mix.

RKLB

Capital Goods industry group

0.04

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
RKLB
0.04
Min
0.00

ROK

Capital Goods industry group

1.00

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
ROK
1.00
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00
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Rocket Lab (RKLB) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Rocket Lab (RKLB) and Rockwell Automation (ROK)
MetricRKLBROK
Current Ratio (MRQ)5.482.11
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.041.00
Net Debt / EBITDA--1.58

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Neither Rocket Lab (RKLB) nor Rockwell Automation (ROK) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.

RKLB

Capital Goods industry group

0.00%

Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
RKLB
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

ROK

Capital Goods industry group

0.00%

Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
ROK
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Rocket Lab (RKLB) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Rocket Lab (RKLB) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Rockwell Automation (ROK) reports a payout of 51.03%, ranking against industry peers normally.

RKLB

Capital Goods industry group

0.00%

Max
67.39%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
RKLB
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

ROK

Capital Goods industry group

51.03%

Max
67.39%
ROK
51.03%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Rocket Lab (RKLB) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Rocket Lab (RKLB) and Rockwell Automation (ROK)
MetricRKLBROK
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.00%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)0.00%51.03%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

An earnings multiple is available for just one side: Rockwell Automation (ROK) trades at 29.97 times trailing earnings, ranked against its peers, while Rocket Lab (RKLB) has no P/E ratio this period.

RKLB

Capital Goods industry group

--

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
RKLB
--

ROK

Capital Goods industry group

29.97

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
ROK
29.97
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
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Rocket Lab (RKLB) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK): RKLB does not report P/E ratio, so it has no value marker; ROK is benchmarked against the Capital Goods industry group.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both look expensive on sales: Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 4.65 sits in the upper P/S ratio quartile, and Rocket Lab (RKLB) at 44.12 prices even higher, above its industry range.

RKLB

Capital Goods industry group

44.12

RKLB
44.12
Max
7.54
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03

ROK

Capital Goods industry group

4.65

Max
7.54
ROK
4.65
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03
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Rocket Lab (RKLB) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both look rich against book: Rocket Lab (RKLB) at 9.09 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 11.76 prices even higher, above its industry range.

RKLB

Capital Goods industry group

9.09

Max
9.66
RKLB
9.09
Q3
5.00
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08

ROK

Capital Goods industry group

11.76

ROK
11.76
Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
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Rocket Lab (RKLB) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Rocket Lab (RKLB) and Rockwell Automation (ROK)
MetricRKLBROK
P/E Ratio (TTM)--29.97
P/S Ratio (TTM)44.124.65
P/B Ratio (MRQ)9.0911.76
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-0.74%-1.13%