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ROK vs. SUNB: Rockwell Automation vs. Sunbelt Rentals Stock Comparison

How do Rockwell Automation (ROK) and Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB) 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

Rockwell Automation (ROK) and Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but ROK is classified in Electrical Equipment while SUNB is classified in Trading Companies & Distributors.

Rockwell Automation (ROK) has been public since December 31, 1981, giving it decades of market history across multiple cycles, while Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB) listed only on March 2, 2026 and lacks comparable through-cycle data.

Company profile comparison for Rockwell Automation (ROK) and Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB)
Profile ItemROKSUNB
NameRockwell Automation Inc.Sunbelt Rentals Holdings, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryElectrical EquipmentTrading Companies & Distributors
GICS Sub-IndustryElectrical Components & EquipmentTrading Companies & Distributors
Market Capitalization41.82 billion USD31.57 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateDecember 31, 1981March 2, 2026
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ROK
SUNB
GSPC
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Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB), 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 Rockwell Automation (ROK) and Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Rockwell Automation (ROK) and Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB)
MetricROKSUNB
Total Return (1Y)6.19%--
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)16.94%--
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)4.86%--

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ROK
SUNB
GSPC
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Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB), 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 Rockwell Automation (ROK) and Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Rockwell Automation (ROK) and Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB)
MetricROKSUNB
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)34.28%45.72%
Beta (5Y)1.541.10
Max Drawdown (5Y)-45.09%-22.53%
Avg. Volume (3M)799.28K4.96M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Both ROK and SUNB need 1-year volatility and 1-year return to plot risk-return positioning.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Rockwell Automation (ROK) and Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB)
MetricROKSUNB
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.06--
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.07--

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 38.73% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB) at 18.37% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for ROK.

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%

SUNB

Capital Goods industry group

18.37%

Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
SUNB
18.37%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%
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Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 15.68% and Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB) at 12.12% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

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%

SUNB

Capital Goods industry group

12.12%

Max
27.47%
SUNB
12.12%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
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Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB) at 22.38% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 14.75%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

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%

SUNB

Capital Goods industry group

22.38%

Max
36.60%
SUNB
22.38%
Q3
18.33%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
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Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Rockwell Automation (ROK) and Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB)
MetricROKSUNB
ROE (TTM)38.73%18.37%
ROA (TTM)9.32%6.71%
Net Margin (TTM)15.68%12.12%
Operating Margin (TTM)14.75%22.38%
Gross Margin (TTM)48.95%38.78%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Only one side can be read here: Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB) reports revenue growth of 3.36%, ranked against its industry; Rockwell Automation (ROK) has no revenue growth figure this period.

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Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 63.49% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB) at -8.91% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for ROK.

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Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Rockwell Automation (ROK) and Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB)
MetricROKSUNB
Revenue Growth (YoY)--3.36%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)--4.88%
EPS Growth (YoY)63.49%-8.91%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)1.62%-4.89%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 2.11 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB) at 0.95 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for SUNB.

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

SUNB

Capital Goods industry group

0.95

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
SUNB
0.95
Min
0.36
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Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 1.00 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB) at 1.53 uses more debt funding than most peers.

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

SUNB

Capital Goods industry group

1.53

Max
2.33
SUNB
1.53
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00
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Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Rockwell Automation (ROK) and Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB)
MetricROKSUNB
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.110.95
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.001.53
Net Debt / EBITDA1.583.93

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Rockwell Automation (ROK) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB) reports a yield of 1.87%, ranking against industry peers normally.

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%

SUNB

Capital Goods industry group

1.87%

Max
2.66%
SUNB
1.87%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB) at 22.63% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 51.03% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

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%

SUNB

Capital Goods industry group

22.63%

Max
67.39%
Q3
28.02%
SUNB
22.63%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Rockwell Automation (ROK) and Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB)
MetricROKSUNB
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.00%1.87%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)51.03%22.63%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 29.97 and Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB) at 23.28 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

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

SUNB

Capital Goods industry group

23.28

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
Median
25.41
SUNB
23.28
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
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Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB) at 2.75 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 4.65 sits in the pricier quartile — ROK costs more per dollar of sales.

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

SUNB

Capital Goods industry group

2.75

Max
7.54
Q3
3.76
SUNB
2.75
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03
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Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB) at 4.24 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 11.76 prices above its benchmark range — ROK looks rich relative to book.

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

SUNB

Capital Goods industry group

4.24

Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
SUNB
4.24
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
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Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Rockwell Automation (ROK) and Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB)
MetricROKSUNB
P/E Ratio (TTM)29.9723.28
P/S Ratio (TTM)4.652.75
P/B Ratio (MRQ)11.764.24
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-1.13%5.47%