Seek Returns

ROK vs. VRT: Rockwell Automation vs. Vertiv Stock Comparison

How do Rockwell Automation (ROK) and Vertiv (VRT) 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 Vertiv (VRT) are both classified in the Electrical Components & Equipment sub-industry within the broader Electrical Equipment industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for Rockwell Automation (ROK) and Vertiv (VRT)
Profile ItemROKVRT
NameRockwell Automation Inc.Vertiv Holdings Co Class A Common Stock
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryElectrical EquipmentElectrical Equipment
GICS Sub-IndustryElectrical Components & EquipmentElectrical Components & Equipment
Market Capitalization41.82 billion USD70.41 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateDecember 31, 1981August 2, 2018
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ROK
VRT
GSPC
Loading price history…
Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Vertiv (VRT), 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

Loading price history…
Trailing total returns for Rockwell Automation (ROK) and Vertiv (VRT). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for Rockwell Automation (ROK) and Vertiv (VRT). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Rockwell Automation (ROK) and Vertiv (VRT)
MetricROKVRT
Total Return (1Y)6.19%11.12%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)16.94%71.14%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)4.86%49.38%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ROK
VRT
GSPC
Loading price history…
Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Vertiv (VRT), 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

Loading price history…
Distribution of monthly total returns for Rockwell Automation (ROK) and Vertiv (VRT). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Rockwell Automation (ROK) and Vertiv (VRT)
MetricROKVRT
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)34.28%71.11%
Beta (5Y)1.542.15
Max Drawdown (5Y)-45.09%-69.52%
Avg. Volume (3M)799.28K5.90M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
ROK and VRT 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 Rockwell Automation (ROK) and Vertiv (VRT)
MetricROKVRT
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.060.10
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.070.14

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both companies show strong equity returns, but Vertiv (VRT) at 46.57% is the standout with ROE above its industry range; Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 38.73% also sits in the top quartile.

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%

VRT

Capital Goods industry group

46.57%

VRT
46.57%
Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%
Loading chart…
Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Vertiv (VRT): 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 Vertiv (VRT) at 16.00% 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%

VRT

Capital Goods industry group

16.00%

Max
27.47%
VRT
16.00%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
Loading chart…
Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Vertiv (VRT): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Vertiv (VRT) at 23.77% 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%

VRT

Capital Goods industry group

23.77%

Max
36.60%
VRT
23.77%
Q3
18.33%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
Loading chart…
Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Vertiv (VRT): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Rockwell Automation (ROK) and Vertiv (VRT)
MetricROKVRT
ROE (TTM)38.73%46.57%
ROA (TTM)9.32%11.94%
Net Margin (TTM)15.68%16.00%
Operating Margin (TTM)14.75%23.77%
Gross Margin (TTM)48.95%38.12%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Only one side can be read here: Vertiv (VRT) reports revenue growth of 27.69%, ranked against its industry; Rockwell Automation (ROK) has no revenue growth figure this period.

Loading chart…
Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Vertiv (VRT): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both companies show strong earnings momentum, but Vertiv (VRT) at 166.41% is the standout with EPS growth above its industry range; Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 63.49% also sits in the top quartile.

Loading chart…
Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Vertiv (VRT): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Rockwell Automation (ROK) and Vertiv (VRT)
MetricROKVRT
Revenue Growth (YoY)--27.69%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)--21.59%
EPS Growth (YoY)63.49%166.41%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)1.62%340.11%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 2.11 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Vertiv (VRT) at 1.39 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for VRT.

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

VRT

Capital Goods industry group

1.39

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
VRT
1.39
Min
0.36
Loading chart…
Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Vertiv (VRT): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 1.00 and Vertiv (VRT) at 0.61 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

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

VRT

Capital Goods industry group

0.61

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
VRT
0.61
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Vertiv (VRT): 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 Vertiv (VRT)
MetricROKVRT
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.111.39
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.000.61
Net Debt / EBITDA1.58-0.11

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 Vertiv (VRT) reports a yield of 0.11%, 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%

VRT

Capital Goods industry group

0.11%

Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
VRT
0.11%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Vertiv (VRT): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Vertiv (VRT) at 4.67% 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%

VRT

Capital Goods industry group

4.67%

Max
67.39%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
VRT
4.67%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Vertiv (VRT): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Rockwell Automation (ROK) and Vertiv (VRT)
MetricROKVRT
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.00%0.11%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)51.03%4.67%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 29.97 and Vertiv (VRT) at 34.18 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

VRT

Capital Goods industry group

34.18

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
VRT
34.18
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
Loading chart…
Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Vertiv (VRT): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 4.65 and Vertiv (VRT) at 5.37 command a richer price per dollar of sales than most peers, sitting in the upper P/S ratio quartile of their industries.

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

VRT

Capital Goods industry group

5.37

Max
7.54
VRT
5.37
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03
Loading chart…
Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Vertiv (VRT): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Measured against book value, both Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 11.76 and Vertiv (VRT) at 12.80 look expensive — each P/B ratio sits above its industry’s benchmark range.

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

VRT

Capital Goods industry group

12.80

VRT
12.80
Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
Loading chart…
Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Vertiv (VRT): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Rockwell Automation (ROK) and Vertiv (VRT)
MetricROKVRT
P/E Ratio (TTM)29.9734.18
P/S Ratio (TTM)4.655.37
P/B Ratio (MRQ)11.7612.80
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-1.13%4.21%