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ROK vs. WSO.B: Rockwell Automation vs. Watsco Stock Comparison

How do Rockwell Automation (ROK) and Watsco (WSO.B) 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 Watsco (WSO.B) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but ROK is classified in Electrical Equipment while WSO.B is classified in Trading Companies & Distributors.

Company profile comparison for Rockwell Automation (ROK) and Watsco (WSO.B)
Profile ItemROKWSO.B
NameRockwell Automation Inc.Watsco Inc. Class B Common Stock
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 USD12.92 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateDecember 31, 1981March 17, 1980
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ROK
WSO.B
GSPC
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Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Watsco (WSO.B), 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 Watsco (WSO.B). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Rockwell Automation (ROK) and Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricROKWSO.B
Total Return (1Y)6.19%-11.21%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)16.94%-3.05%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)4.86%4.30%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ROK
WSO.B
GSPC
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Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Watsco (WSO.B), 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 Watsco (WSO.B). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Rockwell Automation (ROK) has an aggressive beta of 1.54, indicating higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, while Watsco (WSO.B) is defensive at 0.64 and tends to be less market-sensitive — they sit on opposite ends of the beta spectrum.

Risk profile metrics for Rockwell Automation (ROK) and Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricROKWSO.B
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)34.28%40.28%
Beta (5Y)1.540.64
Max Drawdown (5Y)-45.09%-43.41%
Avg. Volume (3M)799.28K74

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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ROK and WSO.B 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 Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricROKWSO.B
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.06-0.38
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.07-0.57

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 38.73% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Watsco (WSO.B) at 16.21% 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%

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

16.21%

Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
WSO.B
16.21%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%
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Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 15.68% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Watsco (WSO.B) at 6.31%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

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%

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

6.31%

Max
27.47%
Q3
12.10%
WSO.B
6.31%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
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Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 14.75% and Watsco (WSO.B) at 10.14% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

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%

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

10.14%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
Median
11.12%
WSO.B
10.14%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
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Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Rockwell Automation (ROK) and Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricROKWSO.B
ROE (TTM)38.73%16.21%
ROA (TTM)9.32%8.27%
Net Margin (TTM)15.68%6.31%
Operating Margin (TTM)14.75%10.14%
Gross Margin (TTM)48.95%27.18%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Only one side can be read here: Watsco (WSO.B) reports revenue growth of -4.98%, ranked against its industry; Rockwell Automation (ROK) has no revenue growth figure this period.

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Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): 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 Watsco (WSO.B) at -7.47% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for ROK.

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Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Rockwell Automation (ROK) and Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricROKWSO.B
Revenue Growth (YoY)---4.98%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)---0.16%
EPS Growth (YoY)63.49%-7.47%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)1.62%-6.89%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 2.11 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Watsco (WSO.B) at 3.15 sits above its industry’s typical mid-range — comfortable liquidity, though possibly with more idle current assets relative to peers.

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

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

3.15

Max
5.22
WSO.B
3.15
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
Min
0.36
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Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Watsco (WSO.B) at 0.16 keeps leverage in the lower industry quartile, while Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 1.00 runs a more typical debt-to-equity mix.

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

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

0.16

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
WSO.B
0.16
Min
0.00
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Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): 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 Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricROKWSO.B
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.113.15
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.000.16
Net Debt / EBITDA1.58-0.14

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 Watsco (WSO.B) reports a yield of 4.02%, 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%

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

4.02%

WSO.B
4.02%
Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Watsco (WSO.B) reports payout ratio above 100% at 109.66%, meaning dividends exceeded current-period earnings and sustainability needs extra context. Meanwhile Rockwell Automation (ROK) reports 51.03%, ranking against industry peers normally.

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%

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

109.66%

WSO.B
109.66%
Max
67.39%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Rockwell Automation (ROK) and Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricROKWSO.B
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.00%4.02%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)51.03%109.66%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 29.97 and Watsco (WSO.B) at 27.26 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

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

27.26

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
WSO.B
27.26
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
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Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Watsco (WSO.B) at 1.74 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

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

1.74

Max
7.54
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
WSO.B
1.74
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03
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Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Watsco (WSO.B) at 3.99 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

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

3.99

Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
WSO.B
3.99
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
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Rockwell Automation (ROK) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Rockwell Automation (ROK) and Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricROKWSO.B
P/E Ratio (TTM)29.9727.26
P/S Ratio (TTM)4.651.74
P/B Ratio (MRQ)11.763.99
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-1.13%3.50%