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Rockwell Automation, Inc.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 4 August 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 5 raised, 1 lowered, 3 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Sales rose 8%, organic 10%: Third quarter sales were $2,313 million, up 8% from $2,144 million. Organic sales rose 10%. Divestitures reduced sales by 3% and currency added 1%. Source
  • Diluted EPS rose to $3.65: Net income attributable to Rockwell Automation was $408 million, or $3.65 per diluted share, against $2.60 a year earlier, up 40%. Source
  • Software & Control sales up 19%: Sales were $751 million, up 19%, with organic growth of 18%. Segment earnings were $261 million against $199 million, and segment margin 34.8% against 31.6%. Source
  • Healthy customer demand cited: Management attributed the quarter to healthy customer demand, an accelerated pace of innovation and disciplined execution. Source
  • Enterprise operating margin reached 22.3%: Enterprise operating margin was 22.3%, against 19.5% a year ago. This non-GAAP measure excludes amortization and other items listed in the release. Source
  • Free cash flow reached $654 million: Free cash flow was $654 million, against $489 million in the same period last year. Source
  • Sensia joint venture dissolution completed: The Sensia joint venture was dissolved on April 1. The release cites its effect on sales, margins and tax earlier in the results. Source

“We continue to perform at the high end of our growth framework while expanding margins and investing in innovation.”

Blake Moret, Chairman and CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Reported sales growth Sourcefiscal 20267.5% - 9.5%Raised from 5% - 9%
Organic sales growth Sourcefiscal 20267.5% - 9.5%Raised from 5% - 9%
Reported sales midpoint Sourcefiscal 2026~$9.0BRaised from ~$8.9B
Divestiture effect on sales Sourcefiscal 2026~ (1.5)%Kept
Currency translation effect on sales Sourcefiscal 2026~ 1.5%Kept
Diluted EPS Sourcefiscal 2026$12.72 - $13.02Raised from $11.88 - $12.48
Adjusted EPS Sourcefiscal 2026$13.00 - $13.30Raised from $12.50 - $13.10
Effective tax rate (GAAP) Sourcefiscal 2026~ 16.5%Lowered from ~ 18.5%
Adjusted effective tax rate Sourcefiscal 2026~ 19.5%Kept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Fiscal 2026 reported and organic sales growth ranges, reported sales midpoint, and diluted and Adjusted EPS ranges raised from the May 5 guidance. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Fiscal 2026 effective tax rate guidance lowered to about 16.5%, from about 18.5% in the May 5 guidance. Source
  • Guidance kept: Divestiture and currency translation effects on fiscal 2026 reported sales are unchanged from the prior guidance. Source
  • New: Adjusted EPS definition now also excludes the gain on the Sensia dissolution, net of transaction costs, tax, and tax items. The May 5 definition excluded cost and tax items only. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Sales rose 8%, organic 10%: Third quarter sales were $2,313 million, up 8% from $2,144 million. Organic sales rose 10%. Divestitures reduced sales by 3% and currency added 1%. Source
  • Nine-month sales reached $6,657 million: Nine-month sales were $6,657 million, against $6,026 million a year earlier. Source
  • Pre-tax income up to $470 million: Income before income taxes was $470 million, against $342 million in the same period last year. Source
  • Enterprise operating profit up 23%: Enterprise operating profit, a non-GAAP measure, was $516 million, up 23% from $418 million. It excludes amortization and other items listed in the release. Source
  • Diluted EPS rose to $3.65: Net income attributable to Rockwell Automation was $408 million, or $3.65 per diluted share, against $2.60 a year earlier, up 40%. Source
  • Adjusted EPS up 22%: Adjusted EPS was $3.49, up 22% from $2.85, which the release attributes primarily to higher Enterprise operating margin. Source

Segments and regions

  • Intelligent Devices sales up 12%: Sales were $1.1 billion, up 12%, with organic growth of 10% and currency adding 2%. Segment earnings were $216 million against $182 million, margin 20.0% against 18.8%. Source
  • Software & Control sales up 19%: Sales were $751 million, up 19%, with organic growth of 18%. Segment earnings were $261 million against $199 million, and segment margin 34.8% against 31.6%. Source
  • Lifecycle Services sales down 12%: Sales were $482 million, down 12%, with organic sales down 2%. Segment earnings were flat at $73 million, and segment margin rose to 15.1% from 13.3%. Source
  • Organic growth by region: Organic sales grew 12% in North America, 7% in EMEA and 8% in Asia Pacific. Latin America organic sales fell 3%. Source

“Our 10% organic sales growth, combined with favorable mix and operational discipline, yielded double-digit earnings growth and expanded margins,”

Blake Moret, Chairman and CEO

Demand and end markets

  • Healthy customer demand cited: Management attributed the quarter to healthy customer demand, an accelerated pace of innovation and disciplined execution. Source
  • Semiconductor, data center, warehouse named: Management cited continued strength in semiconductor, data center and warehouse automation, with improving activity in automotive and life sciences. Source
  • Named end markets differ from second quarter: The second-quarter release named warehouse automation, data center, semiconductor and energy. This release names automotive and life sciences, and does not name energy.

Margins, costs and pricing

  • Pre-tax margin rose to 20.3%: Pre-tax margin was 20.3%, against 16.0% in the same period last year. Source
  • Enterprise operating margin reached 22.3%: Enterprise operating margin was 22.3%, against 19.5% a year ago. This non-GAAP measure excludes amortization and other items listed in the release. Source
  • Volume and mix lifted margins; price/cost negative: Margin rose on higher sales volume, favorable mix and the Sensia dissolution benefit, partly offset by negative price/cost. Source
  • Gross margin and SG&A ratio improved: Gross profit was 49.5% of sales against 48.8%. SG&A fell to 21.2% of sales from 23.2%, and engineering and development to 7.5% from 7.9%. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin rose to 24.4%: Adjusted EBITDA margin was 24.4%, against 21.5% a year earlier. Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP measure. Source

Tax rate and non-GAAP items

  • GAAP tax rate fell on Sensia items: GAAP effective tax rate was 13.2%, against 14.3%. Favorable discrete Sensia items were partly offset by BEPS Pillar Two minimum tax rules. Source
  • Adjusted tax rate rose on Pillar Two: Adjusted effective tax rate was 19.2%, against 15.3%. Management attributed the increase primarily to BEPS Pillar Two. Source
  • Sensia gain excluded from Adjusted EPS: The gain on the Sensia dissolution, net of transaction costs, was excluded from Adjusted EPS, equal to $0.17 per diluted share in the quarter. Source

Cash, capital and shareholder returns

  • Operating cash flow rose to $724 million: Cash provided by operating activities was $724 million, against $527 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2025. Source
  • Free cash flow reached $654 million: Free cash flow was $654 million, against $489 million in the same period last year. Source
  • Free cash flow conversion rose to 167%: Free cash flow conversion, measured as free cash flow over Adjusted Income, was 167%, against 151% a year earlier. Source
  • Repurchases of about $145 million: During the quarter the company repurchased about 0.3 million shares of common stock at a cost of $145 million. Source
  • About $1.2 billion of authority remains: At June 30, 2026, about $1.2 billion remained under existing share repurchase authorizations, against $318 million at March 31, 2026. Source
  • Dividends and buybacks rose in nine months: Nine-month cash dividends were $464 million, against $444 million, and treasury stock purchases were $754 million, against $356 million. Source

Portfolio, returns and strategy

  • Sensia joint venture dissolution completed: The Sensia joint venture was dissolved on April 1. The release cites its effect on sales, margins and tax earlier in the results. Source
  • Lifecycle divestitures cut segment sales: Divestitures decreased Lifecycle Services sales by 11% in the quarter, while organic sales decreased 2%. Source
  • Differentiated portfolio and partner ecosystem: Management says the company is well positioned to extend its leadership, citing a differentiated portfolio, a partner ecosystem and an engaged team. Source
  • Return on invested capital rose: GAAP ROIC was 18.4% for the twelve months to June 30, 2026, against 16.3%. Adjusted ROIC was 18.8%, against 15.0%; the release narrative labels that year as 2025. Source

Coming up, as management said on 4 August 2026

  • Sensia businesses excluded from second-half guidance: Fiscal 2026 guidance excludes sales, earnings and cash flows of the divested Sensia businesses in the second half of the year. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Organic ARR growth Source6% year over year
Software ARR growth Sourceup high single digits year over year

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Intelligent Devices margin gain was partly offset by negative price/cost, per the segment discussion. Source
  • Demand: Lower sales volume in Lifecycle Services offset part of the segment's margin gain. Source
  • Regulatory: BEPS Pillar Two minimum tax rules raised the Adjusted effective tax rate and partly offset the GAAP rate benefit. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: The prior release described the dissolution as following April 1, 2026. This release reports it completed on April 1. Source
  • Not stated: The prior release said third- and fourth-quarter organic growth would reflect prior-year comparable adjustments. This release says prior-period figures were adjusted. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.