We recently published a list of 12 Best Automation Stocks To Buy According to Hedge Funds. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE:ROK) stands against other best automation stocks to buy according to hedge funds.
The rise of generative AI has skyrocketed automation, while robotics are disrupting industrial automation. On the other hand, supply chain automation has reshaped traditional operations from removing warehousing bottlenecks to inventory management, and demand forecasting. In inventory tracking, advanced warehouse management networks, powered by AI and ML algorithms, assist in optimizing inventory placement, resource allocation, route planning, and more.
Robotics a Key Segment to Automation
Professional service robot sales soared by 30% in 2023, according to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR). IFR’s statistics department data shows that over 205,000 robotics units were sold in 2023, with Asia-Pacific accounting for 80% of global robotics sales. Transportation and logistics service robots sales accounted for 113,000 units in 2023, a rise of 35% from 2022. In addition to that, Medical robots are in huge demand, and medical robot sales soared by 36% to nearly 6,100 units in 2023.
Apart from robotics, quantum computing is revolutionizing various industries. Other technologies including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), big data, data analytics, and 5G technology are key to driving automation across various segments.
Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF (NASDAQ:BOTZ) and Robo Global Robotics and Automation Index ETF (NYSE:ROBO) have surged more than 11% and 8.50% over the last year, respectively. Considering the growing demand for automation systems and robotics, automation stocks hold much promise.
Our Methodology
We used automation and robotics ETFs along with online rankings to shortlist an initial list of automation stocks. We then selected the 12 automation stocks that were the most widely held by hedge funds. The list is sorted in ascending order of the number of hedge fund holders, as of Q3 2024.
Why do we care about what hedge funds do? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).
A technician in a factory setting next to an industrial automation machine.
Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE:ROK)
No. of Hedge Fund Holders: 38
Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE:ROK) is a leading industrial-grade technology firm that is well-positioned in the automation segment. The company’s flagship products such as Allen Bradley and FactoryTalk provide production monitoring and easy application of ML concepts to solve product quality problems while maximizing process integrity. The company offers industrial automation and information solutions through two segments: Architecture & Software and Control Products & Solutions.
Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE:ROK)’s products and services serve a wide range of industries including, food and beverage companies, energy and chemical producers, and auto manufacturers. The company is working in collaboration with companies such as NVIDIA to advance process automation and offer live services to industrial clients while addressing workforce shortages.
On January 16, Stephens & Co. analyst Tommy Moll raised the price target on ROK shares from $275 to $350, upgrading the rating from Equal-weight to Overweight. Moll believes that it is a good time to buy Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE:ROK), considering the rising visibility of sales and earnings returning to growth by the second half and initiating a reinvigorated cost-management and operational excellence program. The analyst also pointed out that stocks like Rockwell “rarely come cheap,” but ROK seems to outperform the market during the early phase of earnings recoveries.
Overall, ROK ranks 9th on our list of best automation stocks to buy according to hedge funds. While we acknowledge the potential of ROK to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than ROK but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.