What is the primary purpose of this 8-K filing?

This 8-K filing's primary purpose is to report on Rockwell Automation's outlook for fiscal year 2009, which was communicated to investors during a conference call on November 11, 2008. It includes details on projected revenue, earnings, and cash flow, utilizing non-GAAP financial measures.

What is Rockwell Automation's revenue outlook for fiscal year 2009?

Rockwell Automation's outlook for fiscal year 2009 projects a revenue decline. Excluding the impact of currency fluctuations, the company anticipates revenue growth to be between -1% and -5%. When accounting for currency translation effects, the total projected revenue growth ranges from -6% to -10%.

Why does Rockwell Automation use non-GAAP financial measures in this report?

Rockwell Automation uses non-GAAP financial measures, such as revenue growth excluding currency changes and diluted EPS excluding special charges, because management believes they provide useful information to investors by reflecting the company's underlying operational performance without the impact of currency fluctuations or non-recurring charges. These measures are used internally to monitor and evaluate performance.

How is free cash flow defined by Rockwell Automation in this filing?

In this filing, free cash flow is defined as cash provided by continuing operating activities, adjusted for capital expenditures of continuing operations, tax payments related to the gain on divestiture of Power Systems, and the excess income tax benefit from the exercise of stock options. The company states this definition may differ from other companies and aims to represent cash available for investments, debt service, dividends, and share repurchases from continuing operations.

ROK 8-K SEC Disclosure — Nov 14, 2008

Summary

Rockwell Automation, Inc. (ROK) filed an 8-K on November 14, 2008, to report on its fiscal year 2009 outlook, which was discussed during a conference call on November 11, 2008. The company presented its outlook using non-GAAP financial measures, including revenue growth excluding currency changes, diluted earnings per share (EPS) from continuing operations excluding special charges, and free cash flow. This filing provides investors with a forward-looking perspective on the company's expected performance in a challenging economic environment. Key takeaways from the outlook indicate a projected revenue decline for fiscal year 2009, reflecting the prevailing macroeconomic conditions. The company is emphasizing its focus on managing performance and cash generation, even amidst anticipated revenue headwinds. Investors should note the use of non-GAAP measures, which provide a view of operational performance adjusted for currency fluctuations and specific charges, and are encouraged to review the accompanying reconciliations provided in the filing.

Key Highlights

1Rockwell Automation provided its fiscal year 2009 outlook on November 11, 2008, during a conference call and posted related financial charts.
2The company anticipates a negative revenue growth of -1% to -5% for fiscal year 2009, excluding currency impacts.
3Currency translation is expected to further negatively impact reported revenue growth in FY2009, leading to an overall projected revenue decline of -6% to -10%.
4For fiscal year 2008, the company reported revenue growth of 9% excluding currency and 14% including currency.
5Diluted EPS from continuing operations excluding special charges for FY2008 was $4.11.
6Free cash flow for fiscal year 2008 was $458.3 million, calculated by adjusting cash provided by continuing operations for capital expenditures and certain tax-related items.
7The company emphasizes that non-GAAP financial measures are used to provide useful information to investors by excluding currency effects and special charges.

ROCKWELL AUTOMATION, INC 8-K Report, Corporate Update (Nov 14, 2008)

Summary

Key Highlights

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