Quarterlytics / Industrials / Industrial - Machinery / Rockwell Automation

Rockwell Automation

rok · NYSE Industrials
Claim this profile
Ticker rok
Exchange NYSE
Sector Industrials
Industry Industrial - Machinery
Employees 10,000+
← All annual reports
FY2015 Annual Report · Rockwell Automation
Sign in to download
Loading PDF…
R
O
C
K
W
E
L
L
A
U
T
O
M
A
T
I

O
N

|

2
0
1
5
A
N
N
U
A
L
R
E
P
O
R
T
A
N
D
F
O
R
M
1
0
-
K

The Connected Enterprise
From Vision to Implementation
2015 Annual Report and Form 10-K

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2015 
Financial Highlights

(
d
o

l
l

a
r
s

i

n
m

i
l
l
i

o
n
s
,

e
x
c
e
p
t
p
e
r

s
h
a
r
e
a
m
o
u
n
t
s
)

2012

2013

2014

2015

Sales

$6,259.4

$6,351.9

$6,623.5

$6,307.9

Segment operating earnings1

1,163.9

1,236.8

1,352.0

1,360.5

Net Income

737.0

756.3

826.8

827.6

Diluted earnings per share

Adjusted EPS1

Sales by segment:

Architecture & Software

Control Products & Solutions

Return on Invested Capital1

$6,259.4

$6,351.9

$6,623.5

$6,307.9

5.13

5.29

2,650.4

3,609.0

30.3%

5.36

5.71

2,682.0

3,669.9

31.4%

5.91

6.17

2,845.3

3,778.2

30.1%

6.09

6.40

2,749.5

3,558.4

32.6%

$6.17

$6.40

$5.71

$5.29

(
d
o

l
l

a
r
s

i

n
m

i
l
l
i

o
n
s
)

2012

2013

2014

2015

2012

2013

2014

2015

SALES

Control Products & Solutions

Architecture & Software

ADJUSTED EPS1

30.3%

31.4%

30.1%

32.6%

$922.2

$900.5

$597.6

$597.6

$1,077.2

(
d
o

l
l

a
r
s

i

n
m

i
l
l
i

o
n
s
)

2012

2013

2014

2015

2012

2013

2014

2015

RETURN ON INVESTED CAPITAL1

FREE CASH FLOW1, 2 

2

1  Segment operating earnings, Adjusted 

EPS, free cash flow and return on 
invested capital are non-GAAP financial 
measures. Please see the Form 10-K 
and supplemental section following 
the Form 10-K for definitions and 
calculations of these measures.

2  Free cash flow for 2012 was reduced by 
a discretionary pre-tax contribution 
of $300 million to the company’s U. S. 
pension trust.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Rockwell Automation continues to be a great investment. With our singular 

focus on industrial automation and information, we are well positioned to take 

advantage of the attractive long-term growth opportunities available in this 

market. That’s good news for our investors. As an intellectual capital business 

that’s built on sustainable competitive differentiation, we can deliver best-in-class 

return on invested capital and generate excellent free cash flow.

Keith D. Nosbusch
Chairman & CEO

To Our Shareowners

As Rockwell Automation began fiscal 2015, we anticipated moderate growth for the year. But the year turned 

out much differently than we had expected. Oil prices declined significantly, and as the U.S. dollar strengthened, 

currency translation reduced sales. The sales growth we predicted for the second half of the year didn’t materialize 

due to weakening industrial production. 

Despite these difficult market conditions, we ended the year with 1 percent organic growth. Our sales were down 

5 percent to $6.3 billion including the negative impact of currency translation. Strong productivity contributed to 

3.7 percent growth in Adjusted EPS despite lower sales.

Other bright spots in the year included: Segment operating margin expanded 120 basis points over last year and 

free cash flow conversion was excellent, resulting in record free cash flow of about $1.1 billion. Return on invested 

capital of almost 33 percent was also a fiscal year record.

We executed well in a challenging environment. I attribute this to the strength of our people, deep domain 

expertise, relentless focus on innovation and passion for helping our customers succeed. 

I thank our employees, partners and suppliers for their dedication and commitment to the success of  

Rockwell Automation and our customers.

Total Shareowner Return

Delivering Long-Term Value  
We have outperformed the S&P 500 since the end of 
fiscal 2008 and delivered 18.2 percent annualized return 
to our shareowners versus 9.8 percent for the S&P 500. 
We attribute this performance to our above-market sales 
growth, earnings leverage, superior return on invested 
capital and a disciplined approach to cash deployment.

3

$50  $150  $250  $350  2008  2009  2010  2011  2012  2013  2014  2015  Fiscal Year Ended September 30 Rockwell Automation S&P 500 Index We deliver best-in-class operating returns and return on 

invested capital because of our focus on organic growth 

and intellectual capital. Just as we help our customers 

drive productivity, we challenge ourselves to do the 

same every year.

We also have a strong track record of returning cash 

to our shareowners. On Nov. 10, 2015, we increased 

our dividend by 12 percent, the seventh double-digit 

percentage increase since the beginning of 2010. 

Between dividends and share repurchases, we returned 

over $950 million of cash to our shareowners during 

2015, a 19 percent increase compared to 2014.

Cash Returned to Shareowners

$1,000.0

)
s
n
o

i
l
l
i

m
n

i

s
r
a

l
l

o
d
(

$800.0

$600.0

$400.0

$200.0

$0.0

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

Dividends

Repurchases

Returned $3.5 billion of free cash flow over the last 5 years

Funding acquisitions that catalyze organic growth enables us to do more for our customers and improve our 

offering. In fiscal 2015, we acquired ESC Services, a global leader in lockout-tagout services and solutions.

Differentiation. Diversification. Delivering Business Value.

Today, we are the world’s largest company dedicated to industrial automation and information. We have 

differentiated our company through innovation, deep domain expertise, and a culture of integrity and 

corporate responsibility. 

We provide products, solutions and services across a very wide spectrum of industries — from automotive  

and consumer packaged goods to a broad range of heavy industries. This diversification has been key to  

our success. 

Our focus on innovation is evident from our strong pipeline of new products, services and solutions.  

We launched a large number of new products this year. Also, we are evolving our industry-leading integrated 

control and information architecture into a high-performance architecture that is helping our customers  

realize transformational business value today.

Rockwell Automation
At A Glance

$6.3B FISCAL 
2015 SALES

22,500 
EMPLOYEES

ACROSS ALL 
INDUSTRIES

OVER 80 
COUNTRIES

SERVING
CUSTOMERS
FOR 112 YEARS

•  Innovation

•  Domain expertise

•  Culture of integrity & 

corporate responsibility

4

Leading global provider of industrial power, control and information solutions

 
 
And because no company can be everything to everyone, we work with great partners. We have market-making 

channel partners that include the best distributors in the industry and have built trusted partnerships with 

industry leaders like Cisco, Microsoft, AT&T, Endress+Hauser, Panduit and Fanuc to expand our capabilities.

We have attractive growth opportunities that will yield long-term, above-market growth. We estimate our 

served market to be more than $90 billion today and the macro trends that we’ve referenced over the past few 

years are now characterized as disruptions by McKinsey. 

Four Disruptions

DISRUPTION

URBANIZATION

ACCELERATING 
TECHNOLOGICAL 
CHANGE

AGING WORLD

GREATER  
GLOBAL FLOWS

5x

One trillion objects 
expected to connect 
to the Internet by 
2025

Increase in the share of 
older workers in  
the workforce — 14% 
in 2010 to 22% in 2030

A 5X increase in global 
trade and financial 
flows from 1990 to 
2012

TRENDS

65 million

Urban population 
growing by 65 million 
every year

Expect a 150% increase 
in emerging market 
annual consumption 
from 2010 to 2030

OUR 
CUSTOMERS’ 
NEEDS

Respond to  
growing demand for 
consumer goods  
and energy

Secure access 
to information 
anywhere,  
anytime

Fill skills gap and  
greater need for 
productivity to sustain 
GDP growth

Enterprise-wide 
optimization

Source: No Ordinary 
Disruption: The Four 
Global Forces Breaking 
All the Trends, McKinsey & 
Company, May 2015

Our Solution:

We have the innovation, core platforms and domain expertise to serve 
our customers – whatever they need, wherever they are

These disruptive trends are changing the face of work across the world for all companies. For Rockwell Automation, 

they reinforce the longer-term global growth opportunities for industrial automation and information. We are well 

positioned and ready to help our customers adapt to and capitalize on these disruptions. 

5

The four disruptions, combined with contemporary technology advances — from smart industrial assets that 

generate more data than ever   to mobility platforms that bring information into the hands of those who need it 

most — make it easy to see that our customers’ needs are changing. 

They want a secure industrial automation and information network infrastructure and unified communications 

for enterprise-wide connectivity and collaboration. Through the transformation of data into actionable 

information, they want to make faster and more informed decisions and realize unprecedented gains in 

productivity, sustainability and competitiveness. 

In short, they want The Connected Enterprise, our vision for the future of industrial automation and information.

The Connected Enterprise

Our vision of The Connected Enterprise is focused on rapid value creation for our customers. It is enabled by 

integrated control and information and leverages contemporary technologies such as mobility, data analytics 

and cloud computing.

Imagine an environment where industrial operations are integrated, optimized, collaborative, and secure at the 

machine level through the enterprise level and across the supply chain while connecting remote operations, 

assets and users. This environment is called The Connected Enterprise, bringing together people, processes and 

technologies to drive greater productivity and sustainability for unprecedented results. 

We deliver The Connected Enterprise through Integrated Control and Information and our three core platforms: 

Integrated Architecture, Intelligent Motor Control and Solutions & Services, allowing us to create a smarter, 

more productive and secure environment.

Integrated Architecture

Intelligent Motor Control

Solutions & Services

6

In this secure environment with reliable real-time information, customers can make better, smarter, 

faster decisions. 

By integrating advanced technology into our core platforms, we are providing more powerful 

solutions that deliver greater business value to our customers. In the following pages you’ll see how 

the significant investments we’ve made in innovation have evolved our integrated architecture into a 

high-performance architecture, bringing The Connected Enterprise from vision to implementation.

Our Strong Foundation

We are building our future on a strong 

foundation. With 112 years behind us, 

we have a track record of strong market 

leadership, an unwavering customer 

focus and a commitment to innovation. 

We operate in an attractive market and we are solely 

focused on industrial automation and information. 

It’s our only business, and it’s what we do every day.

Our experienced leadership team is adept at managing in all market conditions and our 22,500 

global employees are keenly focused on executing our strategy. You have my commitment 

that we will continue to work hard to deliver above-market returns for your investment.

We are proud that for the seventh time, Ethisphere Institute has 

named Rockwell Automation as one of the “World’s Most Ethical 

Companies,” a recognition that honors organizations that continue 

to raise the bar on ethical leadership and corporate behavior.

7

The Connected Enterprise Story: 
From Vision to Implementation

The Connected Enterprise is the only pragmatic vision that allows our customers to keep up with the rapid changes in 

information and communications technologies and leverage those technologies to optimize their plants and supply 

networks. Rockwell Automation is the best positioned company in the automation industry to help customers achieve 

their vision of The Connected Enterprise.

Transformative Value

The Connected Enterprise is transforming the world of manufacturing and production. It will drive more change in 

industrial automation and information in the next 10 years than in the past 50. Today, it’s offering transformational 

value in productivity, sustainability and global competitiveness for our customers, both large and small. Our 

innovation and solutions are offering our customers tangible business value through these deliverables:

FASTER TIME
TO MARKET

LOWER TOTAL COST 
OF OWNERSHIP

IMPROVED ASSET 
UTILIZATION

ENTERPRISE RISK 
MANAGEMENT

Information Technology. Operations Technology.

Central to achieving The Connected Enterprise is the need to converge information technology (IT) and operations 

technology (OT). OT is the world of industrial equipment — machines and controllers, sensors and actuators. IT is 

the world of end-to-end business processes.

Historically these are two distinct worlds with different cultures, priorities and base technologies, and yet both 

are critical to the success of an industrial enterprise. True convergence between these two worlds has been a 

challenge, but to bridge this gap we are co-innovating with Cisco, a worldwide leader in IT, to deliver a robust 

network infrastructure for industrial automation with a broad range of hardware and software products, solutions 

and services.

This flatter, more open approach to industrial networking provides performance, simplification and flexibility that 

has not been achievable in the past and enables economically viable IT-OT convergence today.

A standard, secure network infrastructure, based on unmodified Ethernet is essential to IT-OT convergence, open 

communication between smart assets, and the realization of The Connected Enterprise.

8

High-Performance Architecture

Through our significant investments in technical innovation, our industry-leading integrated architecture has evolved 

into a high-performance architecture. 

This high-performance architecture, based on the ongoing evolution of Logix, is scalable, future-proof and built upon 

contemporary technologies with next-generation capabilities. It’s incrementally deployable and IT-OT ready with 

information management and end-to-end security capabilities.

The three tenets of our high-performance architecture are: 

•  Smart | Automation system with intelligence that just works

•  Productive | Comprehensive software tools, libraries and mobility for higher productivity and simplified 

workflows across the investment lifecycle

•  Secure | End-to-end security

An industrial asset is ‘smart’ when it has a microprocessor and is connected to a network. Smart assets are enhanced 

with contemporary technologies such as mobility, data analytics and cloud computing, creating the foundation for 

our high-performance architecture.

While each of these contemporary technologies can add value to industrial 

processes on their own, the transformational value is only realized when they are 

integrated together into an architecture for seamless connectivity.  

Innovation with contemporary technologies and open interfaces to third-

party software applications are important to making our high-performance 

architecture future-proof. It is truly next generation, available today, and will only 

get better in the future.

The high-performance architecture is aimed at an important change in the 

automation market today — from standalone products, services and solutions 

to architected systems. Industrial automation customers on their journey to 

The Connected Enterprise need our high-performance architecture to integrate 

products and software applications across their enterprise.   

Rockwell Automation has the only architecture in the market with the complete 

set of real-time control disciplines that are integrated with real-time information 

such as diagnostics, prognostics, analytics and optimization. It is built upon one 

network — standard, unmodified Ethernet. 

Some of the attributes of our high-

performance architecture with 

integrated control and information 

are found in the new ControlLogix® 

platform with Gigabit Ethernet, 

modern Studio 5000® software with 

library management, advanced 

information processing within the 

control platform such as real-time 

analytics and model-predictive 

control, and end-to-end security.  

Open standards and integrated control and information make our high-performance architecture scalable —  

from small to large equipment builders and end users. The high-performance architecture is foundational to  

The Connected Enterprise and is focused on rapid value creation through optimized plants and supply networks.  

Our High-Performance 
Architecture is 
Delivering Business 
Value Today

9

Future-Proofed and Partner-Fortified

Most companies use a large number of third-party tools for applications such as product lifecycle 

management, computer-aided design and supply chain simulation. Our open architecture allows them to 

use their best-of-breed software tools in any phase of the investment lifecycle. 

Today, our next generation, future-proof architecture is modular, scalable and secure, allowing companies 

to build their Connected Enterprise at whatever pace is appropriate for them. This equates to more business 

value across the entire automation investment lifecycle. 

We will continue to innovate and evolve our high-

performance architecture into a predictive and optimized 

Connected Enterprise. By increasing the awareness and 

intelligence of the assets in The Connected Enterprise, we 

are building the future aware automation — self-adaptive 

and self-healing systems. 

This evolution of The Connected Enterprise is possible 

through co-innovation with industry IT-OT leaders like 

The transformational benefits of The 

Connected Enterprise includes reducing 

downtime by predicting failures, reducing 

inventory and producing to demand through 

supply chain synchronization, improving 

throughput and quality, and making faster 

Cisco, Microsoft, AT&T, Endress+Hauser, Panduit and Fanuc.

and better informed business decisions.

The Future is Here

The Connected Enterprise is an actionable vision that can be realized today. It’s relevant to any company, 

regardless of size or sophistication. It’s scalable and incrementally deployable. To realize business value from 

digitization, companies need to implement The Connected Enterprise with a high-performance, open and 

future-proof architecture. The future is here now, today with The Connected Enterprise — and we’re excited 

to be our customers’ innovation partner. ■

Real Applications

Real-Time Analytics. Real-Time Solutions.

Manufacturing generates two exabytes of data (McKinsey) more than any other industry and analytics 

is one of the ways to convert this data into information, knowledge and wisdom. While many believe 

analytics will happen in the cloud, there is greater value in analyzing the data at its source within 

the control system itself. Our high-performance architecture implements real-time analytics.

10

Real Applications (continued)

Real-time Prediction 
of Potential Failures

Monitor  
Analyze  
Predict  
Optimize

Predicting Failure Modes Minimizes 
Unscheduled Downtime

Pump Fillage Optimization 
Improves Well Production

For example, in the oil and gas industry, personnel monitor and gather information through physical 

on-site visits. Today we’re working with a customer for remote performance monitoring, with real-

time analytics running on the controller, which is processing data from down-hole sensors. 

We’re using FactoryTalk® VantagePoint® for visualization and working with Microsoft and AT&T so 

operators can now use their smart phone to assess performance and monitor the status of assets.  

Our solution offers remote monitoring and well management based on need, not on a schedule.  

Secure IT-OT Convergence and Operational Intelligence

Secure IT-OT convergence and operational intelligence can be a challenge where lots of legacy software 

is coupled with a need for scalable computing and storage and enterprise visibility. Our solutions such 

as secure Ethernet, virtualization, scalable Manufacturing Execution Systems, cloud and mobility can 

address these issues.

Offsite 
Advanced 
Technologies 
Support

24x7 
Proactive Support

Redundant Expandable Architecture and a Fully Managed Support Contract

A food and beverage customer identified several challenges such as lack of in-plant support, 

white box PC server sprawl, obsolete operating systems and software applications, high costs 

for maintaining the server infrastructure, and inefficient network communications. 

Our Infrastructure-as-a-Service solution provides industrial data centers, industry standard Ethernet 

and round-the-clock support. The results for this customer from proactive monitoring include:

• 

Improved manufacturing systems reliability

•  Reduced downtime by allowing technicians to address an issue before it has a chance  

to impact production

•  A very significant 90 percent reduction in troubleshooting time

•  Greatly reduced support costs shifting from a CAPEX to an OPEX model

(continued)

11

Real Applications (continued)

Plants Around the World 
are now Connected 
to the Enterprise

CANADA

US

MEXICO

SPAIN

TURKEY

CHINA

THAILAND

Next 
Generation 
Automated 
Vehicle 

Scheduling Manages 
Production  
in Real-time
WITH MORE THAN
2 Million
Variations

An auto maker is another customer that saw financial benefits. This company had five different 

scheduling systems on legacy PC servers in plants around the world. In some cases, the platforms were 

no longer supported by the vendors. 

This company wanted to replace their vehicle build and tracking systems with a common solution 

connecting plant floors to the enterprise around the world. The systems were connected with 

FactoryTalk® ProductionCentre®, resulting in smoother vehicle production, managed in real time. Now 

in place in vehicle assembly plants, the system delivers new levels of global production flexibility, 

performance and tracking. ■

Top 100 Innovative Companies

One of 25 Best Tech 
Companies to Work 
for in America

Solutions Innovations 
Partner of the Year Award for 
the Americas 

Asian Manufacturing Award 
Best Internet of Things 
Provider

Top 10 — Newsweek 
Green Rankings

12

Commitment to STEM
Enriches Students

As a technology-based company that relies on innovation to be competitive, STEM (science, technology, 

engineering and mathematics) is a natural fit for our philanthropic focus. Through investments in programs 

that support STEM education, we are making the best use of our resources to improve the quality of life in 

our communities and create a talent pipeline for our company, partners, customers and industry.

At our 2015 Automation Fair®, more than 15,300 global attendees had an opportunity to stop by the 

Engineering our Future™ booth that featured students ages 6-18, showcasing robots they built.  

The students are members 

of FIRST (For Inspiration 

and Recognition of Science 

Technology), one of our key 

education partners. 

During the FIRST 2014-2015 

season, Rockwell Automation 

sponsored 162 FIRST teams. Our strategic partnership will help FIRST reach more than 400,000 students 

during the 2015-2016 season. 

Two Rockwell Automation employees, Jay Flores and Ashray Reddy, are among our 300-plus STEM 

advocates inspiring these young students. Both Jay and Ashray participated in STEM-related programs 

during high school and college, and credit our STEM focus for attracting them to apply for engineering roles 

with Rockwell Automation.

We are making a difference. Our employees 

impact STEM students around the world, 

inspiring young minds through mentoring  

and volunteering. ■

Jay Flores (left)

Ashray Reddy (right)

We Continue to be Recognized for Our Innovation and Expertise Beyond Our Industry

Top 100 Company Sustainable 
Performance Leader

Most Sustainable Companies

FIRST Robotics Competition 
Crown Supplier 

One of the Best Places 
to Work in the U.S. 

Human Rights Campaign 
Corporate Equality Index

13

2015 
Officers

14

Keith D. Nosbusch

Chairman of the Board and  
Chief Executive Officer

Sujeet Chand

Senior Vice President and 
Chief Technology Officer

Theodore D. Crandall

Senior Vice President and 
Chief Financial Officer

David M. Dorgan

Vice President  
and Controller

Steven W. Etzel

Vice President  
and Treasurer

Douglas M. Hagerman

Senior Vice President, 
General Counsel  
and Secretary

Frank C. Kulaszewicz

Senior Vice President

John P. McDermott

Senior Vice President

John M. Miller

Vice President and  
Chief Intellectual  
Property Counsel

Blake D. Moret

Senior Vice President

Susan J. Schmitt

Senior Vice President, 
Human Resources

Martin Thomas

Senior Vice President, 
Operations and  
Engineering Services

2015 
Board of Directors

Keith D. Nosbusch

Chairman of the Board and  
Chief Executive Officer

Betty C. Alewine

Retired President and  
Chief Executive Officer, 
COMSAT Corporation

J. Phillip Holloman

President and  
Chief Operating Officer, 
Cintas Corporation

Verne G. Istock

Retired Chairman  
and President,  
Bank One Corporation

Barry C. Johnson, Ph.D.

Retired Dean,  
College of Engineering,  
Villanova University

Steven R. Kalmanson

Retired Executive Vice President, 
Kimberly-Clark Corporation

James P. Keane

President and  
Chief Executive Officer, 
Steelcase Inc.

Lawrence D. Kingsley

Former Chairman and  
Chief Executive Officer, 
Pall Corporation

William T. McCormick, Jr.

Retired Chairman and  
Chief Executive Officer, 
CMS Energy Corporation

Donald R. Parfet

Managing Director, 
Apjohn Group, LLC

Lisa A. Payne

Vice Chairman  
and Chief Financial Officer, 
Taubman Centers, Inc.

With great gratitude, we acknowledge the exceptional tenure of our departing directors – Verne G. Istock 

and Barry C. Johnson.  Verne has served on our Board since 2003 in various roles, including chair of our 

Audit Committee and Lead Director. Barry joined our Board in 2005 and has served on several committees 

and as the chair of the Board Composition and Governance Committee. We thank them for their guidance 

and dedication to Rockwell Automation.

15

2015 
General Information

Rockwell Automation

Global Headquarters 
1201 South Second Street 
Milwaukee, WI 53204 
+1 (414) 382-2000 
www.rockwellautomation.com

Investor Relations

Securities analysts should call: 
Patrick Goris  
Investor Relations 
+1 (414) 382-8510

Corporate Public Relations

Members of the news media should call: 
Darice L. Brown 
Corporate Communications 
+1 (414) 382-4852

Annual Meeting

The company’s annual meeting of shareowners  
will be held at our Global Headquarters,   
1201 South Second Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin,  
on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2016, at 5:30 p.m. CST.   
A notice of the meeting and proxy materials will  
be furnished to shareowners in December 2015.

Shareowner Services

Wells Fargo Shareowner Services, our transfer agent 
and registrar, maintains the records for our registered 
shareowners and can help you with a variety of 
shareowner-related services. You can access your 
shareowner account in one of the following three ways:

Internet

Log on to www.shareowneronline.com for 
convenient access 24 hours a day, 7 days a 
week for online services including account 

16

information, change of address, transfer of shares, 
lost certificates, dividend payment elections 
and additional administrative services.

If you are interested in receiving shareowner 
information electronically, enroll in eDelivery, a 
self-service program that provides electronic 
notification and secure access to shareowner 
communications. To enroll, follow the eDelivery 
enrollment instructions when you access your 
shareowner account via www.shareowneronline.com

Telephone

Call Wells Fargo Shareowner Services at one  
of the following numbers: 
Inside the United States: (800) 204-7800 
Outside the United States: +1 (651) 450-4064

In Writing

Correspondence about share ownership, dividend 
payments, transfer requirements, change of address, 
lost certificates and account status may be directed 
to:

Wells Fargo Shareowner Services 
PO Box 64874 
St. Paul, MN 55164-0874

Shareowners wishing to transfer stock should send 
their written request, stock certificate(s) and other 
required documents to:

Wells Fargo Shareowner Services 
PO Box 64874 
St. Paul, MN 55164-0874

Registered or overnight mail should be sent to:

Wells Fargo Shareowner Services 
1110 Centre Pointe Curve, Suite 101 
Mendota Heights, MN 55120

A copy of our annual report (including Form 10-K) 
may be obtained without charge by writing to: 

Rockwell Automation  
Shareowner Relations  
1201 South Second Street, E-7F19 
Milwaukee, WI 53204

Or call +1 (414) 382-8410. Other investor information 
is available in the Investor Relations section of our 
website at www.rockwellautomation.com

Shareowners needing further assistance should 
contact Rockwell Automation Shareowner Relations 
by telephone at +1 (414) 382-8410 or email at 
shareownerrelations@ra.rockwell.com

Investor Services Program

Under the Wells Fargo Shareowner Services Plus Plan 
for shareowners of Rockwell Automation, shareowners 
of record may select to reinvest all or a part of their 
dividends, to have cash dividends directly deposited 
in their bank accounts and to deposit share certificates 
with the agent for safekeeping. These services are 
all provided without charge to the participating 
shareowner.

In addition, the plan allows participating shareowners 
at their own cost to make optional cash investments 
in any amount from $100 to $100,000 per year or to 
sell all or any part of the shares held in their accounts. 
Participation in the plan is voluntary, and shareowners 
of record may participate or terminate their 
participation at any time. 

For full details of the program, direct inquiries to:

Wells Fargo Shareowner Services 
PO Box 64856 
St. Paul, MN 55164-0856 
(800) 204-7800 or +1 (651) 450-4064 
www.shareowneronline.com

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

Deloitte & Touche LLP 
555 East Wells Street, Suite 1400 
Milwaukee, WI 53202

Transfer Agent and Registrar

Wells Fargo Shareowner Services 
PO Box 64874 
St. Paul, MN 55164-0874 
(800) 204-7800 or +1 (651) 450-4064

Stock Exchange

Common Stock (Symbol: ROK) 
New York Stock Exchange

Ombudsman

Questions or concerns about the company’s business 
conduct, including compliance with laws, company 
policies and accounting, internal control or auditing 
matters should be reported to:

Ombudsman 
Rockwell Automation, Inc. 
1201 South Second Street 
Milwaukee, WI 53204 
Telephone: (800) 552-3589 
Fax: +1 (414) 382-8485 
Email: ombudsman@ra.rockwell.com

You may contact the Ombudsman from any computer 
or any device with a Web browser and if you wish 
to remain anonymous, visit the following externally 
hosted website:  
https://rockwellautomationombudsman.alertline.com

17

Form 10-K 
Rockwell Automation

18

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2015

Commission file number 1-12383

ROCKWELL AUTOMATION, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

DELAWARE
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
1201 South 2nd Street Milwaukee, Wisconsin
 (Address of principal executive offices)

25-1797617
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
53204
 (Zip Code)

+1 (414) 382-2000
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OF THE ACT:
Title of each class
Common Stock, $1 Par Value

Name of each exchange on which registered
New York Stock Exchange

SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(g) OF THE ACT: 
NONE

Indicate by check mark

YES

NO

•• if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. 

•• if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.
•• whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities 
Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was 
required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.
•• whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every 
Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during 
the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post 
such files). 

•• if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not 
be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated 
by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. 

•• whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See definitions 

of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

Large Accelerated Filer 

Accelerated Filer 

Non-accelerated Filer 

Smaller reporting company 

•• whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).  
The aggregate market value of registrant’s voting stock held by non-affiliates of registrant on March 31, 2015 was approximately $15.5 billion. 
132,015,341 shares of registrant’s Common Stock, par value $1 per share, were outstanding on October 31, 2015.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Certain information contained in the Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Shareowners of registrant to be held on February 2, 2016 is 
incorporated by reference into Part III hereof.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  

Table of Contents

PART I 

3

Business ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������4
ITEM 1 
ITEM 1A 
Risk Factors ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������6
ITEM 1B  Unresolved Staff Comments ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������9
Properties ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������9
ITEM 2 
Legal Proceedings ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������10
ITEM 3 
Executive Officers of the Company ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������10
ITEM 4A 

PART II 

11

ITEM 5 

Market for the Company’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters 
and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������11
Selected Financial Data ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������12
ITEM 6 
ITEM 7 
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations �����������12
ITEM 7A  Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������26
Financial Statements and Supplementary Data ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������27
ITEM 8 
Consolidated Balance Sheet �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������27
Consolidated Statement of Operations ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������28
Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������28
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������29
Consolidated Statement of Shareowners’ Equity ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������30
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������31
ITEM 9 
Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure���������56
ITEM 9A  Controls and Procedures ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������56
ITEM 9B  Other Information ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������56

PART III 

ITEM 10 
ITEM 11 
ITEM 12 

ITEM 13 
ITEM 14 

PART IV 

Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������57
Executive Compensation��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������57
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management 
and Related Stockholder Matters ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������57
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence ��������������������������������������������������58
Principal Accountant Fees and Services ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������58

57

59

ITEM 15 
Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedule �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������59
SIGNATURES ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������63

2

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-KPart I 

  

PART I

Forward-Looking Statements

This Annual Report contains statements (including certain projections and 
business trends) that are “forward-looking statements” as defined in the 
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “believe”, 
“estimate”, “project”, “plan”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “will”, “intend” and 
other similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements. Actual 
results may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain 
risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, including 
but not limited to:

•• macroeconomic factors, including global and regional business conditions, 
the availability and cost of capital, commodity prices, the cyclical nature 
of our customers’ capital spending, sovereign debt concerns and 
currency exchange rates;

•• laws, regulations and governmental policies affecting our activities in the 

countries where we do business;

•• the successful development of advanced technologies and demand for 

•• intellectual property infringement claims by others and the ability to 

protect our intellectual property;

•• the uncertainty of claims by taxing authorities in the various jurisdictions 

where we do business;

•• our ability to attract and retain qualified personnel;

•• our ability to manage costs related to employee retirement and health 

care benefits;

•• the uncertainties of litigation, including liabilities related to the safety and 

security of the products, solutions and services we sell;

•• our ability to manage and mitigate the risks associated with our solutions 

and services businesses;

•• a disruption of our distribution channels;

•• the availability and price of components and materials;

and market acceptance of new and existing products;

•• the successful integration and management of acquired businesses;

•• the availability, effectiveness and security of our information technology 

•• the successful execution of our cost productivity and globalization 

systems;

initiatives; and

•• competitive products, solutions and services and pricing pressures, 
and our ability to provide high quality products, solutions and services;

•• other risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those detailed 
from time to time in our Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings.

•• a disruption of our business due to natural disasters, pandemics, acts 

of war, strikes, terrorism, social unrest or other causes;

•• our ability to manage and mitigate the risk related to security vulnerabilities 

and breaches of our products, solutions and services;

These forward-looking statements reflect our beliefs as of the date of filing 
this report. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-
looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events 
or otherwise. See Item 1A. Risk Factors for more information.

3

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-KPart I 
Item 1 Business

ItEM 1  Business

General

Rockwell Automation, Inc. (Rockwell Automation or the Company) is a 
leading global provider of industrial automation power, control and information 
solutions that help manufacturers achieve competitive advantages for their 
businesses. Our products, solutions and services are designed to meet 
our customers’ needs to reduce total cost of ownership, maximize asset 
utilization, improve time to market and reduce enterprise business risk.

The Company continues the business founded as the Allen-Bradley Company 
in 1903. The privately-owned Allen-Bradley Company was a leading 
North American manufacturer of industrial automation equipment when 
the former Rockwell International Corporation (RIC) purchased it in 1985.

The Company was incorporated in Delaware in connection with a tax-free 
reorganization completed on December 6, 1996, pursuant to which we 
divested our former aerospace and defense businesses (the A&D Business) 
to The Boeing Company (Boeing). In the reorganization, RIC contributed 
all of its businesses, other than the A&D Business, to the Company and 

distributed all capital stock of the Company to RIC’s shareowners. Boeing 
then acquired RIC. RIC was incorporated in 1928.

As used herein, the terms “we”, “us”, “our”, “Rockwell Automation”, or 
the “Company” include subsidiaries and predecessors unless the context 
indicates otherwise. Information included in this Annual Report on Form 
10-K refers to our continuing businesses unless otherwise indicated.

Whenever an Item of this Annual Report on Form 10-K refers to information 
in our Proxy Statement for our Annual Meeting of Shareowners to be 
held on February 2, 2016 (the Proxy Statement), or to information under 
specific captions in Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis 
of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (MD&A), or in  
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data (the Financial 
Statements), the information is incorporated in that Item by reference. All 
date references to years and quarters refer to our fiscal year and quarters 
unless otherwise stated.

Operating Segments

We have two operating segments: Architecture & Software and Control 
Products & Solutions. In 2015, our total sales were $6.3 billion. Our 
Architecture & Software operating segment recorded sales of $2.7 billion 
(44 percent of our total sales) in 2015. Our Control Products & Solutions 
operating segment recorded sales of $3.6 billion (56 percent of our total 
sales) in 2015.

Our Architecture & Software operating segment is headquartered in Mayfield 
Heights, Ohio, and our Control Products & Solutions operating segment 
is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Both operating segments 

conduct business globally. Major markets served by both segments consist 
of consumer industries, including food and beverage, home and personal 
care and life sciences; transportation, including automotive and tire; and 
heavy industries, including oil and gas, mining and metals.

Additional information with respect to our operating segments, including 
a description of our operating segments and their contributions to sales 
and operating earnings for each of the three years ended September 30, 
2015, 2014 and 2013 is contained in Note 15 in the Financial Statements 
and under the caption results of Operations in MD&A.

Geographic Information

In 2015, sales to customers in the United States accounted for 55 percent 
of our total sales. Outside the United States, we sell in every region. The 
largest sales outside the United States on a country-of-destination basis 
are in Canada, China, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Italy, Germany, and 

Brazil. See Item 1A. Risk Factors for a discussion of risks associated with 
our operations outside the United States. Sales and property information 
by major geographic area for each of the past three years is contained in 
Note 15 in the Financial Statements.

Competition

Our competitors range from large diversified corporations that also have 
business interests outside of industrial automation to smaller companies 
that specialize in niche industrial automation products, solutions and 
services. Factors that influence our competitive position include the breadth 
of our product portfolio and scope of solutions, technology differentiation, 

knowledge of customer applications, installed base, distribution network, 
quality of products, solutions and services, global presence and price. 
Our major competitors of both segments include Siemens AG, ABB Ltd, 
Schneider Electric SA, Emerson Electric Co., Mitsubishi Electric Corp. 
and Honeywell International Inc.

Distribution

In the United States, Canada and certain other countries, we sell primarily 
through independent distributors in conjunction with our direct sales force. 
In the remaining countries, we sell through a combination of our direct 
sales force and to a lesser extent, through independent distributors. 

Approximately 70 percent of our global sales are through independent 
distributors. Sales to our largest distributor in 2015, 2014 and 2013 were 
approximately 10 percent of our total sales. The independent distributors 
typically do not carry products that compete with our products. 

4

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-KPart I 
Item 1 Business

research and Development

Our research and development spending for the years ended September 30, 2015, 2014 and 2013 was $307.3 million, $290.1 million and  
$260.7 million, respectively. Customer-sponsored research and development was not significant in 2015, 2014 or 2013.

Employees

At September 30, 2015, we had approximately 22,500 employees. Approximately 8,500 were employed in the United States.

raw Materials

We purchase a wide range of equipment, components, finished products and materials used in our business. The raw materials essential to the 
manufacture of our products generally are available at competitive prices. We have a broad base of suppliers and subcontractors. We depend upon 
the ability of our suppliers and subcontractors to meet performance and quality specifications and delivery schedules. See Item 1A. Risk Factors for 
a discussion of risks associated with our reliance on third party suppliers.

Backlog

Our total order backlog consists of (in millions):

Architecture & Software
Control Products & Solutions

September 30,

2015
165.1 $
999.5  
1,164.6 $

2014
159.3
1,074.8
1,234.1

$

$

Backlog is not necessarily indicative of results of operations for future periods due to the short-cycle nature of most of our sales activities. Backlog 
orders scheduled for shipment beyond 2016 were approximately $148 million as of September 30, 2015.

Environmental Protection requirements

Information about the effect of compliance with environmental protection requirements and resolution of environmental claims is contained in Note 14 
in the Financial Statements and in Item 3. Legal Proceedings.

Patents, Licenses and trademarks

We own or license numerous patents and patent applications related 
to our products and operations. While in the aggregate our patents and 
licenses are important in the operation of our business, we do not believe 
that loss or termination of any one of them would materially affect our 
business or financial condition. Various claims of patent infringement and 
requests for patent indemnification have been made to us. We believe 
that none of these claims or requests will have a material adverse effect 
on our financial condition. See Item 1A. Risk Factors for a discussion of 
risks associated with our intellectual property.

Seasonality

The Company’s name and its registered trademark “Rockwell Automation®” 
and other trademarks such as “Allen-Bradley®”, “A-B®” and “PlantPAx 
Process Automation System™” are important to both of our business 
segments. In addition, we own other important trademarks that we 
use, such as “ICS Triplex™” for our control products and systems for 
industrial automation, and “Rockwell Software®” and “FactoryTalk®” for 
our software offerings.

Our business segments are not subject to significant seasonality. However, the calendarization of our results can vary and may be affected by the 
seasonal spending patterns of our customers due to their annual budgeting processes and their working schedules.

available Information

We maintain a website at http://www.rockwellautomation.com. Our annual 
reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports 
on Form 8-K and any amendments to such reports filed or furnished 
pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 
1934 (the Exchange Act), as well as our annual report to shareowners 
and Section 16 reports on Forms 3, 4 and 5, are available free of charge 
on this site through the “Investor Relations” link as soon as reasonably 

practicable after we file or furnish these reports with the SEC. All reports 
we file with the SEC are also available free of charge via EDGAR through 
the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. Our Guidelines on Corporate 
Governance and charters for our Board committees are also available on 
our website. The information contained on and linked from our website 
is not incorporated by reference into this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

5

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K 
 
Part I 
Item 1A Risk Factors

ItEM 1a  risk Factors

In the ordinary course of our business, we face various strategic, operating, 
compliance and financial risks. These risks could have an impact on our 
business, financial condition, operating results and cash flows. Our most 
significant risks are set forth below and elsewhere in this Annual Report 
on Form 10-K.

Our Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) process seeks to identify and 
address significant risks. Our ERM process uses the integrated risk 
framework in Internal Control — Integrated Framework (2013) issued by 
the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission 
(COSO) to assess, manage, and monitor risks. We believe that risk-taking 
is an inherent aspect of the pursuit of our growth and performance strategy. 
Our goal is to manage risks prudently rather than avoiding risks. We can 
mitigate risks and their impact on the Company only to a limited extent.

A team of senior executives prioritizes identified risks and assigns an executive 
to address each major identified risk area and lead action plans to manage risks. 
Our Board of Directors provides oversight of the ERM process and reviews 
significant identified risks. The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors also 
reviews significant financial risk exposures and the steps management has 
taken to monitor and manage them. Our other Board committees also play 
a role in risk management, as set forth in their respective charters.

Our goal is to proactively manage risks in a structured approach in 
conjunction with strategic planning, with the intent to preserve and enhance 
shareowner value. However, the risks set forth below and elsewhere in this 
Annual Report on Form 10-K and other risks and uncertainties could cause 
our results to vary materially from recent results or from our anticipated 
future results and could adversely affect us.

Adverse changes in business or industry conditions 
and volatility and disruption of the capital and credit 
markets may result in decreases in our sales and 
profitability.

We are subject to macroeconomic cycles and when recessions occur, we 
may experience reduced orders, payment delays, supply chain disruptions 
or other factors as a result of the economic challenges faced by our 
customers, prospective customers and suppliers.

Demand for our products is sensitive to changes in levels of industrial 
production and the financial performance of major industries that we 
serve. As economic activity slows, credit markets tighten, or sovereign 
debt concerns linger, companies tend to reduce their levels of capital 
spending, which could result in decreased demand for our products.

Our ability to access the credit markets, and the related costs of these 
borrowings, is affected by the strength of our credit rating and current 
market conditions. If our access to credit, including the commercial 
paper market, is adversely affected by a change in market conditions 
or otherwise, our cost of borrowings may increase or our ability to fund 
operations may be reduced.

A substantial portion of our sales are to customers 
outside the U.S. and we are subject to the risks of doing 
business in many countries.

We do business in more than 80 countries around the world. Approximately 
45 percent of our sales in 2015 were to customers outside the U.S. In 
addition, many of our manufacturing operations, suppliers and employees 
are located in many places around the world. The future success of 
our business depends in large part on growth in our sales in non-U.S. 
markets. Our global operations are subject to numerous financial, legal 
and operating risks, such as political and economic instability; prevalence 
of corruption in certain countries; enforcement of contract and intellectual 
property rights and compliance with existing and future laws, regulations 
and policies, including those related to tariffs, investments, taxation, trade 

6

controls, product content and performance, employment and repatriation 
of earnings. In addition, we are affected by changes in foreign currency 
exchange rates, inflation rates and interest rates.

New legislative and regulatory actions could adversely 
affect our business.

Legislative and regulatory action may be taken in the various countries 
and other jurisdictions where we operate that may affect our business 
activities in these countries or may otherwise increase our costs to do 
business. For example, we are increasingly required to comply with 
various environmental and other material, product, certification, labeling 
and customer requirements. These requirements could increase our costs 
and could potentially have an adverse effect on our ability to ship our 
products into certain jurisdictions. Our customers may also be required 
to comply with such legislative and regulatory requirements. Changes 
in these requirements could impact demand for our products, solutions 
and services.

An inability to respond to changes in customer 
preferences could result in decreased demand for our 
products.

Our success depends in part on our ability to anticipate and offer products 
that appeal to the changing needs and preferences of our customers in the 
various markets we serve. Developing new products requires high levels 
of innovation, and the development process is often lengthy and costly. If 
we are not able to anticipate, identify, develop and market products that 
respond to changes in customer preferences, demand for our products 
could decline.

Failures or security breaches of our products or 
information technology systems could have an adverse 
effect on our business.

We rely heavily on information technology (IT) both in our products, solutions 
and services for customers and in our enterprise IT infrastructure in order 
to achieve our business objectives. Government agencies and security 
experts have warned about growing risks of hackers, cyber-criminals, 
malicious insiders and other actors targeting every type of IT system 
including industrial control systems such as those we sell and service and 
corporate enterprise IT systems. These actors may engage in fraud, theft 
of confidential or proprietary information and sabotage.

Our portfolio of hardware and software products, solutions and services 
and our enterprise IT systems may be vulnerable to damage or intrusion 
from a variety of attacks including computer viruses, worms or other 
malicious software programs. These attacks pose a risk to the security 
of the products, systems and networks of our customers, suppliers and 
third-party service providers, as well to the confidentiality of our information 
and the integrity and availability of our data. While we attempt to mitigate 
these risks through controls, due diligence, training, surveillance and other 
measures, we remain vulnerable to information security threats.

Despite the precautions we take, an intrusion or infection of software, 
hardware or a system that we sold or serviced could result in the disruption 
of our customers’ business, loss of proprietary or confidential information, 
or injuries to people or property. Similarly, an attack on our enterprise IT 
system could result in theft or disclosure of trade secrets or other intellectual 
property or a breach of confidential customer or employee information. Any 
such events could have an adverse impact on sales, harm our reputation 
and cause us to incur legal liability and increased costs to address such 
events and related security concerns. As the threats evolve and become 
more potent, we may incur additional costs to secure the products, 
solutions and services that we sell, as well as our data and infrastructure 
of networks and devices.

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-KPart I 
Item 1A Risk Factors

There are inherent risks in our solutions and services 
businesses.

Our business success depends on attracting and 
retaining highly qualified personnel.

Risks inherent in the sale of solutions and services include assuming greater 
responsibility for successfully delivering projects that meet a particular 
customer specification, including defining and controlling contract scope, 
efficiently executing projects and managing the performance and quality of 
our subcontractors and suppliers. If we are unable to manage and mitigate 
these risks, we could incur cost overruns, liabilities and other losses that 
would adversely affect our results of operations.

Our success depends in part on the efforts and abilities of our management 
team and key employees. Their skills, experience and industry knowledge 
significantly benefit our operations and performance. Competition for 
highly qualified management and technical personnel is particularly intense 
in emerging markets. The failure to attract and retain members of our 
management team and key employees could have a negative effect on 
our business, operating results and financial condition.

Our industry is highly competitive.

We face strong competition in all of our market segments in several 
significant respects. We compete based on breadth and scope of our 
product portfolio and solution and service offerings, technology differentiation, 
product performance, quality of our products, solutions and services, 
knowledge of integrated systems and applications that address our 
customers’ business challenges, pricing, delivery and customer service. 
The relative importance of these factors differs across the markets and 
product areas that we serve. We seek to maintain acceptable pricing levels 
by continually developing advanced technologies for new products and 
product enhancements and offering complete solutions for our customers’ 
business problems. If we fail to keep pace with technological changes or to 
provide high quality products, solutions and services, we may experience 
price erosion and correspondingly lower sales and margins. We expect 
the level of competition to remain high in the future, which could limit our 
ability to maintain or increase our market share or profitability.

We face the potential harms of natural disasters, 
pandemics, acts of war, terrorism, international 
conflicts or other disruptions to our operations.

Natural disasters, pandemics, acts or threats of war or terrorism, international 
conflicts, political instability and the actions taken by governments could 
cause damage to or disrupt our business operations, our suppliers or 
our customers, and could create economic instability. Although it is not 
possible to predict such events or their consequences, these events could 
decrease demand for our products or make it difficult or impossible for 
us to deliver products.

Intellectual property infringement claims of others and 
the inability to protect our intellectual property rights 
could harm our business and our customers.

Others may assert intellectual property infringement claims against us or our 
customers. We frequently provide a limited intellectual property indemnity 
in connection with our terms and conditions of sale to our customers and 
in other types of contracts with third parties. Indemnification payments 
and legal expenses to defend claims could be costly.

In addition, we own the rights to many patents, trademarks, brand 
names and trade names that are important to our business. The inability 
to enforce our intellectual property rights may have an adverse effect on 
our results of operations. Expenses related to enforcing our intellectual 
property rights could be significant.

Claims from taxing authorities could have an adverse 
effect on our income tax expense and financial position.

We conduct business in many countries, which requires us to interpret 
the income tax laws and rulings in each of those taxing jurisdictions. Due 
to the ambiguity of tax laws among those jurisdictions as well as the 
uncertainty of how underlying facts may be construed, our estimates of 
income tax liabilities may differ from actual payments or assessments. We 
must successfully defend any claims from taxing authorities to avoid an 
adverse effect on our operating results and financial position.

Increasing employee benefit costs could have a 
negative effect on our operating results and financial 
condition.

One important aspect of attracting and retaining qualified personnel is 
continuing to offer competitive employee retirement and health care benefits. 
The expenses we record for our pension and other postretirement benefit 
pension plans depend on factors such as changes in market interest rates, 
the value of plan assets, mortality assumptions and health care trend 
rates. Significant unfavorable changes in these factors would increase 
our expenses. Expenses related to employer-funded health care benefits 
depend on health care cost inflation. An inability to control costs related 
to employee and retiree benefits could negatively impact our operating 
results and financial condition.

Potential liabilities and costs from litigation (including 
asbestos claims and environmental remediation) could 
reduce our profitability.

Various lawsuits, claims and proceedings have been or may be asserted 
against us relating to the conduct of our business, including those pertaining 
to the safety and security of the products, solutions and services we sell, 
employment, contract matters and environmental remediation.

We have been named as a defendant in lawsuits alleging personal injury as 
a result of exposure to asbestos that was used in certain of our products 
many years ago. Our products may also be used in hazardous industrial 
activities, which could result in product liability claims. The uncertainties 
of litigation (including asbestos claims) and the uncertainties related to the 
collection of insurance coverage make it difficult to predict the ultimate 
resolution.

Our operations are subject to regulation by various environmental regulatory 
authorities concerned with the impact of the environment on human health, 
the limitation and control of emissions and discharges into the air, ground 
and waters, the quality of air and bodies of water, and the handling, use 
and disposal of specified substances. Environmental laws and regulations 
can be complex and may change. Our financial responsibility to clean up 
contaminated property or for natural resource damages may extend to 
previously owned or used properties, waterways and properties owned by 
unrelated companies or individuals, as well as properties that we currently 
own and use, regardless of whether the contamination is attributable to 
prior owners. We have been named as a potentially responsible party at 
cleanup sites and may be so named in the future, and the costs associated 
with these current and future sites may be significant.

We have, from time to time, divested certain of our businesses. In connection 
with these divestitures, certain lawsuits, claims and proceedings may be 
instituted or asserted against us related to the period that we owned the 
businesses, either because we agreed to retain certain liabilities related 
to these periods or because such liabilities fall upon us by operation of 
law. In some instances, the divested business has assumed the liabilities; 
however, it is possible that we might be responsible to satisfy those liabilities 
if the divested business is unable to do so.

7

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-KPart I 
Item 1A Risk Factors

A disruption to our distribution channel could reduce 
our sales.

In the United States and Canada, approximately 90 percent of our sales 
are through distributors. In certain other countries, the majority of our sales 
are also through a limited number of distributors. While we maintain the 
right to appoint new distributors, any unplanned disruption to our existing 
distribution channel could adversely affect our sales. A disruption could 
result from the sale of a distributor to a competitor, financial instability of 
a distributor, or other events.

We rely on suppliers to provide equipment, components 
and services, which creates certain risks and 
uncertainties that may adversely affect our business.

Our business requires that we buy equipment, components and services 
including finished products, which may include electronic components 
and commodities such as copper, aluminum and steel. Our reliance on 
suppliers involves certain risks, including:

•• poor quality or an insecure supply chain, which could adversely affect 

the reliability and reputation of our products;

•• changes in the cost of these purchases due to inflation, exchange rates, 

commodity market volatility or other factors;

•• intellectual property risks such as ownership of rights or alleged infringement 

by suppliers;

•• information security risks associated with providing confidential information 

to suppliers; and

•• shortages of components, commodities or other materials, which could 
adversely affect our manufacturing efficiencies and ability to make timely 
delivery.

Any of these uncertainties could adversely affect our profitability and ability 
to compete. We also maintain several single-source supplier relationships, 
because either alternative sources are not available or the relationship is 
advantageous due to performance, quality, support, delivery, capacity 
or price considerations. Unavailability or delivery delays of single-source 
components or products could adversely affect our ability to ship the 
related products in a timely manner. The effect of unavailability or delivery 
delays would be more severe if associated with our higher volume and 
more profitable products. Even where substitute sources of supply are 
available, qualifying the alternate suppliers and establishing reliable supplies 
could cost more or could result in delays and a loss of sales.

We rely on strategic partners to expand our capabilities 
and to provide more complete automation solutions 
for our customers, which creates certain risks and 
uncertainties that may adversely affect our business.

We have relationships with industry-leading strategic partners that provide 
complementary technology, expertise and thought leadership to enable us 
to enhance automation solutions for our customers. If we fail to maintain or 
manage relationships with these third-party partner companies effectively, 
or these partners are unable or unwilling to perform as expected, our ability 
to execute our business strategy could be negatively affected.

Our competitiveness depends on successfully executing 
our globalization and cost productivity initiatives.

Our globalization strategy includes localization of our products, solutions and 
services to be closer to our customers and identified growth opportunities. 
Localization of our products, solutions and services includes expanding 
our capabilities, including supply chain and sourcing activities, product 
design, manufacturing, engineering, marketing and sales and support. 
These activities expose us to risks, including those related to political and 
economic uncertainties, transportation delays, labor market disruptions 
and challenges to protect our intellectual property. In addition, we continue 
to invest in initiatives to reduce our cost structure. The failure to achieve 
our objectives on these initiatives could have an adverse effect on our 
operating results and financial condition.

Risks associated with acquisitions could have an 
adverse effect on us.

We have acquired, and will continue to acquire, businesses in an effort to 
enhance shareowner value. Acquisitions involve risks and uncertainties, 
including:

•• difficulties in integrating the acquired business, retaining the acquired 
business’ customers and achieving the expected benefits of the acquisition, 
such as sales increases, access to technologies, cost savings and 
increases in geographic or product presence, in the desired time frames;

•• loss of key employees of the acquired business;

•• difficulties implementing and maintaining consistent standards, controls, 

procedures, policies and information systems; and

•• diversion of management’s attention from other business concerns.

Future acquisitions could result in debt, dilution, liabilities, increased 
interest expense, restructuring charges and amortization expenses related 
to intangible assets.

8

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-KItEM 1B  Unresolved Staff Comments

None.

Part I 
Item 2 Properties

ItEM 2  Properties

We operate manufacturing facilities in the United States and multiple other countries. Manufacturing space occupied approximately 3.4 million square 
feet, of which 38 percent was in the United States and Canada. Our global headquarters are located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in a facility that we own. 
We lease the remaining facilities noted below. Most of our facilities are shared by operations in both segments and may be used for multiple purposes 
such as administrative, manufacturing, warehousing and / or distribution.

The following table sets forth information regarding our headquarter locations as of September 30, 2015.

Location
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
Mayfield Heights, Ohio, United States
Cambridge, Canada
Capelle, Netherlands / Diegem, Belgium
Hong Kong
Weston, Florida, United States

Segment/Region
Global Headquarters and Control Products & Solutions
Architecture & Software
Canada
Europe, Middle East and Africa
Asia Pacific
Latin America

The following table sets forth information regarding our principal manufacturing locations as of September 30, 2015.

Location
Monterrey, Mexico
Aarau, Switzerland
Twinsburg, Ohio, United States
Mequon, Wisconsin, United States
Cambridge, Canada
Shanghai, China
Singapore
Katowice, Poland
Tecate, Mexico
Ladysmith, Wisconsin, United States
Richland Center, Wisconsin, United States
Jundiai, Brazil

Manufacturing Square Footage
637,000
284,000
257,000
240,000
216,000
196,000
155,000
138,000
135,000
124,000
124,000
94,000

There are no major encumbrances (other than financing arrangements, which in the aggregate are not significant) on any of our plants or equipment. In 
our opinion, our properties have been well maintained, are in sound operating condition and contain all equipment and facilities necessary to operate 
at present levels.

9

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-KPart I 
Item 3 Legal Proceedings

ItEM 3  Legal Proceedings

The information required by this Item is contained in Note 14 of the Financial Statements within the section entitled Other Matters.

ItEM 4a  Executive Officers of the Company

The name, age, office and position held with the Company and principal occupations and employment during the past five years of each of the executive 
officers of the Company as of October 31, 2015 are:

Name, Office and Position, and Principal Occupations and Employment
Keith D. Nosbusch — Chairman of the Board and President and Chief Executive Officer
Sujeet Chand — Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer
Theodore D. Crandall — Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
David M. Dorgan — Vice President and Controller
Steven W. Etzel — Vice President and Treasurer
Douglas M. Hagerman — Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
Frank C. Kulaszewicz — Senior Vice President since April 2011; Vice President and General Manager, 

Control and Visualization Business previously
John P. McDermott — Senior Vice President
John M. Miller — Vice President and Chief Intellectual Property Counsel
Blake D. Moret — Senior Vice President since April 2011; Vice President and General Manager, Customer Support and 

Maintenance previously

Susan J. Schmitt — Senior Vice President, Human Resources
Martin Thomas — Senior Vice President, Operations and Engineering Services

Age
64
57
60
51
55
54

51
57
48

52
52
57

There are no family relationships, as defined by applicable SEC rules, between any of the above executive officers and any other executive officer or 
director of the Company. No officer of the Company was selected pursuant to any arrangement or understanding between the officer and any person 
other than the Company. All executive officers are elected annually.

10

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-KPart II 
Item 5 market for the Company’s Common equity,  Related Stockholder matters and Issuer Purchases  of equity Securities

PART II

ItEM 5  Market for the Company’s Common Equity,  

related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases  
of Equity Securities

Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and trades under the symbol “ROK.” On October 31, 2015, there were 19,054 shareowners 
of record of our common stock.

The following table sets forth the high and low sales price of our common stock on the New York Stock Exchange-Composite Transactions reporting 
system during each quarter of our fiscal years ended September 30, 2015 and 2014:

Fiscal Quarters
First
Second
Third
Fourth

$

2015

High
118.32 $
118.96  
127.05  
126.77  

Low
98.55 $

102.31  
110.00  
99.00  

2014

High
119.03 $
125.66  
128.57  
126.84  

Low
102.98
108.83
115.21
109.80

We declare and pay dividends at the sole discretion of our Board of Directors. During 2015 we declared and paid aggregate cash dividends of $2.60 
per common share. During the first quarter of fiscal 2015, we increased our quarterly dividend per common share 12 percent to 65 cents per common 
share effective with the dividend payable in December 2014 ($2.60 per common share annually). During 2014 we declared and paid aggregate cash 
dividends of $2.32 per common share.

The table below sets forth information with respect to purchases made by or on behalf of us of shares of our common stock during the three months 
ended September 30, 2015:

Period
July 1 – 31, 2015
August 1 – 31, 2015
September 1 – 30, 2015
TOTAL
(1)  Average price paid per share includes brokerage commissions.
(2)  On June 4, 2014, the Board of Directors authorized us to expend $1.0 billion to repurchase shares of our common stock. Our repurchase program allows us to repurchase shares 

377,399 $
699,200  
689,598  

377,399 $
699,200  
689,598  

1,766,197

1,766,197

Average Price 
Paid Per Share(1)
121.02
112.79
104.30
111.24

Total Number of  
Shares Purchased 
as Part of Publicly 
Announced Plans 
or Programs

Maximum Approx. 
Dollar Value of Shares 
that may yet be 
Purchased Under the 
Plans or Programs(2)
595,987,005
517,120,880
445,195,153

Total Number 
of Shares 
Purchased

at management’s discretion or at our broker’s discretion pursuant to a share repurchase plan subject to price and volume parameters.

11

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K 
 
 
Part II 
Item 6 Selected Financial Data

ItEM 6  Selected Financial Data

The following table sets forth selected consolidated financial data of our continuing operations. The data should be read in conjunction with MD&A and 
the Financial Statements. The selected financial data below has been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements.

(in millions, except per share data)
Consolidated Statement of Operations Data:
Sales
Interest expense
Net income
Earnings per share:

$

Basic
Diluted

Cash dividends per share
Consolidated Balance Sheet Data:
(at end of period)
Total assets
Short-term debt
Long-term debt
Shareowners’ equity
Other Data:
Capital expenditures
Depreciation
Intangible asset amortization

Year Ended September 30,
2014

2013

2012

2011

2015

6,307.9 $
63.7  
827.6  

6.15  
6.09  
2.60  

6,623.5 $
59.3  
826.8  

6,351.9 $
60.9  
756.3  

6,259.4 $
60.1  
737.0  

5.98  
5.91  
2.32  

5.43  
5.36  
1.98  

5.20  
5.13  
1.745  

$

6,404.7 $

—  
1,500.9  
2,256.8  

122.9 $
133.1  
29.4  

$

6,224.3 $
325.0  
900.4  
2,658.1  

141.0 $
122.5  
30.0  

5,844.6 $
179.0  
905.1  
2,585.5  

146.2 $
113.8  
31.4  

5,636.5 $
157.0  
905.0  
1,851.7  

139.6 $
103.9  
34.7  

6,000.4
59.5
697.8

4.88
4.80
1.475

5,284.9
—
905.0
1,748.0

120.1
96.5
34.8

ItEM 7  Management’s Discussion and analysis of Financial 

Condition and results of Operations

results of Operations

Non-GaaP Measures

Overview

The following discussion includes organic sales, total segment operating 
earnings and margin, Adjusted Income, Adjusted EPS, Adjusted Effective Tax 
Rate and free cash flow, which are non-GAAP measures. See Supplemental 
Sales Information for a reconciliation of reported sales to organic sales 
and a discussion of why we believe this non-GAAP measure is useful 
to investors. See results of Operations for a reconciliation of income 
before income taxes to total segment operating earnings and margin and 
a discussion of why we believe these non-GAAP measures are useful to 
investors. See results of Operations for a reconciliation of income from 
continuing operations, diluted EPS from continuing operations and effective 
tax rate to Adjusted Income, Adjusted EPS and Adjusted Effective Tax Rate, 
respectively, and a discussion of why we believe these non-GAAP measures 
are useful to investors. See Financial Condition for a reconciliation of 
cash flows from operating activities to free cash flow and a discussion of 
why we believe this non-GAAP measure is useful to investors.

We are a leading global provider of industrial automation power, control 
and information solutions that help manufacturers achieve competitive 
advantages for their businesses. Overall demand for our products, solutions 
and services is driven by:

•• investments in manufacturing, including upgrades, modifications and 
expansions of existing facilities or production lines and new facilities or 
production lines;

•• investments in basic materials production capacity, which may be related 

to commodity pricing levels;

•• industry factors that include our customers’ new product introductions, 
demand for our customers’ products or services and the regulatory and 
competitive environments in which our customers operate;

•• levels of global industrial production and capacity utilization;

•• regional factors that include local political, social, regulatory and economic 

circumstances; and

•• the spending patterns of our customers due to their annual budgeting 

processes and their working schedules.

12

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Part II 
Item 7 management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Long-term Strategy

Our vision of being the most valued global provider of innovative industrial 
automation and information products, solutions and services is supported 
by our growth and performance strategy, which seeks to:

•• achieve organic sales growth in excess of the automation market 
by expanding our served market and strengthening our competitive 
differentiation;

•• diversify our sales streams by broadening our portfolio of products, 
solutions and services, expanding our global presence and serving a 
wider range of industries and applications;

•• grow market share by gaining new customers and by capturing a larger 

share of existing customers’ spending;

•• enhance our market access by building our channel capability and 

partner network;

•• make acquisitions that serve as catalysts to organic growth by adding 
complementary technology, expanding our served market, enhancing 
our domain expertise or continuing our geographic diversification;

•• deploy human and financial resources to strengthen our technology 

leadership and our intellectual capital business model;

•• continuously improve quality and customer experience; and

•• drive annual cost productivity.

By implementing the strategy above, we seek to achieve our long-term 
financial goals that include above-market organic sales growth, EPS growth 
above sales growth, return on invested capital in excess of 20 percent and 
free cash flow equal to about 100 percent of Adjusted Income.

Our customers face the challenge of remaining globally cost competitive 
and automation can help them achieve their productivity and sustainability 
objectives. Our value proposition is to help our customers reduce time 
to market, lower total cost of ownership, improve asset utilization and 
manage enterprise risks.

Differentiation through technology Innovation and 
Domain Expertise

We seek a technology leadership position in industrial automation. We 
believe that our three platforms - integrated architecture, intelligent motor 
control and solutions and services - provide the foundation for a long-term 
sustainable competitive advantage.

Our integrated control and information architecture, with Logix at its core, 
is an important differentiator. We are the only automation provider that can 
support discrete, process, batch, safety, motion and power control on the 
same hardware platform with the same software programming environment. 
Our integrated architecture is scalable with standard open communications 
protocols making it easier for customers to implement more cost effectively.

Intelligent motor control is one of our core competencies and an important 
aspect of an automation system. These products and solutions enhance 
the availability, efficiency and safe operation of our customers’ critical and 
most energy-intensive plant assets. Our intelligent motor control offering 
can be integrated seamlessly with the Logix architecture.

Domain expertise refers to the industry and application knowledge required 
to deliver solutions and services that support customers through the entire 
life cycle of their automation investment. The combination of industry-specific 
domain expertise of our people with our innovative technologies enables us 
to help our customers solve their manufacturing and business challenges.

Global Expansion

As the manufacturing world continues to expand, we must be able to meet 
our customers’ needs around the world. We currently have approximately 
60 percent of our employees outside the U.S. and 45 percent of our sales 
outside the U.S. We continue to expand our footprint in emerging markets.

As we expand in markets with considerable growth potential and shift our 
global footprint, we expect to continue to broaden the portfolio of products, 
solutions and services that we provide to our customers in these regions. We 
have made significant investments to globalize our manufacturing, product 
development and customer facing resources in order to be closer to our 
customers throughout the world. The emerging markets of Asia Pacific, 
including China and India, Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe and 
Africa are projected to be the fastest growing over the long term, due to 
higher levels of infrastructure investment and the growing middle-class 
population. We believe that increased demand for consumer products in 
these markets will lead to manufacturing investment and provide us with 
additional growth opportunities in the future.

Enhanced Market access

Over the past decade, our investments in technology and globalization 
have enabled us to expand our addressed market to over $90 billion. 
Our process initiative has been the most important contributor to this 
expansion and remains our largest growth opportunity. Logix is the 
technology foundation that enabled us to become an industry leader 
for process applications. We complement that with a growing global 
network of engineers and partners to provide solutions to process 
customers.

OEMs represent another area of addressed market expansion and an 
important growth opportunity. To remain competitive, OEMs need to find 
the optimal balance of machine cost and performance while reducing their 
time to market. Our scalable integrated architecture and intelligent motor 
control offerings, along with design productivity tools and our motion and 
safety products, can assist OEMs in addressing these business needs.

We have developed a powerful network of channel partners, technology 
partners and commercial partners that act as amplifiers to our internal 
capabilities and enable us to serve our customers’ needs around the 
world.

Broad range of Industries Served

We apply our knowledge of manufacturing applications to help customers 
solve their business challenges. We serve customers in a wide range of 
industries, including consumer products, resource-based and transportation.

Our consumer products customers are engaged in the food and beverage, 
home and personal care and life sciences industries. These customers’ 
needs include new capacity, incremental capacity from existing facilities, 
flexible manufacturing and regulatory compliance. These customers 
operate in an environment where product innovation and time to market 
are critical factors.

We serve customers in resource-based industries, including oil and gas, 
mining, aggregates, cement, metals, energy, pulp and paper and water/
wastewater. Companies in these industries typically invest in capacity 
expansion when commodity prices are relatively high and global demand 
for basic materials is increasing. In addition, there is ongoing investment 
in upgrades of aging automation systems and productivity.

In the transportation industry, factors such as geographic expansion, 
investment in new model introductions and more flexible manufacturing 
technologies influence customers’ automation investment decisions. Our 
sales in transportation are primarily to automotive and tire manufacturers.

All of these industries also generate maintenance repair order and ongoing 
services revenue related to the installed base.

Outsourcing and Sustainability trends

Demand for our products, solutions and services across all industries 
benefits from the outsourcing and sustainability needs of our customers. 
Customers increasingly desire to outsource engineering services to achieve 
a more flexible cost base. Our manufacturing application knowledge 
enables us to serve these customers globally.

13

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-KPart II 
Item 7 management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

We help our customers meet their sustainability needs pertaining to 
energy efficiency, environmental and safety goals. Customers across all 
industries are investing in more energy-efficient manufacturing processes 
and technologies, such as intelligent motor control and energy efficient 
solutions and services. In addition, environmental and safety objectives 
often spur customers to invest to ensure compliance and implement 
sustainable business practices.

acquisitions

Our acquisition strategy focuses on products, solutions or services that 
will be catalytic to the organic growth of our core offerings.

In October 2014, we acquired the assets of ESC Services, Inc., a global 
provider of lockout-tagout services and solutions. This acquisition enables 
our customers to increase asset utilization and strengthen enterprise risk 
management.

In January 2014, we acquired Jacobs Automation, a leader in intelligent 
track motion control technology. This technology improves performance 
across a wide range of packaging, material handling, and other applications 
for global machine builders.

In November 2013, we acquired vMonitor LLC and its affiliates, a global 
technology leader for wireless solutions in the oil and gas industry. This 
acquisition strengthens our ability to deliver end-to-end projects for the 
oil and gas sector and accelerates our development of similar process 
solutions and remote monitoring services for other industries globally.

In October 2012, we acquired certain assets of the medium voltage drives 
business of Harbin Jiuzhou Electric Co., Ltd., a leading manufacturer of medium 
voltage drives, direct current power supplies, switch gear and wind inverters, 
headquartered in Harbin, China. The acquisition strengthens our presence 
in the Asia-Pacific motor control market by adding significant capabilities in 
design, engineering and manufacturing of medium voltage drive products.

We believe the acquired companies will help us expand our served market 
and deliver value to our customers.

Continuous Improvement

Productivity and continuous improvement are important components of our 
culture. We have programs in place that drive ongoing process improvement, 
functional streamlining, material cost savings and manufacturing productivity. 
Our implementation of common global processes and an enterprise- 
wide business system is nearly complete. These are intended to improve 

profitability that can be used to fund investments in growth and to offset 
inflation. Our ongoing productivity initiatives target both cost reduction 
and improved asset utilization. Charges for workforce reductions and 
facility rationalization may be required in order to effectively execute our 
productivity programs.

U. S. Industrial Economic trends

In 2015, sales to U.S. customers accounted for 55 percent of our total 
sales. The various indicators we use to gauge the direction and momentum 
of our U.S. served markets include:

•• The Industrial Production Index (IP), published by the Federal Reserve, 
which measures the real output of manufacturing, mining, and electric 
and gas utilities. The Industrial Production Index is expressed as a 
percentage of real output in a base year, currently 2012. Historically there 
has been a meaningful correlation between the changes in the Industrial 
Production Index and the level of automation investment made by our 
U.S. customers in their manufacturing base.

•• The Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), published by the 
Institute for Supply Management (ISM), which indicates the current and 
near-term state of manufacturing activity in the U.S. According to the 
ISM, a PMI measure above 50 indicates that the U.S. manufacturing 
economy is generally expanding while a measure below 50 indicates 
that it is generally contracting.

•• Industrial Equipment Spending, compiled by the Bureau of Economic 
Analysis, which provides insight into spending trends in the broad U.S. 
industrial economy. This measure over the longer term has proven to 
demonstrate a reasonable correlation with our domestic growth.

•• Capacity Utilization (Total Industry), published by the Federal Reserve, 
which measures plant operating activity. Historically there has been a 
meaningful correlation between Capacity Utilization and levels of U.S. 
industrial production.

The table below depicts the trends in these indicators from fiscal 2013 to 
2015. Changes in these indicators from the most recent quarter are mixed. 
While there was year-over-year growth in IP in the fourth quarter, IP growth 
decelerated throughout the quarter and is forecasted to be negative in the 
first quarter of fiscal 2016. Industrial Equipment Spending grew year over 
year but was down sequentially in the fourth quarter. Capacity Utilization 
was flat with the prior quarter and prior year. PMI declined sharply and 
ended September only slightly above 50.

Fiscal 2015 quarter ended:

September 2015
June 2015
March 2015
December 2014

Fiscal 2014 quarter ended:

September 2014
June 2014
March 2014
December 2013

Fiscal 2013 quarter ended:

September 2013
June 2013
March 2013
December 2012

Note: Economic indicators are subject to revisions by the issuing organizations.

14

Industrial
Production
Index

107.5
106.8
107.4
107.5

106.3
105.3
103.8
102.9

102.0
101.6
101.3
100.6

Industrial 
Equipment 
Spending
(in billions)

Capacity 
Utilization
(percent)

233.3
236.2
224.9
226.1

229.2
224.1
215.8
204.0

206.7
206.0
211.2
204.6

77.9
77.7
78.4
78.8

78.3
78.0
77.3
77.0

76.7
76.6
76.7
76.5

PMI

50.2
53.5
51.5
55.1

56.1
55.7
54.4
56.1

55.6
52.8
52.0
50.0

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K 
 
 
 
Part II 
Item 7 management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Non-U.S. regional trends

Summary of results of Operations

In 2015, sales to non-U.S. customers accounted for 45 percent of our 
total sales. These customers include both indigenous companies and 
multinational companies with expanding global presence. In addition 
to the global factors previously mentioned in the “Overview” section, 
international demand, particularly in emerging markets, has historically 
been driven by the strength of the industrial economy in each region, 
investments in infrastructure and expanding consumer markets. We use 
changes in the respective countries’ Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 
Industrial Production as indicators of the growth opportunities in each 
region where we do business. 

Overall, economic projections call for a higher rate of industrial production 
growth in regions outside the U.S. in 2016 compared to 2015. In Europe, 
the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), economic forecasts call for moderate 
growth in both Western Europe and emerging countries. In Asia Pacific, 
China’s economic growth is impacted by slowing investment, declining 
exports and industrial overcapacity, whereas the economy in India is 
slowly improving. In Latin America, much of the region including Brazil 
remains in recession, but Mexico’s economy continues to be strong. 
Canada will continue to experience a low level of economic growth due 
to its exposure to resource-based industries. Despite a mixed outlook for 
emerging markets in 2016, we continue to expect that these will be the 
fastest growing automation markets over the long term.

In 2015, sales were $6,307.9 million, a decrease of 4.8 percent year 
over year. Organic sales increased 1.1 percent, and currency translation 
reduced sales by 6.0 percent. The modest organic growth was led by 
the consumer and automotive industries, offset by significant headwinds 
from heavy industries, particularly the oil and gas industry.

The following is a summary of our results related to key growth initiatives:

•• Sales related to our process initiative decreased approximately 5 percent 
in 2015 compared to 2014. Excluding the impact of currency translation, 
process initiative sales were flat year over year.

•• Logix sales exceeded $1 billion in 2015, but decreased 2.5 percent 
compared to 2014. Logix organic sales increased 4.2 percent year over 
year, with the highest growth rate in Latin America.

•• Sales in emerging markets decreased 6.5 percent in 2015 compared to 
2014. Organic sales in emerging countries increased 4.0 percent year 
over year, and currency translation reduced sales in emerging countries 
by 10.6 percent.

During 2015 we were able to expand segment operating margin by over 
one percentage point. The favorable impact of strong productivity and 
organic growth was partially offset by higher spending and unfavorable 
currency effects.

The following tables reflect our sales and operating results for the years ended September 30, 2015, 2014 and 2013 (in millions, except per share amounts):

Year Ended September 30,

2015

2014

2013

2,749.5   $
3,558.4  
6,307.9

$

2,845.3   $
3,778.2  
6,623.5

$

2,682.0  
3,669.9  
6,351.9

Sales

Architecture & Software
Control Products & Solutions

TOTAL SALES (A)
Segment operating earnings(1)

Architecture & Software
Control Products & Solutions

$

$

$

Total segment operating earnings(2) (B)
Purchase accounting depreciation and amortization
General corporate — net
Non-operating pension costs
Interest expense
Income before income taxes (C)
Income tax provision
NET INCOME
DILUTED EPS
ADJUSTED EPS(3)
Diluted weighted average outstanding shares
TOTAL SEGMENT OPERATING MARGIN(2) (B/A)
PRE-TAX MARGIN (C/A)
(1)  See Note 15 in the Consolidated Financial Statements for the definition of segment operating earnings.
(2)  Total segment operating earnings and total segment operating margin are non-GAAP financial measures. We exclude purchase accounting depreciation and amortization, 
general corporate – net, non-operating pension costs, interest expense and income tax provision because we do not consider these costs to be directly related to the operating 
performance of our segments. We believe that these measures are useful to investors as measures of operating performance. We use these measures to monitor and evaluate 
the profitability of our operating segments. Our measures of total segment operating earnings and total segment operating margin may be different from measures used by other 
companies.

5.36  
5.71  
140.9  
19.5%
15.4%

20.4%
17.1%

21.6%
17.9%

$
$
$

808.6   $
551.9  
1,360.5  
(21.0)
(85.6)
(62.7)
(63.7)
1,127.5  
(299.9)
827.6
6.09
6.40
135.7

$
$
$

839.6   $
512.4  
1,352.0  
(21.6)
(81.0)
(55.9)
(59.3)
1,134.2  
(307.4)
826.8
5.91
6.17
139.7

$
$
$

759.4  
477.4  
1,236.8  
(19.3)
(97.2)
(78.5)
(60.9)
980.9  
(224.6)
756.3

(3)  Adjusted EPS is a non-GAAP earnings measure that excludes the non-operating pension costs and their related income tax effect. See Adjusted Income, Adjusted EPS 

and Adjusted Effective Tax Rate Reconciliation for more information on this non-GAAP measure.

15

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Part II 
Item 7 management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Purchase accounting depreciation and amortization and non-operating pension costs are not allocated to our operating segments because these costs 
are excluded from our measurement of each segment’s operating performance for internal purposes. If we were to allocate these costs, we would 
attribute them to each of our segments as follows (in millions):

Purchase accounting depreciation and amortization

Architecture & Software
Control Products & Solutions
Non-operating pension costs

Architecture & Software
Control Products & Solutions

$

Year Ended September 30,
2015

2014

4.3 $

15.7  

22.6  
35.3  

4.1 $

16.5  

20.6  
32.2  

2013

4.0
14.3

27.6
46.6

The increases in non-operating pension costs in both segments in fiscal 2015 were primarily due to the decrease in the discount rate used to measure 
net periodic pension cost for our U.S. pension plans. The rate decreased from 5.05 percent in 2014 to 4.50 percent in 2015.

adjusted Income, adjusted EPS and adjusted Effective tax rate reconciliation

Adjusted Income, Adjusted EPS and Adjusted Effective Tax Rate are non-
GAAP earnings measures that exclude non-operating pension costs and 
their related income tax effects. We define non-operating pension costs 
as defined benefit plan interest cost, expected return on plan assets, 
amortization of actuarial gains and losses and the impact of any plan 
curtailments or settlements. These components of net periodic benefit cost 
primarily relate to changes in pension assets and liabilities that are a result 
of market performance; we consider these costs to be unrelated to the 

operating performance of our business. We believe that Adjusted Income, 
Adjusted EPS and Adjusted Effective Tax Rate provide useful information 
to our investors about our operating performance and allow management 
and investors to compare our operating performance period over period. 
Our measures of Adjusted Income, Adjusted EPS and Adjusted Effective 
Tax Rate may be different from measures used by other companies. These 
non-GAAP measures should not be considered a substitute for income 
from continuing operations, diluted EPS and effective tax rate.

The following are the components of operating and non-operating pension costs for the years ended September 30, 2015, 2014 and 2013 (in millions):

Service cost
Amortization of prior service credit
Operating pension costs
Interest cost
Expected return on plan assets
Amortization of net actuarial loss
Settlements
Non-operating pension costs
NET PERIODIC PENSION COST

$

$

Year Ended September 30,
2015
85.7   $
(2.7)
83.0
167.2  
(223.2) 
118.7
—
62.7
145.7

2014
78.5  
(2.7)
75.8
174.2  
(217.9) 
99.7
(0.1)
55.9
131.7

$

$

$

2013
92.1
(2.5)
89.6
160.2  
(226.3)
144.6
—
78.5
168.1

The following are reconciliations of income from continuing operations, diluted EPS from continuing operations and effective tax rate to Adjusted Income, 
Adjusted EPS and Adjusted Effective Tax Rate, respectively, for the years ended September 30, 2015, 2014 and 2013 (in millions, except per share amounts):

Year Ended September 30,
2015
827.6   $

$

62.7  
(21.9)
868.4
6.09
0.46  
(0.15)
6.40
26.6%  
0.4%  

$
$

$

2014
826.8  
55.9  
(20.0)
862.7
5.91
0.40  
(0.14)
6.17
27.1%  
0.4%  

$
$

$

2013
756.3  
78.5  
(28.5)
806.3

5.36  
0.55  
(0.20)
5.71
22.9%
1.0%
23.9%

27.0%

27.5%

Income from continuing operations

Non-operating pension costs
Tax effect of non-operating pension costs

ADJUSTED INCOME
Diluted EPS from continuing operations

Non-operating pension costs per diluted share
Tax effect of non-operating pension costs per diluted share

ADJUSTED EPS
Effective tax rate

Tax effect of non-operating pension costs

ADJUSTED EFFECTIVE TAX RATE

$

$
$

$

16

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Part II 
Item 7 management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

$

2015
6,307.9 $
1,127.5  
6.09  
6.40  

2014
6,623.5 $
1,134.2  
5.91  
6.17  

Change
(315.6)
(6.7)
0.18
0.23

2015 Compared to 2014 

(in millions, except per share amounts)
Sales
Income before income taxes
Diluted EPS
Adjusted EPS

Sales

Sales in fiscal 2015 decreased 4.8 percent compared to 2014. Organic sales increased 1.1 percent, and currency translation reduced sales by 
6.0 percent. Product sales decreased 3 percent year over year. Product organic sales increased 3 percent year over year in 2015, and currency 
translation reduced sales by 6 percent. Pricing contributed approximately one percentage point to growth.

The table below presents our sales, attributed to the geographic regions based upon country of destination, for the year ended September 30, 2015 
and the percentage change from the same period a year ago (in millions, except percentages):

Change vs.  
Year Ended 
September 30, 2014

Change in Organic 
Sales(1) vs. Year Ended 
September 30, 2014

Year Ended 
September 30, 2015
3,446.8
366.6
1,174.0
834.5
486.0
6,307.9

0.9%
United States
(5.3)%
Canada
2.1%
Europe, Middle East and Africa
(1.1)%
Asia Pacific
8.9%
Latin America
TOTAL SALES
1.1%
(1)  Organic sales are sales excluding the effect of changes in currency exchange rates and acquisitions. See Supplemental Sales Information for information on this  

0.9%
(16.1)%
(13.2)%
(5.6)%
(9.3)%
(4.8)%

$

$

non-GAAP measure.

•• Sales in the United States increased modestly, with strength in the consumer and automotive industries offset by weakness in heavy industries, 

especially the oil and gas industry.

•• Sales in Canada declined due to the unfavorable impact of currency translation as well as declines in resource-based industries, particularly the oil 

and gas industry.

•• EMEA sales decreased due to the unfavorable impact of currency translation. Organic sales growth was led by emerging countries with modest 

growth in mature Europe.

•• Asia Pacific sales declined due to the unfavorable impact of currency translation as well as a decrease in organic sales in China, partially offset by 

growth in India.

•• Latin America sales decreased due to the unfavorable impact of currency translation. Organic sales growth in the region was primarily driven by strong 

sales growth in Mexico.

General Corporate - Net

General corporate - net expenses were $85.6 million in fiscal 2015 
compared to $81.0 million in fiscal 2014.

Income before Income taxes

Income before income taxes decreased 1 percent from $1,134.2 million 
in 2014 to $1,127.5 million in 2015, primarily due to increases in  
non-operating pension costs, general corporate - net expenses and interest 
expense, partially offset by an increase in segment operating earnings. 
Total segment operating earnings increased 1 percent year over year, 
primarily due to strong productivity and higher organic sales, partially 
offset by unfavorable currency effects and higher spending.

Income taxes

The effective tax rate for 2015 was 26.6 percent compared to 27.1 percent 
in 2014. The 2015 and 2014 effective tax rates were lower than the 
U.S. statutory rate of 35 percent primarily because we benefited from 
lower non-U.S. tax rates. The Adjusted Effective Tax Rate in 2015 was  
27.0 percent compared to 27.5 percent in 2014. The decreases in the 
effective tax rate and the Adjusted Effective Tax Rate were primarily due to 
the tax effect of foreign dividends and the retroactive extension of the U.S. 
federal research and development tax credit (U.S. research tax credit) for 
calendar year 2014 during the first quarter of fiscal 2015, partially offset 
by a difference in the mix of pre-tax income across regions.

See Note 13 in the Financial Statements for a complete reconciliation of the 
United States statutory tax rate to the effective tax rate and more information 
on tax events in 2015 and 2014 affecting each year’s respective tax rates.

17

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Part II 
Item 7 management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

architecture & Software

(in millions, except percentages)
Sales
Segment operating earnings
Segment operating margin

$

2015

2,749.5   $
808.6  

29.4%  

2014

2,845.3   $
839.6  

29.5%  

Change
(95.8)
(31.0)

(0.1) pts

Sales

Operating Margin

Architecture & Software sales decreased 3.4 percent in 2015 compared to 2014. 
Organic sales increased 3.1 percent, and the effects of currency translation 
reduced sales by 6.6 percent. Pricing contributed approximately one and a 
half percentage points to growth during the year. All regions experienced a 
decline in sales during the year except the United States. Excluding the impact 
of currency translation, Latin America was the segment’s best performing 
region in 2015, with all other regions experiencing sales growth except for 
Asia Pacific. Logix sales decreased 2.5 percent in 2015 compared to 2014 
and Logix organic sales increased 4.2 percent year over year.

Control Products & Solutions

(in millions, except percentages)
Sales
Segment operating earnings
Segment operating margin

Sales

Architecture & Software segment operating earnings decreased 4 percent. 
Operating margin was 29.4 percent in 2015 compared to 29.5 percent in 
2014. The favorable impact of organic sales growth and productivity was 
more than offset by higher spending and unfavorable currency effects.

$

2015

3,558.4   $
551.9  

15.5%  

2014

3,778.2   $
512.4  

13.6%  

Change

(219.8) 
39.5

1.9 pts

Control Products & Solutions sales decreased 5.8 percent in 2015 compared 
to 2014. Organic sales decreased 0.4 percent, and currency translation 
reduced sales by 5.6 percent. Pricing contributed slightly less than one 
percentage point to growth during the year. All regions experienced a 
decline in sales except for the United States which was flat year over year. 
Excluding the impact of currency translation, growth in Latin America was 
more than offset by declines in Canada with all other regions flat during 2015.

Sales in our solutions and services businesses decreased 8 percent year 
over year. Organic sales in our solutions and services businesses decreased 

2 percent during 2015, and the net effect of currency translation and 
acquisitions reduced sales by 6 percentage points.

Operating Margin

Control Products & Solutions segment operating earnings increased 
8 percent year over year. Segment operating margin was 15.5 percent in 
2015 compared to 13.6 percent a year ago, primarily due to very strong 
productivity.

2014 Compared to 2013

(in millions, except per share amounts)
Sales
Income before income taxes
Diluted EPS
Adjusted EPS

Sales

$

$

2014
6,623.5
1,134.2
5.91
6.17

$

2013
6,351.9
980.9
5.36
5.71

Change
271.6
153.3
0.55
0.46

Sales in fiscal 2014 increased 4.3 percent compared to 2013. Organic sales increased 5.1 percent, and currency translation reduced sales by 1.0 percent. 
Product sales grew 5 percent year over year. Pricing contributed about one percentage point to growth.

The table below presents our sales, attributed to the geographic regions based upon country of destination, for the year ended September 30, 2014 
and the percentage change from the same period a year ago (in millions, except percentages):

6.8%
United States
(0.7)%
Canada
2.2%
Europe, Middle East and Africa
5.3%
Asia Pacific
6.0%
Latin America
TOTAL SALES
5.1%
(1)  Organic sales are sales excluding the effect of changes in currency exchange rates and acquisitions. See Supplemental Sales Information for information on this  

6.6%
(6.8)%
5.2%
3.8%
(1.4)%
4.3%

$

$

Year Ended 
September 30, 2014
3,414.6
437.0
1,351.8
884.0
536.1
6,623.5

Change vs.  
Year Ended 
September 30, 2013

Change in Organic 
Sales(1) vs. Year Ended 
September 30, 2013

non-GAAP measure.

18

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Part II 
Item 7 management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

•• Sales growth in the United States was realized broadly across industries, with the highest growth in the oil and gas and home and personal care industries.

•• Sales in Canada declined due to the unfavorable impact of currency translation. Organic sales declined slightly due to continued weakness in solutions 

and services in resource-based industries, partially offset by growth in our product businesses.

•• EMEA sales grew as a result of the favorable impact of currency translation, organic sales growth and a small contribution from acquisitions. Organic 

sales were driven by growth in our products businesses.

•• Asia Pacific organic sales growth was driven by strong sales to OEM customers in China and a return to growth in India.

•• Latin America sales declined due to the unfavorable impact of currency translation. Organic sales growth in the region was driven by strong sales in 

Brazil and Mexico that more than offset sales declines in the rest of the region.

General Corporate - Net

Income taxes

General corporate - net expenses were $81.0 million in fiscal 2014 compared 
to $97.2 million in fiscal 2013. The year-over-year decrease was primarily 
due to fiscal 2013 charges related to legacy environmental matters.

Income before Income taxes

Income before income taxes increased 16 percent from $980.9 million in 
2013 to $1,134.2 million in 2014, primarily due to an increase in segment 
operating earnings, lower non-operating pension costs and reduced general 
corporate - net expenses. Total segment operating earnings increased  
9 percent year over year, primarily due to higher sales and favorable mix, 
partially offset by increased spending.

The effective tax rate for 2014 was 27.1 percent compared to  
22.9 percent in 2013. The 2014 and 2013 effective tax rates were lower 
than the U.S. statutory rate of 35 percent primarily because we benefited 
from lower non-U.S. tax rates. The Adjusted Effective Tax Rate in 2014 
was 27.5 percent compared to 23.9 percent in 2013. The increases in the 
effective tax rate and the Adjusted Effective Tax Rate were primarily due 
to significant net favorable prior period tax matters recognized in fiscal 
2013 and a smaller amount of net unfavorable similar items recognized in 
fiscal 2014. We also recognized a significant benefit from the retroactive 
extension of the U.S. research tax credit in fiscal 2013. The U.S. research 
tax credit expired on December 31, 2013.

See Note 13 in the Financial Statements for a complete reconciliation 
of the United States statutory tax rate to the effective tax rate and more 
information on tax events in 2014 and 2013 affecting the respective tax rates.

architecture & Software

(in millions, except percentages)
Sales
Segment operating earnings
Segment operating margin

$

2014

2,845.3   $
839.6  

29.5%  

2013

2,682.0   $
759.4  

28.3%  

Change

163.3  
80.2  

1.2 pts

Sales

Operating Margin

Architecture & Software sales increased 6.1 percent in 2014 compared 
to 2013. Organic sales increased 6.8 percent, and the effects of currency 
translation reduced sales by 0.7 percent. Pricing contributed approximately 
one percentage point to growth during the year. All regions experienced 
sales growth during the year except Latin America, which grew organically 
but declined in total due to currency translation. Excluding the impact of 
currency translation, Canada was the segment’s best performing region 
in 2014. Logix sales increased 6 percent in 2014 compared to 2013 and 
Logix organic sales increased 7 percent year over year.

Control Products & Solutions

(in millions, except percentages)
Sales
Segment operating earnings
Segment operating margin

Architecture & Software segment operating earnings increased 11 percent. 
Operating margin expanded 1.2 points to 29.5 percent in 2014 compared 
to 28.3 percent in 2013, primarily due to higher sales, partially offset by 
increased spending. 

$

2014

3,778.2   $
512.4  

13.6%  

2013

3,669.9   $
477.4  

13.0%  

Change

108.3  
35.0  

0.6 pts

Sales

Operating Margin

Control Products & Solutions sales increased 3.0 percent in 2014 
compared to 2013. Organic sales increased 3.8 percent, and currency 
translation reduced sales by 1.1 percent. Sales in our solutions and 
services businesses grew 2 percent year over year. Pricing contributed 
less than one percentage point to growth during the year. The United 
States was the segment’s best performing region in 2014. Excluding 
the impact of currency translation, all regions experienced sales growth 
except Canada, where the solutions business was adversely impacted 
by resource-based industries.

Control Products & Solutions segment operating earnings increased 
7 percent year over year. Segment operating margin was 13.6 percent in 
2014 compared to 13.0 percent a year ago, primarily due to higher sales, 
partially offset by increased spending.

19

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Part II 
Item 7 management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Financial Condition

The following is a summary of our cash flows from operating, investing and financing activities, as reflected in the Consolidated Statement of Cash 
Flows (in millions):

Year Ended September 30,

2015

2014

2013

Cash provided by (used for):

Operating activities
Investing activities
Financing activities
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash

CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) CONTINUING OPERATIONS

$

$

1,187.7   $
(246.9)
(608.1)

(96.7)   
236.0

$

1,033.3   $
(483.4)
(521.8)
(37.7)

(9.6) $

The following table summarizes free cash flow (in millions), which is a non-GAAP financial measure:

1,014.8  
(256.8)
(454.6)
0.6
304.0

2013
1,014.8  
(146.2)
31.9  

900.5

Year Ended September 30,

2015
1,187.7   $
(122.9)

12.4    

1,077.2

$

2014
1,033.3   $
(141.0)

29.9    

922.2

$

$

$

We expect future uses of cash to include working capital requirements, 
capital expenditures, additional contributions to our retirement plans, 
acquisitions of businesses, dividends to shareowners, repurchases of 
common stock and repayments of debt. We expect capital expenditures 
in 2016 to be about $150 million. We expect to fund future uses of cash 
with a combination of existing cash balances and short-term investments, 
cash generated by operating activities, commercial paper borrowings or 
a new issuance of debt or other securities.

Given our extensive operations outside the U.S., a significant amount of 
our cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments (funds) are held 
in non-U.S. subsidiaries where our undistributed earnings are indefinitely 
reinvested. Generally, these funds would be subject to U.S. tax if repatriated.  
As of September 30, 2015, approximately 90 percent of our funds were 
held in these non-U.S. subsidiaries. The percentage of these non-U.S. 
funds can vary from quarter to quarter with an average of approximately 
90 percent over the past eight quarters. We have not encountered and do 
not expect to encounter any difficulty meeting the liquidity requirements 
of our domestic and international operations.

In addition to cash generated by operating activities, we have access to 
existing financing sources, including the public debt markets and unsecured 
credit facilities with various banks.

In February 2015, we issued $600.0 million of aggregate principal amount of 
long-term notes in a public offering. This debt offering yielded $594.3 million 
in net proceeds. We used the net proceeds from the offering primarily to 
repay our outstanding commercial paper, with the remaining proceeds used 
for general corporate purposes. Upon issuance of these notes, we entered 
into fixed-to-floating interest rate swap contracts with multiple banks that 
effectively converted the notes to floating rate debt, each series at a rate 
based on three-month LIBOR plus a fixed spread. Additional information 
related to our long-term debt and interest rate swap contracts is included 
in Note 5 and Note 8 of the Financial Statements, respectively.

Our short-term debt obligations are primarily comprised of commercial paper 
borrowings. There were no commercial paper borrowings outstanding at 
September 30, 2015. At September 30, 2014, commercial paper borrowings 
outstanding were $325.0 million, with a weighted average interest rate of 
0.17 percent and weighted average maturity period of seven days. Our 
debt-to-total-capital ratio was 39.9 percent at September 30, 2015 and 
31.6 percent at September 30, 2014. The increase in the debt-to-total-
capital ratio is primarily due to an increase in debt and a decrease in equity. 
The decrease in equity is primarily due to pension and other postretirement 
benefit plan adjustments and currency translation adjustments during the year.

Cash provided by continuing operating activities
Capital expenditures
Excess income tax benefit from share-based compensation
FREE CASH FLOW

Our definition of free cash flow takes into consideration capital investments 
required to maintain the operations of our businesses and execute 
our strategy. Cash provided by continuing operating activities adds 
back non-cash depreciation expense to earnings but does not reflect a 
charge for necessary capital expenditures. Our definition of free cash flow 
excludes the operating cash flows and capital expenditures related to our 
discontinued operations. Operating, investing and financing cash flows of 
our discontinued operations are presented separately in our statement of 
cash flows. Accounting principles generally accepted in the United States 
(U.S. GAAP) require the excess income tax benefit to be reported as a 
financing cash flow rather than as an operating cash flow. We have added 
this benefit back to our calculation of free cash flow in order to generally 
classify cash flows arising from income taxes as operating cash flows. 
In our opinion, free cash flow provides useful information to investors 
regarding our ability to generate cash from business operations that is 
available for acquisitions and other investments, service of debt principal, 
dividends and share repurchases. We use free cash flow as one measure 
to monitor and evaluate performance. Our definition of free cash flow may 
differ from definitions used by other companies.

Cash provided by operating activities was $1,187.7 million for the year 
ended September 30, 2015 compared to $1,033.3 million for the year 
ended September 30, 2014. Free cash flow was $1,077.2 million for the 
year ended September 30, 2015 compared to $922.2 million for the year 
ended September 30, 2014. The increase in the cash flow provided by 
operating activities and the increase in free cash flow are primarily due to 
strong working capital performance.

We repurchased approximately 5.4 million shares of our common stock under 
our share repurchase program in 2015. The total cost of these shares was 
$606.2 million, of which $12.5 million was recorded in accounts payable 
at September 30, 2015 related to 124,400 shares that did not settle until 
October 2015. In 2014, we repurchased approximately 4.1 million shares 
of our common stock under our share repurchase program. The total cost 
of these shares was $483.8 million, of which $4.5 million was recorded 
in accounts payable at September 30, 2014 related to 40,757 shares 
that did not settle until October 2014. Our decision to repurchase stock 
in 2016 will depend on business conditions, free cash flow generation, 
other cash requirements and stock price. At September 30, 2015 we 
had approximately $445.2 million remaining for stock repurchases under 
the $1.0 billion share repurchase authorization approved by the Board of 
Directors in 2014. See Part II, Item 5. Market for the Company’s Common 
Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity 
Securities, for additional information regarding share repurchases.

20

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K 
 
   
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Part II 
Item 7 management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

On March 24, 2015, we replaced our former five-year $750.0 million 
unsecured revolving credit facility with a new five-year $1.0 billion unsecured 
revolving credit facility expiring in March 2020. We have not borrowed 
against either credit facility during the periods ended September 30, 2015 
or September 30, 2014. Separate short-term unsecured credit facilities 
of approximately $121.2 million at September 30, 2015 were available 
to non-U.S. subsidiaries. Borrowings under our non-U.S. credit facilities 
at September 30, 2015 and September 30, 2014 were not significant. 
We were in compliance with all covenants under our credit facilities at 
September 30, 2015 and September 30, 2014. Additional information related 
to our credit facilities is included in Note 5 of the Financial Statements.

The following is a summary of our credit ratings as of September 30, 2015:

Among other uses, we can draw on our $1.0 billion credit facility as a 
standby liquidity facility to repay our outstanding commercial paper as it 
matures. This access to funds to repay maturing commercial paper is an 
important factor in maintaining the short-term credit ratings set forth in 
the table below. Under our current policy with respect to these ratings, 
we expect to limit our other borrowings under our credit facility, if any, 
to amounts that would leave enough credit available under the facility 
so that we could borrow, if needed, to repay all of our then outstanding 
commercial paper as it matures.

Credit Rating Agency
Standard & Poor’s
Moody’s
Fitch Ratings

Short Term 
Rating
A-1
P-2
F1

Long Term 
Rating
A
A3
A

Outlook
Stable
Stable
Stable

Our ability to access the commercial paper market, and the related costs 
of these borrowings, is affected by the strength of our credit rating and 
market conditions. We have not experienced any difficulty in accessing 
the commercial paper market to date. If our access to the commercial 
paper market is adversely affected due to a change in market conditions 
or otherwise, we would expect to rely on a combination of available cash 
and our unsecured committed credit facility to provide short-term funding. 
In such event, the cost of borrowings under our unsecured committed 
credit facility could be higher than the cost of commercial paper borrowings.

We regularly monitor the third-party depository institutions that hold our 
cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments. Our emphasis is 
primarily on safety and liquidity of principal and secondarily on maximizing 
yield on those funds. We diversify our cash and cash equivalents and 
short-term investments among counterparties to minimize exposure to 
any one of these entities.

We use foreign currency forward exchange contracts to manage certain 
foreign currency risks. We enter into these contracts to hedge our exposure 
to foreign currency exchange rate variability in the expected future cash 

flows associated with certain third-party and intercompany transactions 
denominated in foreign currencies forecasted to occur within the next two 
years. We also use these contracts to hedge portions of our net investments 
in certain non-U.S. subsidiaries against the effect of exchange rate 
fluctuations on the translation of foreign currency balances to the U.S. dollar. 
In addition, we use foreign currency forward exchange contracts that are 
not designated as hedges to offset transaction gains or losses associated 
with some of our assets and liabilities resulting from intercompany loans 
or other transactions with third parties that are denominated in currencies 
other than our entities’ functional currencies. Our foreign currency forward 
exchange contracts are usually denominated in currencies of major industrial 
countries. We diversify our foreign currency forward exchange contracts 
among counterparties to minimize exposure to any one of these entities.

Cash dividends to shareowners were $350.1 million in 2015 ($2.60 per 
common share), $320.5 million in 2014 ($2.32 per common share) and 
$276.3 million in 2013 ($1.98 per common share). Our quarterly dividend 
rate as of September 30, 2015 is $0.65 per common share ($2.60 per 
common share annually), which is determined at the sole discretion of 
our Board of Directors.

A summary of our projected contractual cash obligations at September 30, 2015 are (in millions):

Payments by Period

$

Thereafter
2,243.1
Long-term debt and interest(a)
66.7
Minimum operating lease payments
40.9
Postretirement benefits(b)
—
Pension funding contribution(c)
2.5
Purchase obligations(d)
—
Other long-term liabilities(e)
—
Unrecognized tax benefits(f)
2,353.2
TOTAL
(a)  The  amounts  for  long-term  debt  assume  that  the  respective  debt  instruments  will  be  outstanding  until  their  scheduled  maturity  dates. The  amounts  include  interest  but 
exclude the amounts to be paid or received under interest rate swap contracts, including the $5.4 million fair value adjustment recorded for the interest rate swap contracts  
at September 30, 2015 and the unamortized discount of $45.4 million at September 30, 2015. See Note 5 in the Financial Statements for more information regarding our 
long-term debt.

Total
3,112.6 $
325.7  
93.3  
47.0  
176.2  
81.0  
49.0  
3,884.8 $

2020
354.0 $
34.7  
7.2  
—  
21.4  
—  
—  
417.3 $

2018
314.6 $
50.5  
11.1  
—  
27.3  
—  
—  

2016
71.7 $
73.6  
11.7  
47.0  
55.4  
17.0  
—  

2017
71.7 $
61.3  
11.6  
—  
42.6  
—  
—  

2019
57.5 $
38.9  
10.8  
—  
27.0  
—  
—  

187.2 $

276.4 $

403.5 $

134.2 $

$

(b)  Our postretirement benefit plans are unfunded and are subject to change. Amounts reported are estimates of future benefit payments, to the extent estimable.
(c)  Amounts reported for pension funding contributions reflect current estimates of known commitments. Contributions to our pension plans beyond 2016 will depend on future 
investment performance of our pension plan assets, changes in discount rate assumptions and governmental regulations in effect at the time. Amounts subsequent to 2016 
are excluded from the summary above, as these amounts cannot be estimated with certainty. The minimum contribution for our U.S. pension plan as required by the Employee 
Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) is currently zero. We may make additional contributions to this plan at the discretion of management.
(d)  This item includes long-term obligations under agreements with various service providers and contractual commitments for capital expenditures.
(e)  Other long-term liabilities include environmental remediation costs, conditional asset retirement obligations and indemnification liabilities, net of related receivables. Amounts 

subsequent to 2016 are excluded from the summary above, as we are unable to make a reasonably reliable estimate of when the liabilities will be paid.

(f)  Amount for unrecognized tax benefits includes accrued interest and penalties. We are unable to make a reasonably reliable estimate of when the liabilities for unrecognized tax 

benefits will be settled or paid.

21

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K 
 
 
 
 
 
Part II 
Item 7 management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Supplemental Sales Information

We translate sales of subsidiaries operating outside of the United States 
using exchange rates effective during the respective period. Therefore, 
changes in currency exchange rates affect our reported sales. Sales by 
businesses we acquired also affect our reported sales. We believe that 
organic sales, defined as sales excluding the effects of changes in currency 
exchange rates and acquisitions, which is a non-GAAP financial measure, 
provides useful information to investors because it reflects regional and 
operating segment performance from the activities of our businesses 
without the effect of changes in currency exchange rates and acquisitions. 

We use organic sales as one measure to monitor and evaluate our regional 
and operating segment performance. We determine the effect of changes 
in currency exchange rates by translating the respective period’s sales 
using the same currency exchange rates that were in effect during the 
prior year. When we acquire businesses, we exclude sales in the current 
period for which there are no comparable sales in the prior period. Organic 
sales growth is calculated by comparing organic sales to reported sales 
in the prior year. We attribute sales to the geographic regions based on 
the country of destination.

The following is a reconciliation of our reported sales by geographic region to organic sales (in millions):

United States
Canada
Europe, Middle East and Africa
Asia Pacific
Latin America
TOTAL COMPANY SALES

$

$

United States
Canada
Europe, Middle East and Africa
Asia Pacific
Latin America
TOTAL COMPANY SALES

$

$

Sales
3,446.8 $
366.6  
1,174.0  
834.5  
486.0  
6,307.9 $

Sales
3,414.6 $
437.0  
1,351.8  
884.0  
536.1  
6,623.5 $

Year Ended September 30, 2015
Sales Excluding 
Changes in 
Currency

Effect of 
Acquisitions

3,451.0 $
413.9  
1,382.6  
874.0  
583.6  
6,705.1 $

Organic Sales
3,444.9

$

413.9  
1,379.9  
874.0  
583.6  

6,696.3

$

(6.1) $
—    
(2.7)   
—  
—    
(8.8) $

Effect of 
Changes in 
Currency
4.2
47.3    
208.6  
39.5    
97.6    

$

397.2

$

Year Ended September 30, 2014
Sales Excluding 
Changes in 
Currency

Effect of 
Changes in 
Currency

Effect of 
Acquisitions

7.7 $

28.6  
(28.3)
12.9  
40.2  
61.1 $

3,422.3 $
465.6  
1,323.5  
896.9  
576.3  
6,684.6 $

Organic Sales
3,421.4

$

465.6  
1,312.9  
896.9  
576.3  

6,673.1

$

(0.9) $
—    

(10.6)

—  
—    
(11.5) $

The following is a reconciliation of our reported sales by operating segment to organic sales (in millions):

Year Ended September 30, 2015
Sales Excluding 
Changes in 
Currency

Effect of 
Changes in 
Currency

Effect of 
Acquisitions

185.6 $
211.6  
397.2 $

2,935.1 $
3,770.0  
6,705.1 $

Organic Sales
2,932.9
3,763.4  
6,696.3

$

$

(2.2) $
(6.6)
(8.8) $

Year Ended September 30, 2014
Sales Excluding 
Changes in 
Currency

Effect of 
Changes in 
Currency

Effect of 
Acquisitions

19.6 $
41.5  
61.1 $

2,864.9 $
3,819.7  
6,684.6 $

Organic Sales
2,864.0
3,809.1  
6,673.1

$

$

(0.9)  $

(10.6)
(11.5) $

Year Ended 
September 30, 2014

Year Ended 
September 30, 2013

Year Ended 
September 30, 2014

Year Ended 
September 30, 2013

Sales
3,414.6
437.0
1,351.8
884.0
536.1
6,623.5

Sales
3,202.9
468.7
1,284.9
851.9
543.5
6,351.9

Sales
2,845.3
3,778.2
6,623.5

Sales
2,682.0
3,669.9
6,351.9

Architecture & Software
Control Products & Solutions
TOTAL COMPANY SALES

Architecture & Software
Control Products & Solutions
TOTAL COMPANY SALES

Sales
2,749.5 $
3,558.4  
6,307.9 $

Sales
2,845.3 $
3,778.2  
6,623.5 $

$

$

$

$

22

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K 
 
 
 
 
Part II 
Item 7 management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Critical accounting Policies and Estimates

We have prepared the consolidated financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, which 
require us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial 
statements and revenues and expenses during the periods reported. Actual results could differ from those estimates. We believe the following critical 
accounting policies could have the most significant effect on our reported results or require subjective or complex judgments by management.

retirement Benefits — Pension
Pension costs and obligations are actuarially determined and are influenced 
by assumptions used to estimate these amounts, including the discount 
rate, the expected rate of return on plan assets, the assumed annual 
compensation increase rate, the retirement rate, the mortality rate and 
the employee turnover rate. Changes in any of the assumptions and the 
amortization of differences between the assumptions and actual experience 
will affect the amount of pension expense in future periods.

Our global pension expense in 2015 was $145.7 million compared to 
$131.7 million in 2014. Approximately 69 percent of our 2015 global pension 

expense relates to our U.S. pension plan. The actuarial assumptions used to 
determine our 2015 U.S. pension expense included the following: discount 
rate of 4.50 percent (compared to 5.05 percent for 2014); expected rate of 
return on plan assets of 7.50 percent (compared to 7.50 percent for 2014); 
and an assumed long-term compensation increase rate of 3.75 percent 
(compared to 3.75 percent for 2014).

In 2015, 2014 and 2013, we were not required to make contributions to 
satisfy minimum statutory funding requirements in our U.S. pension plans. 

The table below presents our estimate of net periodic benefit cost in 2016 compared to net periodic benefit cost in 2015 (in millions):

Service cost
Prior service credit amortization
Operating pension cost
Interest cost
Expected return on plan assets
Net actuarial loss amortization
Non-operating pension cost
NET PERIODIC BENEFIT COST

$

$

2016
88.4   $
(2.8)
85.6    
170.1    
(219.1)
124.8    
75.8    

161.4

$

2015
85.7   $
(2.7)
83.0    
167.2    
(223.2)
118.7    
62.7    

145.7

$

Change
2.7
(0.1)
2.6
2.9 
4.1 
6.1
13.1
15.7

For 2016 our U.S. discount rate will increase to 4.55 percent from 4.50 percent 
in 2015. The discount rate was set as of our September 30 measurement 
date and was determined by modeling a portfolio of bonds that match 
the expected cash flow of our benefit plans. For 2016 our U.S. long-term 
compensation increase rate will remain 3.75 percent. We established this rate 
by analyzing all elements of compensation that are pension-eligible earnings. 

For 2016 our expected rate of return on U.S. plan assets will remain 7.50 percent. 
In estimating the expected return on plan assets, we considered actual returns 
on plan assets over the long term, adjusted for forward-looking considerations, 
such as inflation, interest rates, equity performance and the active management 

of the plan’s invested assets. We also considered our current and expected 
mix of plan assets in setting this assumption. The financial markets produced 
mixed results in 2015. The plan’s debt securities return was positive but below 
the expected return range in 2015, as lower market interest rates resulted in 
low single digit bond returns. The plan’s equity securities return was below 
the expected return range in 2015, as U.S. and international equity returns 
were negative for the year. The actual return for our portfolio of U.S. plan 
assets was approximately 5.90 percent annualized for the 15 years ended 
September 30, 2015, and was approximately 8.40 percent annualized for 
the 20 years ended September 30, 2015. 

The target allocations and ranges of long-term expected return for our major categories of U.S. plan assets are as follows:

Asset Category
Equity securities
Debt securities
Other

Target 
Allocations

55%
40%
5%

Expected Return
9% – 10%
4% – 6%
6% – 11%

The changes in our discount rate and return on plan assets have an inverse relationship with our net periodic benefit cost. The change in our discount 
rate also has an inverse relationship with our projected benefit obligation. The change in our compensation increase rate has a direct relationship with 
our net periodic benefit cost and projected benefit obligation.

The following chart illustrates the estimated approximate change in projected benefit obligation and annual net periodic benefit cost assuming a change 
of 25 basis points in the key assumptions for our U.S. pension plans (in millions):

Discount rate
Return on plan assets
Compensation increase rate
(1)  Change includes both operating and non-operating pension costs.

More information regarding pension benefits is contained in Note 11 in the Financial Statements.

Pension Benefits

Change in 
Projected Benefit 
Obligation

$

121.1 $

—  
(23.4) 

Change in 
Net Periodic 
Benefit Cost(1)
12.0
6.0
(4.7)

23

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Part II 
Item 7 management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

revenue recognition

Litigation, Claims and Contingencies

For approximately 85 percent of our consolidated sales, we record sales when 
all of the following have occurred: persuasive evidence of a sales agreement 
exists; pricing is fixed or determinable; collection is reasonably assured; and 
products have been delivered and acceptance has occurred, as may be 
required according to contract terms, or services have been rendered. Within 
this category, we will at times enter into arrangements that involve the delivery 
of multiple products and/or the performance of services, such as installation 
and commissioning. The timing of delivery, though varied based upon the 
nature of the undelivered component, is generally short-term in nature. For 
these arrangements, revenue is allocated to each deliverable based on that 
element’s relative selling price, provided the delivered element has value to 
customers on a standalone basis and, if the arrangement includes a general 
right of return, delivery or performance of the undelivered items is probable 
and substantially in our control. Relative selling price is obtained from sources 
such as vendor-specific objective evidence, which is based on our separate 
selling price for that or a similar item, or from third-party evidence such as 
how competitors have priced similar items. If such evidence is not available, 
we use our best estimate of the selling price, which includes various internal 
factors such as our pricing strategy and market factors.

We recognize substantially all of the remainder of our sales as construction-
type contracts using either the percentage-of-completion or completed 
contract methods of accounting. We record sales relating to these contracts 
using the percentage-of-completion method when we determine that 
progress toward completion is reasonably and reliably estimable; we use 
the completed contract method for all others. Under the percentage-
of-completion method, we recognize sales and gross profit as work is 
performed using the relationship between actual costs incurred and total 
estimated costs at completion. Under the percentage-of-completion 
method, we adjust sales and gross profit for revisions of estimated total 
contract costs or revenue in the period the change is identified. We record 
estimated losses on contracts when they are identified.

We use contracts and customer purchase orders to determine the existence 
of a sales agreement. We use shipping documents and customer acceptance, 
when applicable, to verify delivery. We assess whether the fee is fixed or 
determinable based on the payment terms associated with the transaction 
and whether the sales price is subject to refund or adjustment. We assess 
collectibility based on the creditworthiness of the customer as determined 
by credit evaluations and analysis, as well as the customer’s payment history.

returns, rebates and Incentives

Our primary incentive program provides distributors with cash rebates or 
account credits based on agreed amounts that vary depending on the 
customer to whom our distributor ultimately sells the product. We also offer 
various other incentive programs that provide distributors and direct sale 
customers with cash rebates, account credits or additional products and 
services based on meeting specified program criteria. Certain distributors 
are offered a right to return product, subject to contractual limitations.

We record accruals for customer returns, rebates and incentives at the 
time of revenue recognition based primarily on historical experience. 
Adjustments to the accrual may be required if actual returns, rebates 
and incentives differ from historical experience or if there are changes to 
other assumptions used to estimate the accrual. A critical assumption 
used in estimating the accrual for our primary distributor rebate program 
is the time period from when revenue is recognized to when the rebate 
is processed. If the time period were to change by 10 percent, the effect 
would be an adjustment to the accrual of approximately $11.2 million.

Returns, rebates and incentives are recognized as a reduction of sales if 
distributed in cash or customer account credits. Rebates and incentives 
are recognized in cost of sales for additional products and services to be 
provided. Accruals are reported as a current liability in our balance sheet 
or, where a right of setoff exists, as a reduction of accounts receivable. The 
accrual for customer returns, rebates and incentives was $181.4 million at 
September 30, 2015 and $195.6 million at September 30, 2014, of which 
$9.2 million at September 30, 2015 and $11.6 million at September 30, 
2014 was included as an offset to accounts receivable.

We record liabilities for litigation, claims and contingencies when an obligation 
is probable and when we have a basis to reasonably estimate its value. We 
also record liabilities for environmental matters based on estimates for known 
environmental remediation exposures. The liabilities include expenses for sites 
we currently own or operate or formerly owned or operated and third party 
sites where we were determined to be a potentially responsible party. At 
third-party environmental sites where more than one potentially responsible 
party has been identified, we record a liability for our estimated allocable 
share of costs related to our involvement with the site, as well as an estimated 
allocable share of costs related to the involvement of insolvent or unidentified 
parties. If we determine that recovery from insurers or other third parties is 
probable and a right of setoff exists, we record the liability net of the estimated 
recovery. If we determine that recovery from insurers or other third parties is 
probable, but a right of setoff does not exist, we record a liability for the total 
estimated costs of remediation and a receivable for the estimated recovery. 
At environmental sites where we are the only responsible party, we record a 
liability for the total estimated costs of remediation. Ongoing operating and 
maintenance expenditures included in our environmental remediation obligations 
are discounted to present value over the probable future remediation period. 
Our remaining environmental remediation obligations are undiscounted due to 
subjectivity of timing and/or amount of future cash payments. Environmental 
liability estimates may be affected by changing determinations of what 
constitutes an environmental exposure or an acceptable level of cleanup. 
To the extent that the required remediation procedures or timing of those 
procedures change, additional contamination is identified, or the financial 
condition of other potentially responsible parties is adversely affected, the 
estimate of our environmental liabilities may change.

Our accrual for environmental matters, including certain environmental 
indemnification liabilities that are substantially indemnified by ExxonMobil 
Corporation, was $54.5 million, net of $32.9 million of related receivables, and 
$48.2 million, net of $39.7 million of related receivables, at September 30, 
2015 and 2014, respectively. Our recorded liability for environmental 
matters relates almost entirely to businesses formerly owned by us 
(legacy businesses) for which we retained the responsibility to remediate. 
The nature of our current business is such that the likelihood of new 
environmental exposures that could result in a significant charge to earnings 
is low. As a result of remediation efforts at legacy sites and limited new 
environmental matters, we expect that gradually, over a long period of 
time, our environmental obligations will decline. However, changes in 
required remediation procedures or timing of those procedures at existing 
legacy sites, or discovery of contamination at additional sites, could result 
in increases to our environmental obligations.

One of our principal self-insurance programs covers product liability where 
we self-insure up to a specified dollar amount. Claims exceeding this amount 
up to specified limits are covered by insurance policies issued by commercial 
insurers. We estimate the reserve for product liability claims using our claims 
experience for the periods being valued. Adjustments to the product liability 
reserves may be required to reflect emerging claims experience and other 
factors such as inflationary trends or the outcome of claims. The reserve 
for product liability claims, including asbestos costs, was $17.8 million, net 
of $10.4 million of related receivables, and $14.8 million, net of $7.5 million 
of related receivables, as of September 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

Various lawsuits, claims and proceedings have been or may be instituted or 
asserted against us relating to the conduct of our business. As described in 
Note 14 of the Financial Statements within the section entitled Other Matters, 
we have been named as a defendant in lawsuits alleging personal injury 
as a result of exposure to asbestos that was used in certain components 
of our products many years ago. See Note 14 of the Financial Statements 
for further discussion.

We accrue for costs related to the legal obligation associated with the 
retirement of a tangible long-lived asset that results from the acquisition, 
construction, development or the normal operation of the long-lived asset. 
The obligation to perform the asset retirement activity is not conditional 
even though the timing or method may be conditional. Identified conditional 
asset retirement obligations include asbestos abatement and remediation 
of soil contamination beneath current and previously divested facilities. 

24

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-KPart II 
Item 7 management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

We estimate conditional asset retirement obligations using site-specific 
knowledge and historical industry expertise. A significant change in the 
costs or timing could have a significant effect on our estimates. We 
recorded these liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheet, which totaled 
$0.4 million and $0.3 million in other current liabilities at September 30, 
2015 and 2014, respectively, and $19.8 million and $21.9 million in other 
liabilities at September 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively. 

In conjunction with the sale of our Dodge mechanical and Reliance Electric 
motors and motor repair services businesses, we agreed to indemnify Baldor 
Electric Company for costs and damages related to certain legacy legal, 
environmental and asbestos matters of these businesses arising before 
January 31, 2007, for which the maximum exposure is capped at the 
amount received for the sale. We estimate the potential future payments 
we could incur under these indemnifications may approximate $6.6 million, 
of which $1.0 million and $0.8 million has been accrued in other current 
liabilities at September 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively, and $5.6 million 
and $7.0 million has been accrued in other liabilities at September 30, 
2015 and 2014, respectively. A significant change in the costs or timing 
could have a significant effect on our estimates.

More information regarding litigation, claims and contingencies is contained 
in Note 14 in the Financial Statements.

Income taxes

We operate in numerous taxing jurisdictions and are subject to regular 
examinations by U.S. federal, state and non-U.S. taxing authorities. Additionally, 
we have retained tax liabilities and the rights to tax refunds in connection with 
various divestitures of businesses in prior years. Our income tax positions are 
based on research and interpretations of the income tax laws and rulings in 
each of the jurisdictions in which we do business. Due to the ambiguity of 
laws and rulings in each jurisdiction, the differences and interplay in tax laws 
between those jurisdictions, the uncertainty of how underlying facts may be 
construed and the inherent uncertainty in estimating the final resolution of 
complex tax audit matters, our estimates of income tax liabilities may differ 
from actual payments or assessments.

While we have support for the positions we take on our tax returns, taxing 
authorities may assert interpretations of laws and facts and may challenge 
cross-jurisdictional transactions. Cross-jurisdictional transactions between 
our subsidiaries involving the transfer price for products, services, and/or 
intellectual property as well as various U.S. state tax matters comprise our 
more significant income tax reserves. The gross liability for unrecognized tax 
benefits, excluding interest and penalties, was recorded in other liabilities 

in the Consolidated Balance Sheet in the amount of $43.9 million and 
$38.9 million at September 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively, of which 
the entire amount would reduce our effective tax rate if recognized. 
Accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits were  
$5.1 million and $8.1 million at September 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively. 
We recognize interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in 
the income tax provision. If the unrecognized tax benefits were recognized, 
the net impact on our income tax provision, including the recognition of 
interest and penalties and offsetting tax assets, would be $26.5 million 
as of September 30, 2015. We believe it is reasonably possible that the 
amount of gross unrecognized tax benefits could be reduced by up to 
$31.0 million in the next 12 months as a result of the resolution of tax matters 
in various global jurisdictions and the lapses of statutes of limitations. If 
the unrecognized tax benefits were recognized, the net reduction to our 
income tax provision, including the recognition of interest and penalties 
and offsetting tax assets, could be up to $14.5 million.

We recorded a valuation allowance for a portion of our deferred tax assets 
related to net operating loss, tax credit, and capital loss carryforwards 
(Carryforwards) and certain temporary differences in the amount of  
$22.2 million at September 30, 2015 and $27.8 million at September 30, 
2014 based on the projected profitability of the entity in the respective 
tax jurisdiction. The valuation allowance is based on an evaluation of the 
uncertainty that the Carryforwards and certain temporary differences will 
be realized. Our income would increase if we determine we will be able 
to use more Carryforwards or certain temporary differences than currently 
expected. Conversely, our income would decrease if we determine we 
are unable to realize our deferred tax assets in the future.

Our consolidated financial statements provide for tax liability on undistributed 
earnings of our subsidiaries that will be repatriated to the U.S. As  
of September 30, 2015, we have not provided U.S. deferred taxes for 
$3,059.0 million of such earnings, since these earnings have been, and 
under current plans will continue to be, indefinitely reinvested outside the U.S. 

At the end of each interim reporting period, we estimate a base effective 
tax rate that we expect for the full fiscal year based on our most recent 
forecast of pretax income, permanent book and tax differences and global tax 
planning strategies. We use this base rate to provide for income taxes on a 
year-to-date basis, excluding the effect of significant unusual or extraordinary 
items and items that are reported net of their related tax effects. We record 
the tax effect of significant unusual or extraordinary items and items that are 
reported net of their tax effects in the period in which they occur.

More information regarding income taxes is contained in Note 13 in the 
Financial Statements.

recent accounting Pronouncements

See Note 1 in the Financial Statements regarding recent accounting pronouncements.

25

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-KPart II 
Item 7A Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About market Risk

ItEM 7a  Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures 

about Market risk

We are exposed to market risk during the normal course of business from changes in foreign currency exchange rates and interest rates. We manage 
exposure to these risks through a combination of normal operating and financing activities as well as derivative financial instruments in the form of 
foreign currency forward exchange contracts. We sometimes use interest rate swap contracts to manage the balance of fixed and floating rate debt.

Foreign Currency risk

We are exposed to foreign currency risks that arise from normal business 
operations. These risks include the translation of local currency balances 
of foreign subsidiaries, transaction gains and losses associated with 
intercompany loans with foreign subsidiaries and transactions denominated 
in currencies other than a location’s functional currency. Our objective is 
to minimize our exposure to these risks through a combination of normal 
operating activities and the use of foreign currency forward exchange 
contracts. Contracts are usually denominated in currencies of major 
industrial countries. The fair value of our foreign currency forward exchange 
contracts is an asset of $54.6 million and a liability of $18.5 million at 
September 30, 2015. We enter into these contracts with major financial 
institutions that we believe to be creditworthy.

We do not enter into derivative financial instruments for speculative purposes. 
In 2015 and 2014, the relative strengthening of the U.S. dollar against 
foreign currencies had an unfavorable impact on our sales and results of 
operations. While future changes in foreign currency exchange rates are 
difficult to predict, our sales and profitability may be adversely affected if 
the U.S. dollar further strengthens relative to 2015 levels.

Certain of our locations have assets and liabilities denominated in currencies 
other than their functional currencies. We enter into foreign currency 
forward exchange contracts to offset the transaction gains or losses 

Interest rate risk

associated with some of these assets and liabilities. For such assets and 
liabilities without offsetting foreign currency forward exchange contracts, 
a 10 percent adverse change in the underlying foreign currency exchange 
rates would reduce our pre-tax income by approximately $13.6 million.

We record all derivatives on the balance sheet at fair value regardless of the 
purpose for holding them. The use of foreign currency forward exchange 
contracts allows us to manage transactional exposure to exchange rate 
fluctuations as the gains or losses incurred on these contracts will offset, 
in whole or in part, losses or gains on the underlying foreign currency 
exposure. Derivatives that are not designated as hedges for accounting 
purposes are adjusted to fair value through earnings. For derivatives 
that are hedges, depending on the nature of the hedge, changes in fair 
value are either offset by changes in the fair value of the hedged assets, 
liabilities or firm commitments through earnings or recognized in other 
comprehensive loss until the hedged item is recognized in earnings. We 
recognize the ineffective portion of a derivative’s change in fair value in 
earnings immediately. There was no impact on earnings due to ineffective 
hedges in 2015 or 2014. A hypothetical 10 percent adverse change in 
underlying foreign currency exchange rates associated with the hedged 
exposures and related contracts would not be significant to our financial 
condition or results of operations.

In addition to existing cash balances and cash provided by normal 
operating activities, we use a combination of short-term and long-term 
debt to finance operations. We are exposed to interest rate risk on certain 
of these debt obligations.

Our short-term debt obligations are primarily comprised of commercial paper 
borrowings. There were no commercial paper borrowings outstanding at 
September 30, 2015. At September 30, 2014, commercial paper borrowings 
outstanding were $325.0 million, with a weighted average interest rate of 
0.17 percent and weighted average maturity period of seven days. We 
have issued, and anticipate continuing to issue, additional short-term 
commercial paper obligations as needed. Changes in market interest 
rates on commercial paper borrowings affect our results of operations.  
A hypothetical 50 basis point increase in average market interest rates 
related to our short-term debt would not be significant to our results of 
operations or financial condition.

We had outstanding fixed rate long-term debt obligations with a carrying 
value of $1,500.9 million at September 30, 2015 and $900.4 million at 
September 30, 2014. The fair value of this debt was $1,682.6 million at 

September 30, 2015 and $1,119.4 million at September 30, 2014. The 
potential reduction in fair value on such fixed-rate debt obligations from 
a hypothetical 50 basis point increase in market interest rates would not 
be significant to the overall fair value of our long-term debt. We currently 
have no plans to repurchase our outstanding fixed-rate instruments before 
their maturity and, therefore, fluctuations in market interest rates would 
not have an effect on our results of operations or shareowners’ equity.

In February 2015, we entered into interest rate swap contracts, which 
we designated as fair value hedges. These interest rate swaps effectively 
converted the $600.0 million aggregate principal amount of our 2.050% 
notes payable in March 2020 (2020 Notes) and 2.875% notes payable in 
March 2025 (2025 Notes) to floating rate debt, each at a rate based on 
three-month LIBOR plus a fixed spread. The effective floating interest rates 
were 0.763 percent for the 2020 Notes and 1.173 percent for the 2025 
Notes at September 30, 2015. The fair value of our interest rate swap 
contracts at September 30, 2015 was a net unrealized gain of $5.4 million. 
A hypothetical 50 basis point increase in average market interest rates 
related to our interest rate swaps would not be significant to our results 
of operations or financial condition.

26

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-KItEM 8  Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

Part II 
Item 8 Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

Consolidated Balance Sheet

(in millions, except per share amounts)
aSSEtS
Current assets:

Cash and cash equivalents
Short-term investments
Receivables
Inventories
Deferred income taxes
Other current assets
Total current assets

Property, net
Goodwill
Other intangible assets, net
Deferred income taxes
Other assets
TOTAL
LIaBILItIES aND SHarEOWNErS’ EQUItY
Current liabilities:
Short-term debt
Accounts payable
Compensation and benefits
Advance payments from customers and deferred revenue
Customer returns, rebates and incentives
Other current liabilities
Total current liabilities

Long-term debt
Retirement benefits
Other liabilities
Commitments and contingent liabilities (Note 14)
Shareowners’ equity:

Common stock ($1.00 par value, shares issued: 181.4)
Additional paid-in capital
Retained earnings
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
Common stock in treasury, at cost (shares held: 2015, 49.0; 2014, 44.7)

Total shareowners’ equity

TOTAL
See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

September 30,
2015

2014

1,427.3   $
721.9    
1,041.0    
535.6    
151.2    
171.0    
4,048.0    
605.6    
1,028.8    
229.5    
343.6    
149.2    

6,404.7

$

—   $

521.7    
225.0    
200.8    
172.2    
208.0    
1,327.7    
1,500.9    
1,116.6    
202.7    

181.4    
1,552.1    
5,316.9    
(1,334.6)
(3,459.0)
2,256.8    
6,404.7

$

1,191.3  
628.5  
1,215.8  
588.4  
163.5  
146.7  
3,934.2  
632.9  
1,050.6  
246.2  
205.7  
154.7  

6,224.3

325.0  
520.6  
277.7  
196.5  
184.0  
188.3  
1,692.1  
900.4  
767.9  
205.8  

181.4  
1,512.3  
4,839.6  
(948.0)
(2,927.2)
2,658.1  
6,224.3

$

$

$

$

27

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K 
 
   
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Part II 
Item 8 Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

Consolidated Statement of Operations

(in millions, except per share amounts)
Sales

Products and solutions
Services

Cost of sales

Products and solutions
Services

Gross profit

Selling, general and administrative expenses
Other (expense) income (Note 12)
Interest expense
Income before income taxes
Income tax provision (Note 13)
NET INCOME
Earnings per share:
Basic
Diluted
Weighted average outstanding shares:
Basic
Diluted
See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

$

$

$
$

Year Ended September 30,

2015

2014

2013

5,652.2   $
655.7    
6,307.9    

(3,157.2)
(447.6)
(3,604.8)
2,703.1    
(1,506.4)

(5.5)   

(63.7)
1,127.5    
(299.9)
827.6

$

6.15   $
6.09   $

134.5    
135.7    

5,933.1   $
690.4    
6,623.5    

(3,391.3)
(478.3)
(3,869.6)
2,753.9    
(1,570.1)

9.7  

(59.3)
1,134.2    
(307.4)
826.8

$

5.98   $
5.91   $

138.0    
139.7    

5,706.0  
645.9  
6,351.9  

(3,326.4)
(451.7)
(3,778.1)
2,573.8  
(1,537.7)
5.7
(60.9)
980.9  
(224.6)
756.3

5.43  
5.36  

139.2  
140.9  

Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income

(in millions)
Net income
Other comprehensive (loss) income:

Pension and other postretirement benefit plan adjustments  
(net of tax (benefit) expense of ($106.6), ($27.6), and $232.1)
Currency translation adjustments
Net change in unrealized gains and losses on cash flow hedges  
(net of tax expense (benefit) of $4.5, $1.9, and ($1.8))

Other comprehensive (loss) income
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

Year Ended September 30,

2015
827.6   $

2014
826.8   $

(187.7)
(199.9)

1.0  

(386.6)
441.0   $

(85.6)
(61.3)

16.6  

(130.3)
696.5   $

2013
756.3  

402.2
8.3

(2.9)
407.6
1,163.9  

$

$

28

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K 
 
   
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows

Part II 
Item 8 Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

(in millions)
Operating activities:
Net income
Adjustments to arrive at cash provided by operating activities:

Depreciation
Amortization of intangible assets
Share-based compensation expense
Retirement benefit expense
Pension contributions
Deferred income taxes
Net (gain) loss on disposition of property
Income tax benefit from the exercise of stock options
Excess income tax benefit from share-based compensation
Changes in assets and liabilities, excluding effects of acquisitions, divestitures,  
and foreign currency adjustments:

Receivables
Inventories
Accounts payable
Advance payments from customers and deferred revenue
Compensation and benefits
Income taxes
Other assets and liabilities

CaSH PrOVIDED BY OPEratING aCtIVItIES

Investing activities:
Capital expenditures
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired
Purchases of short-term investments
Proceeds from maturities of short-term investments
Proceeds from sale of property
Other investing activities

CaSH USED FOr INVEStING aCtIVItIES

Financing activities:
Net (repayment) issuance of short-term debt
Issuance of long-term debt, net of discount and issuance costs
Cash dividends
Purchases of treasury stock
Proceeds from the exercise of stock options
Excess income tax benefit from share-based compensation
Other financing activities

CaSH USED FOr FINaNCING aCtIVItIES

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash
Cash provided by (used for) continuing operations
Discontinued operations:

Cash used for discontinued operating activities

Cash used for discontinued operations
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF YEAR
See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

Year Ended September 30,

2015

2014

2013

$

827.6   $

826.8   $

756.3 

133.1    
29.4    
41.5    
141.3    
(41.0)
(29.3)
(0.1)
—
(12.4)

73.4  
(2.5)   
17.3  
20.7    
(33.9)
27.3    
(4.7)
1,187.7

(122.9)
(21.2)
(867.6)
762.7    
2.1    
—  

(246.9)

(325.0)
594.3    
(350.1)
(598.4)

60.3    
12.4    
(1.6)
(608.1)
(96.7)
236.0

122.5    
30.0    
42.5    

132.9 
(42.1)
(7.2)
0.6
0.1
(29.9)

(53.7)
12.9    
(20.7)   
(8.4)   
43.3  
1.8    

(18.1)
1,033.3

(141.0)
(81.5)
(705.7)
447.8    
0.4    
(3.4)
(483.4)

146.0  
—    

(320.5)
(485.7)
108.5    
29.9    
—  

(521.8)
(37.7)
(9.6)

—  
—
236.0
1,191.3
1,427.3

$

—  
—
(9.6)
1,200.9
1,191.3

$

$

113.8 
31.4 
41.1 
170.4 
(41.3)
(6.5)
0.5
2.1
(31.9)

(12.3)
0.8
3.3 
9.9
(8.5)
33.8 
(48.1)
1,014.8

(146.2)
(84.8)
(372.2)
350.0 
0.5 
(4.1)
(256.8)

22.0
— 
(276.3)
(402.7)
172.3 
31.9 
(1.8)
(454.6)
0.6
304.0

(7.0)
(7.0)
297.0
903.9
1,200.9

29

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Part II 
Item 8 Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

Consolidated Statement of Shareowners’ Equity

(in millions, except per share amounts)
Common stock (no shares issued during years)
additional paid-in capital
Beginning balance
Income tax benefits from share-based compensation
Share-based compensation expense
Shares delivered under incentive plans
Ending balance
retained earnings
Beginning balance
Net income
Cash dividends (2015, $2.60 per share; 2014, $2.32 per share;  
2013, $1.98 per share)
Shares delivered under incentive plans
Ending balance
accumulated other comprehensive loss
Beginning balance
Other comprehensive (loss) income
Ending balance
treasury stock
Beginning balance
Purchases
Shares delivered under incentive plans
Ending balance
TOTAL SHAREOWNERS’ EQUITY
See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

Year Ended September 30,

2015
181.4

$

2014
181.4

$

1,512.3    
12.4    
40.7    
(13.3)
1,552.1    

4,839.6    
827.6    

(350.1)
(0.2)
5,316.9    

(948.0)
(386.6)
(1,334.6)

(2,927.2)
(606.4)

74.6    

(3,459.0)
2,256.8

$

1,456.0    
29.8    
41.6    
(15.1)
1,512.3    

4,333.4    
826.8    

(320.5)
(0.1)
4,839.6    

(817.7)
(130.3)
(948.0)

(2,567.6)
(483.8)
124.2    

(2,927.2)
2,658.1

$

2013
181.4

1,416.7  
34.0  
40.2  
(34.9)
1,456.0  

3,858.8  
756.3  

(276.3)
(5.4)
4,333.4  

(1,225.3)
407.6
(817.7)

(2,379.9)
(401.5)
213.8  
(2,567.6)
2,585.5

$

$

30

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
PART II

Part II 
Item 8 Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

ItEM 8  Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

NOtE 1 

Basis of Presentation and accounting Policies

Rockwell Automation, Inc. (Rockwell Automation or the Company) is a 
leading global provider of industrial automation power, control and information 
solutions that help manufacturers achieve competitive advantages for 
their businesses.

Basis of Presentation

Our consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with 
accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (U.S. GAAP).

Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts 
of the Company and its wholly-owned and controlled majority-owned 
subsidiaries. Intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated 
in consolidation. Investments in affiliates over which we do not have control 
but exercise significant influence are accounted for using the equity method 
of accounting. These affiliated companies are not material individually or in 
the aggregate to our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in accordance 
with U.S. GAAP requires us to make estimates and assumptions that 
affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the 
consolidated financial statements and revenues and expenses during the 
periods reported. Actual results could differ from those estimates. We use 
estimates in accounting for, among other items, customer returns, rebates 
and incentives; allowance for doubtful accounts; excess and obsolete 
inventory; share-based compensation; acquisitions; product warranty 
obligations; retirement benefits; litigation, claims and contingencies, 
including environmental matters, conditional asset retirement obligations 
and contractual indemnifications; and income taxes. We account for 
changes to estimates and assumptions prospectively when warranted 
by factually-based experience.

revenue recognition

We recognize revenue when it is realized or realizable and earned. Product 
and solution sales consist of industrial automation power, control and 
information; hardware and software products; and custom-engineered 
systems. Service sales include multi-vendor customer technical support 
and repair, asset management and optimization consulting and training. 
All service sales recorded in the Consolidated Statement of Operations 
are associated with our Control Products & Solutions segment.

For approximately 85 percent of our consolidated sales, we record sales 
when all of the following have occurred: persuasive evidence of a sales 
agreement exists; pricing is fixed or determinable; collection is reasonably 
assured; and products have been delivered and acceptance has occurred, 
as may be required according to contract terms, or services have been 
rendered. Within this category, we will at times enter into arrangements 
that involve the delivery of multiple products and/or the performance of 
services, such as installation and commissioning. The timing of delivery, 
though varied based upon the nature of the undelivered component, is 
generally short-term in nature. For these arrangements, revenue is allocated 
to each deliverable based on that element’s relative selling price, provided 
the delivered element has value to customers on a standalone basis and, if 
the arrangement includes a general right of return, delivery or performance 
of the undelivered items is probable and substantially in our control. Relative 

selling price is obtained from sources such as vendor-specific objective 
evidence, which is based on our separate selling price for that or a similar 
item, or from third-party evidence such as how competitors have priced 
similar items. If such evidence is not available, we use our best estimate 
of the selling price, which includes various internal factors such as our 
pricing strategy and market factors.

We recognize substantially all of the remainder of our sales as construction-
type contracts using either the percentage-of-completion or completed 
contract methods of accounting. We record sales relating to these contracts 
using the percentage-of-completion method when we determine that 
progress toward completion is reasonably and reliably estimable; we use 
the completed contract method for all others. Under the percentage-
of-completion method, we recognize sales and gross profit as work is 
performed using the relationship between actual costs incurred and total 
estimated costs at completion. Under the percentage-of-completion 
method, we adjust sales and gross profit for revisions of estimated total 
contract costs or revenue in the period the change is identified. We record 
estimated losses on contracts when they are identified.

We use contracts and customer purchase orders to determine the 
existence of a sales agreement. We use shipping documents and customer 
acceptance, when applicable, to verify delivery. We assess whether the 
fee is fixed or determinable based on the payment terms associated 
with the transaction and whether the sales price is subject to refund or 
adjustment. We assess collectibility based on the creditworthiness of the 
customer as determined by credit evaluations and analysis, as well as the 
customer’s payment history.

Shipping and handling costs billed to customers are included in sales 
and the related costs are included in cost of sales in the Consolidated 
Statement of Operations.

returns, rebates and Incentives

Our primary incentive program provides distributors with cash rebates or 
account credits based on agreed amounts that vary depending on the 
customer to whom our distributor ultimately sells the product. We also offer 
various other incentive programs that provide distributors and direct sale 
customers with cash rebates, account credits or additional products and 
services based on meeting specified program criteria. Certain distributors 
are offered a right to return product, subject to contractual limitations.

We record accruals for customer returns, rebates and incentives at the 
time of revenue recognition based primarily on historical experience. 
Returns, rebates and incentives are recognized as a reduction of sales if 
distributed in cash or customer account credits. Rebates and incentives 
are recognized in cost of sales for additional products and services to be 
provided. Accruals are reported as a current liability in our balance sheet 
or, where a right of setoff exists, as a reduction of accounts receivable.

taxes on revenue Producing transactions

Taxes assessed by governmental authorities on revenue producing 
transactions, including sales, value added, excise and use taxes, are 
recorded on a net basis (excluded from revenue).

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents include time deposits and certificates of deposit 
with original maturities of three months or less at the time of purchase.

31

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-KPart II 
Item 8 Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

Short-term Investments

Impairment of Long-Lived assets

Short-term investments include time deposits and certificates of deposit 
with original maturities longer than three months but shorter than one 
year at the time of purchase. These investments are stated at cost, which 
approximates fair value.

receivables

We record an allowance for doubtful accounts based on customer-
specific analysis and general matters such as current assessments of 
past due balances and economic conditions. Receivables are stated net 
of an allowance for doubtful accounts of $22.0 million at September 30, 
2015 and $19.4 million at September 30, 2014. In addition, receivables 
are stated net of an allowance for certain customer returns, rebates and 
incentives of $9.2 million at September 30, 2015 and $11.6 million at 
September 30, 2014.

Inventories

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market using the first-in, 
first-out (FIFO) or average cost methods. Market is determined on the 
basis of estimated realizable values.

Property

Property, including internal-use software, is stated at cost. We calculate 
depreciation of property using the straight-line method over 5 to 40 years 
for buildings and improvements, 3 to 20 years for machinery and equipment 
and 3 to 8 years for computer hardware and internal-use software. We 
capitalize significant renewals and enhancements and write off replaced 
units. We expense maintenance and repairs, as well as renewals of 
minor amounts. Property acquired during the year that is accrued within 
accounts payable or other current liabilities at year end is considered 
to be a non-cash investing activity and is excluded from cash used 
for capital expenditures in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. 
Capital expenditures of $27.3 million, $24.6 million and $22.9 million 
were accrued within accounts payable and other current liabilities at 
September 30, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

Intangible assets

Goodwill and other intangible assets generally result from business 
acquisitions. We account for business acquisitions by allocating the 
purchase price to tangible and intangible assets acquired and liabilities 
assumed at their fair values; the excess of the purchase price over the 
allocated amount is recorded as goodwill.

We review goodwill and other intangible assets with indefinite useful lives 
for impairment annually or more frequently if events or circumstances 
indicate impairment may be present. Any excess in carrying value over 
the estimated fair value is charged to results of operations. We perform 
our annual impairment test during the second quarter of our fiscal year.

We amortize certain customer relationships on an accelerated basis over 
the period of which we expect the intangible asset to generate future cash 
flows. We amortize all other intangible assets with finite useful lives on a 
straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives. Useful lives assigned 
range from 3 to 15 years for trademarks, 8 to 20 years for customer 
relationships, 5 to 17 years for technology and 5 to 30 years for other 
intangible assets.

Intangible assets also include costs of software developed or purchased 
by our software business to be sold, leased or otherwise marketed. 
Amortization of these computer software products is calculated on a 
product-by-product basis as the greater of (a) the unamortized cost at the 
beginning of the year times the ratio of the current year gross revenue for 
a product to the total of the current and anticipated future gross revenue 
for that product or (b) the straight-line amortization over the remaining 
estimated economic life of the product.

32

We evaluate the recoverability of the recorded amount of long-lived 
assets whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the 
recorded amount of an asset may not be fully recoverable. Impairment 
is assessed when the undiscounted expected future cash flows derived 
from an asset are less than its carrying amount. If we determine that an 
asset is impaired, we measure the impairment to be recognized as the 
amount by which the recorded amount of the asset exceeds its fair value. 
We report assets to be disposed of at the lower of the recorded amount 
or fair value less cost to sell. We determine fair value using a discounted 
future cash flow analysis.

Derivative Financial Instruments

We use derivative financial instruments in the form of foreign currency 
forward exchange contracts to manage certain foreign currency risks. 
We enter into these contracts to hedge our exposure to foreign currency 
exchange rate variability in the expected future cash flows associated 
with certain third-party and intercompany transactions denominated in 
foreign currencies forecasted to occur within the next two years. We also 
use these contracts to hedge portions of our net investments in certain 
non-U.S. subsidiaries against the effect of exchange rate fluctuations on 
the translation of foreign currency balances to the U.S. dollar. Additionally, 
we use derivative financial instruments in the form of interest rate swap 
contracts to manage our borrowing costs of certain long-term debt. We 
designate and account for these derivative financial instruments as hedges 
under U.S. GAAP.

Furthermore, we use foreign currency forward exchange contracts that are 
not designated as hedges to offset transaction gains or losses associated 
with some of our assets and liabilities resulting from intercompany loans 
or other transactions with third parties that are denominated in currencies 
other than our entities’ functional currencies. It is our policy to execute 
such instruments with global financial institutions that we believe to be 
creditworthy and not to enter into derivative financial instruments for 
speculative purposes. Foreign currency forward exchange contracts are 
usually denominated in currencies of major industrial countries.

Foreign Currency translation

We translate assets and liabilities of subsidiaries operating outside of the 
United States with a functional currency other than the U.S. dollar into 
U.S. dollars using exchange rates at the end of the respective period. We 
translate sales, costs and expenses at average exchange rates effective 
during the respective period. We report foreign currency translation 
adjustments as a component of other comprehensive (loss) income. 
Currency transaction gains and losses are included in results of operations 
in the period incurred.

research and Development Expenses

We expense research and development (R&D) costs as incurred; these 
costs were $307.3 million in 2015, $290.1 million in 2014 and $260.7 million 
in 2013. We include R&D expenses in cost of sales in the Consolidated 
Statement of Operations.

Income taxes

We account for uncertain tax positions by determining whether it is more 
likely than not that a tax position will be sustained upon examination 
based on the technical merits of the position. For tax positions that 
meet the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold, we determine the 
amount of benefit to recognize in the consolidated financial statements 
based on our assertion of the most likely outcome resulting from an 
examination, including the resolution of any related appeals or litigation 
processes.

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-KPart II 
Item 8 Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

Earnings Per Share

We present basic and diluted earnings per share (EPS) amounts. Basic 
EPS is calculated by dividing earnings available to common shareowners, 
which is income excluding the allocation to participating securities, by 
the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the 
year, excluding unvested restricted stock. Diluted EPS amounts are based 
upon the weighted average number of common and common-equivalent 
shares outstanding during the year. We use the treasury stock method to 
calculate the effect of outstanding share-based compensation awards, 
which requires us to compute total employee proceeds as the sum of 
(a) the amount the employee must pay upon exercise of the award, (b) the 
amount of unearned share-based compensation costs attributed to future 
services and (c) the amount of tax benefits, if any, that would be credited 
to additional paid-in capital assuming exercise of the award. Share-based 

compensation awards for which the total employee proceeds of the award 
exceed the average market price of the same award over the period have 
an antidilutive effect on EPS, and accordingly, we exclude them from the 
calculation. Antidilutive share-based compensation awards for the years 
ended September 30, 2015 (1.4 million shares), 2014 (0.8 million shares) and 
2013 (1.2 million shares) were excluded from the diluted EPS calculation. 
U.S. GAAP requires unvested share-based payment awards that contain 
non-forfeitable rights to dividends or dividend equivalents, whether paid 
or unpaid, to be treated as participating securities and included in the 
computation of earnings per share pursuant to the two-class method. 
Our participating securities are composed of unvested restricted stock 
and non-employee director restricted stock units.

The following table reconciles basic and diluted EPS amounts (in millions, except per share amounts):

Net income
Less: Allocation to participating securities
Net income available to common shareowners
Basic weighted average outstanding shares
Effect of dilutive securities

Stock options
Performance shares

Diluted weighted average outstanding shares
Earnings per share:
Basic
Diluted

Share-Based Compensation

We recognize share-based compensation expense for equity awards on 
a straight-line basis over the service period of the award based on the 
fair value of the award as of the grant date.

Product and Workers’ Compensation Liabilities

We record accruals for product and workers’ compensation claims in the 
period in which they are probable and reasonably estimable. Our principal 
self-insurance programs include product liability and workers’ compensation 
where we self-insure up to a specified dollar amount. Claims exceeding this 
amount up to specified limits are covered by insurance policies purchased 
from commercial insurers. We estimate the liability for the majority of the 
self-insured claims using our claims experience for the periods being valued.

Environmental Matters

We record liabilities for environmental matters in the period in which our 
responsibility is probable and the costs can be reasonably estimated. We 
make changes to the liabilities in the periods in which the estimated costs 
of remediation change. At third-party environmental sites where more than 
one potentially responsible party has been identified, we record a liability 
for our estimated allocable share of costs related to our involvement 
with the site, as well as an estimated allocable share of costs related to 
the involvement of insolvent or unidentified parties. If we determine that 
recovery from insurers or other third parties is probable and a right of setoff 
exists, we record the liability net of the estimated recovery. If we determine 
that recovery from insurers or other third parties is probable but a right of 
setoff does not exist, we record a liability for the total estimated costs of 
remediation and a receivable for the estimated recovery. At environmental 
sites where we are the sole responsible party, we record a liability for the 
total estimated costs of remediation. Ongoing operating and maintenance 
expenditures included in our environmental remediation obligations are 
discounted to present value over the probable future remediation period.

$

$

$
$

$

$

2015
827.6
(0.7)
826.9
134.5

1.1
0.1
135.7

$

$

2014
826.8
(1.1)
825.7
138.0

1.5
0.2
139.7

6.15
6.09

$
$

5.98
5.91

$
$

2013
756.3
(1.1)
755.2
139.2

1.5
0.2
140.9

5.43
5.36

Our remaining environmental remediation obligations are undiscounted 
due to subjectivity of timing and/or amount of future cash payments.

Conditional asset retirement Obligations

We record liabilities for costs related to legal obligations associated with the 
retirement of a tangible, long-lived asset that results from the acquisition, 
construction, development or the normal operation of the long-lived asset.
The obligation to perform the asset retirement activity is not conditional 
even though the timing or method may be conditional.

recent accounting Pronouncements

In April 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued 
new guidance requiring debt issuance costs to be presented in the 
balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of the 
related outstanding debt liability rather than as an asset. This guidance is 
effective for us October 1, 2016; however, we elected to early adopt this 
guidance retrospectively as of September 30, 2015. We have included 
$9.4 million and $5.2 million of debt issuance costs associated with our 
long-term debt as a reduction of long-term debt, which we previously 
included within other assets, at September 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

In May 2014, the FASB issued a new standard on revenue recognition 
from contracts with customers. This standard supersedes nearly all 
existing revenue recognition guidance and involves a five-step approach 
to recognizing revenue based on individual performance obligations in 
a contract. The new standard will also require additional qualitative and 
quantitative disclosures about contracts with customers, significant 
judgments made in applying the revenue guidance, and assets recognized 
from the costs to obtain or fulfill a contract. This guidance is effective for 
us for reporting periods beginning October 1, 2018. We are currently 
evaluating the impact the adoption of this guidance will have on our 
consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

33

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K 
 
Part II 
Item 8 Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

NOtE 2 

Goodwill and Other Intangible assets

Changes in the carrying amount of goodwill for the years ended September 30, 2015 and 2014 were (in millions):

Balance as of September 30, 2013
Acquisition of businesses
Translation
Balance as of September 30, 2014
Acquisition of business
Translation and other
BALANCE AS OF SEPTEMBER 30, 2015

Architecture 
& Software

387.8 $
7.7
0.1
395.6
—
(7.6)
388.0 $

$

$

Control  
Products & 
Solutions
635.2
28.0
(8.2)
655.0
14.9
(29.1)
640.8

$

$

Total
1,023.0
35.7
(8.1)
1,050.6
14.9
(36.7)
1,028.8

During the year ended September 30, 2015, we recognized goodwill of $14.9 million and intangible assets of $5.4 million resulting from the acquisition 
of the assets of ESC Services, Inc., a global provider of lockout-tagout services and solutions. We assigned the full amount of goodwill related to ESC 
Services, Inc. to our Control Products & Solutions segment.

During the year ended September 30, 2014, we recognized goodwill of $35.7 million and intangible assets of $41.4 million resulting from the acquisitions 
of vMonitor LLC and its affiliates (vMonitor), a global technology leader for wireless solutions in the oil and gas industry, and Jacobs Automation (Jacobs), 
a leader in intelligent track motion control technology. We assigned the full amount of goodwill related to vMonitor to our Control Products & Solutions 
segment. We assigned the full amount of goodwill related to Jacobs to our Architecture & Software segment.

Other intangible assets consist of (in millions):

Amortized intangible assets:

Computer software products
Customer relationships
Technology
Trademarks
Other
Total amortized intangible assets

Intangible assets not subject to amortization
TOTAL

Amortized intangible assets:

Computer software products
Customer relationships
Technology
Trademarks
Other
Total amortized intangible assets

Intangible assets not subject to amortization
TOTAL

September 30, 2015
Accumulated 
Amortization

Carrying 
Amount

182.4 $
87.2
83.4
32.3
11.5
396.8
43.7
440.5 $

91.9 $
50.1
44.1
16.3
8.6
211.0
—
211.0 $

September 30, 2014
Accumulated 
Amortization

Carrying 
Amount

169.1 $
89.8
84.0
33.7
15.5
392.1
43.7
435.8 $

82.5 $
45.4
38.2
14.0
9.5
189.6
—
189.6 $

$

$

$

$

Net

90.5
37.1
39.3
16.0
2.9
185.8
43.7
229.5

Net

86.6
44.4
45.8
19.7
6.0
202.5
43.7
246.2

Computer software products represent costs of computer software to 
be sold, leased or otherwise marketed. Computer software products 
amortization expense was $9.4 million in 2015, $9.4 million in 2014 and 
$13.1 million in 2013.

The Allen-Bradley® trademark has an indefinite life, and therefore is not 
subject to amortization.

Estimated amortization expense is $29.3 million in 2016, $26.1 million in 
2017, $19.9 million in 2018, $17.3 million in 2019 and $14.4 million in 2020.

We performed our annual evaluation of goodwill and indefinite life intangible 
assets for impairment as required by U.S. GAAP during the second quarter 
of 2015 and concluded that these assets are not impaired. We did not 
identify any impairment indicators during the remainder of fiscal 2015 that 
would require further impairment analysis.

34

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOtE 3 

Inventories

Inventories consist of (in millions):

Finished goods
Work in process
Raw materials
INVENTORIES

NOtE 4 

Property, net

Property consists of (in millions):

Land
Buildings and improvements
Machinery and equipment
Internal-use software
Construction in progress

Total

Less accumulated depreciation
PROPERTY, NET

NOtE 5 

Long-term and Short-term Debt

Long-term debt consists of (in millions):

5.65% notes, payable in December 2017
2.050% notes, payable in March 2020
2.875% notes, payable in March 2025
6.70% debentures, payable in January 2028
6.25% debentures, payable in December 2037
5.20% debentures, payable in January 2098
Unamortized discount and other
LONG-TERM DEBT

In February 2015, we issued $600.0 million of aggregate principal 
amount of long-term notes in a public offering. The offering consisted of  
$300.0 million in 2.050% notes payable in March 2020 (2020 Notes) and 
$300.0 million in 2.875% notes payable in March 2025 (2025 Notes), 
both issued at a discount. This debt offering yielded $594.3 million in net 
proceeds. We used the net proceeds from the offering primarily to repay 
our outstanding commercial paper, with the remaining proceeds used for 
general corporate purposes.

Upon issuance of these notes, we entered into fixed-to-floating interest  
rate swap contracts with multiple banks that effectively converted the 
$600.0 million aggregate principal amount of our 2020 Notes and 2025 
Notes to floating rate debt, each at a rate based on three-month LIBOR 
plus a fixed spread. The effective floating interest rates were 0.763 
percent for the 2020 Notes and 1.173 percent for the 2025 Notes at 
September 30, 2015. We have designated these swaps as fair value 
hedges. The aggregate fair value of the interest rate swap contracts 
at September 30, 2015 was a net unrealized gain of $5.4 million. The 
individual contracts are recorded in other liabilities on the Consolidated 
Balance Sheet with corresponding adjustments to the carrying value of 
the underlying debt. Additional information related to our interest rate 
swap contracts is included in Note 8.

Part II 
Item 8 Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

September 30,

2015
225.7 $
157.5  
152.4  
535.6 $

2014
240.3
156.9
191.2
588.4

$

September 30,
2015
4.5
319.0  
1,042.3  
441.3  
97.6  
1,904.7  
(1,299.1)
605.6

$

$

September 30,
2015
250.0
304.2  
301.2  
250.0  
250.0
200.0
(54.5)
1,500.9

$

2014
3.7
315.9
1,032.4
418.2
118.2
1,888.4
(1,255.5)
632.9

2014
250.0
—
—
250.0
250.0
200.0
(49.6)
900.4

$

$

$

$

$

$

Our short-term debt obligations are primarily comprised of commercial 
paper borrowings. There were no commercial paper borrowings outstanding  
at September 30, 2015. Commercial paper borrowings outstanding 
were $325.0 million at September 30, 2014. The weighted average 
interest rate of the commercial paper outstanding was 0.17 percent at 
September 30, 2014.

On March 24, 2015, we replaced our former five-year $750.0 million unsecured 
revolving credit facility with a new five-year $1.0 billion unsecured revolving 
credit facility expiring in March 2020. We can increase the aggregate amount 
of this credit facility by up to $350.0 million, subject to the consent of the banks 
in the credit facility. We have not borrowed against either credit facility during 
the periods ended September 30, 2015 or September 30, 2014. Borrowings 
under this credit facility bear interest based on short-term money market rates 
in effect during the period the borrowings are outstanding. The terms of this 
credit facility contain covenants under which we would be in default if our 
debt-to-total-capital ratio was to exceed 60 percent. Separate short-term 
unsecured credit facilities of approximately $121.2 million at September 30, 
2015 were available to non-U.S. subsidiaries. Borrowings under our non-
U.S. credit facilities at September 30, 2015 and September 30, 2014 were 
not significant. There are no significant commitment fees or compensating 
balance requirements under any of our credit facilities.

Interest payments were $60.8 million during 2015, $58.1 million during 
2014 and $59.7 million during 2013.

35

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Part II 
Item 8 Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

NOtE 6 

Other Current Liabilities

Other current liabilities consist of (in millions):

Unrealized losses on foreign exchange contracts (Note 8)
Product warranty obligations (Note 7)
Taxes other than income taxes
Accrued interest
Income taxes payable
Other
OTHER CURRENT LIABILITIES

September 30,

2015
16.4 $
27.9  
34.9  
16.9  
50.9  
61.0  
208.0 $

2014
5.8
34.1
37.2
15.6
41.0
54.6
188.3

$

$

NOtE 7 

Product Warranty Obligations

We record a liability for product warranty obligations at the time of sale to a customer based upon historical warranty experience. Most of our products 
are covered under a warranty period that runs for twelve months from either the date of sale or installation. We also record a liability for specific warranty 
matters when they become known and reasonably estimable. Our product warranty obligations are included in other current liabilities in the Consolidated 
Balance Sheet.

Changes in product warranty obligations were (in millions):

Beginning balance
Warranties recorded at time of sale
Adjustments to pre-existing warranties
Settlements of warranty claims
ENDING BALANCE

$

$

$

September 30,
2015
34.1
26.7  
(4.5)
(28.4)
27.9

$

2014
36.9
31.3
(5.3)
(28.8)
34.1

NOtE 8 

Derivative Instruments and Fair Value Measurement

We use foreign currency forward exchange contracts and foreign currency 
denominated debt obligations to manage certain foreign currency risks.
We also use interest rate swap contracts to manage risks associated with 
interest rate fluctuations. The following information explains how we use 
and value these types of derivative instruments and how they impact our 
Consolidated Financial Statements.

Additional information related to hedging instruments associated with our 
long-term debt is included in Note 5. Additional information related to the 
impacts of cash flow hedges on other comprehensive (loss) income is 
included in Note 9.

types of Derivative Instruments and Hedging activities

Cash Flow Hedges

We enter into foreign currency forward exchange contracts to hedge our 
exposure to foreign currency exchange rate variability in the expected 
future cash flows associated with certain third-party and intercompany 
transactions denominated in foreign currencies forecasted to occur within 
the next two years (cash flow hedges). We report in other comprehensive 
(loss) income the effective portion of the gain or loss on derivative financial 
instruments that we designate and that qualify as cash flow hedges. We 
reclassify these gains or losses into earnings in the same periods when 

the hedged transactions affect earnings. To the extent forward exchange 
contracts designated as cash flow hedges are ineffective, changes in 
value are recorded in earnings through the maturity date. There was no 
impact on earnings due to ineffective cash flow hedges. At September 30, 
2015, we had a U.S. dollar-equivalent gross notional amount of $729.7 
million of foreign currency forward exchange contracts designated as 
cash flow hedges.

36

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Part II 
Item 8 Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

The pre-tax amount of gains recorded in other comprehensive (loss) income related to cash flow hedges that would have been recorded in the Consolidated 
Statement of Operations had they not been so designated was (in millions):

Forward exchange contracts

$

2015
41.7 $

2014
16.9

$

2013
1.8

The pre-tax amount of (losses) gains reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss into the Consolidated Statement of Operations related 
to derivative forward exchange contracts designated as cash flow hedges, which offset the related gains and losses on the hedged items during the 
periods presented, was (in millions):

Sales
Cost of sales
TOTAL

$

$

2015
(8.4)
44.6
36.2

$

$

2014
(2.3)
0.7
(1.6)

$

$

2013
1.6
4.9
6.5

Approximately $20.0 million ($15.2 million after tax) of net unrealized gains on cash flow hedges as of September 30, 2015 will be reclassified into 
earnings during the next 12 months. We expect that these net unrealized gains will be offset when the hedged items are recognized in earnings.

Net Investment Hedges

We use foreign currency forward exchange contracts and foreign currency 
denominated debt obligations to hedge portions of our net investments 
in non-U.S. subsidiaries (net investment hedges) against the effect of 
exchange rate fluctuations on the translation of foreign currency balances 
to the U.S. dollar. For all instruments that are designated as net investment 
hedges and meet effectiveness requirements, the net changes in value of 
the designated hedging instruments are recorded in accumulated other 
comprehensive loss within shareowners’ equity where they offset gains 

and losses recorded on our net investments globally. To the extent forward 
exchange contracts or foreign currency denominated debt designated 
as net investment hedges are ineffective, changes in value are recorded 
in earnings through the maturity date. There was no impact on earnings 
due to ineffective net investment hedges. At September 30, 2015, we 
had a gross notional amount of $406.9 million of foreign currency forward 
exchange contracts and $13.7 million of foreign currency denominated 
debt designated as net investment hedges.

The pre-tax amount of (losses) gains recorded in other comprehensive (loss) income related to net investment hedges that would have been recorded 
in the Consolidated Statement of Operations had they not been so designated was (in millions):

Forward exchange contracts
Foreign currency denominated debt
TOTAL

Fair Value Hedges

$

$

2015
(4.4)
1.0
(3.4)

$

$

2014

— $

(0.3)
(0.3)

$

2013
—
0.2
0.2

We use interest rate swap contracts to manage the borrowing costs of 
certain long-term debt. In February 2015, we issued $600.0 million in 
aggregate principal amount of fixed rate notes. Upon issuance of these 
notes, we entered into fixed-to-floating interest rate swap contracts that 
effectively convert these notes from fixed rate debt to floating rate debt.
We designate these contracts as fair value hedges because they hedge 
the changes in fair value of the fixed rate notes resulting from changes in 

interest rates. The changes in value of these fair value hedges are recorded 
as gains or losses in interest expense and are offset by the losses or gains 
on the underlying debt instruments, which are also recorded in interest 
expense. There was no impact on earnings due to ineffective fair value 
hedges. At September 30, 2015, the aggregate notional value of our 
interest rate swaps designated as fair value hedges was $600.0 million.

The pre-tax amount of net gains recognized within the Consolidated Statement of Operations related to derivative instruments designated as fair value 
hedges, which fully offset the related net losses on the hedged debt instruments during the periods presented, was (in millions):

Interest expense

Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments

$

2015

5.4 $

2014

— $

2013
—

Certain of our locations have assets and liabilities denominated in currencies 
other than their functional currencies resulting from intercompany loans 
and other transactions with third parties denominated in foreign currencies. 
We enter into foreign currency forward exchange contracts that we do 
not designate as hedging instruments to offset the transaction gains or 
losses associated with some of these assets and liabilities. Gains and 

losses on derivative financial instruments for which we do not elect hedge 
accounting are recognized in the Consolidated Statement of Operations in 
each period, based on the change in the fair value of the derivative financial 
instruments. At September 30, 2015, we had a U.S. dollar-equivalent gross 
notional amount of $212.6 million of foreign currency forward exchange 
contracts not designated as hedging instruments.

The pre-tax amount of gains from forward exchange contracts not designated as hedging instruments recognized in the Consolidated Statement of 
Operations was (millions):

Other (expense) income

$

2015
20.8 $

2014
1.4

$

2013
0.1

37

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-KPart II 
Item 8 Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

U.S. GAAP defines fair value as the price that would be received for an asset 
or paid to transfer a liability (exit price) in an orderly transaction between 
market participants in the principal or most advantageous market for the 
asset or liability. U.S. GAAP also classifies the inputs used to measure fair 
value into the following hierarchy:

Level 1:  Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2:  Quoted prices in active markets for similar assets or liabilities, 
quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets 
that are not active, or inputs other than quoted prices that are 
observable for the asset or liability.

Level 3:  Unobservable inputs for the asset or liability.

We recognize all derivative financial instruments as either assets or liabilities 
at fair value in the Consolidated Balance Sheet. We value our forward 
exchange contracts using a market approach. We use a valuation model 

based on inputs including forward and spot prices for currency and interest 
rate curves. We did not change our valuation techniques during fiscal 2015, 
2014 or 2013. It is our policy to execute such instruments with major 
financial institutions that we believe to be creditworthy and not to enter 
into derivative financial instruments for speculative purposes. We diversify 
our foreign currency forward exchange contracts among counterparties 
to minimize exposure to any one of these entities. Our foreign currency 
forward exchange contracts are usually denominated in currencies of major 
industrial countries. The U.S. dollar-equivalent gross notional amount of 
our forward exchange contracts totaled $1,349.2 million at September 30, 
2015. Currency pairs (buy/sell) comprising the most significant contract 
notional values were United States dollar (USD)/euro, USD/Swiss franc, 
USD/Canadian dollar, Swiss franc/euro, Mexican peso/USD, Singapore 
dollar/USD and Swiss franc/Canadian dollar.

We value interest rate swap contracts using a market approach based on 
observable market inputs including publicized swap curves.

Assets (liabilities) measured at fair value on a recurring basis and their location in our Consolidated Balance Sheet were (in millions):

Derivatives Designated as Hedging Instruments
Forward exchange contracts
Forward exchange contracts
Forward exchange contracts
Forward exchange contracts
Interest rate swap contracts
TOTAL

Balance Sheet Location
Other current assets
Other assets
Other current liabilities
Other liabilities
Other assets

Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments
Forward exchange contracts
Forward exchange contracts
TOTAL

Balance Sheet Location
Other current assets
Other current liabilities

Fair Value (Level 2)

September 30, 2015
32.6
1.7
(13.3)
(2.1)
5.4
24.3

$

$

September 30, 2014
13.1
5.0
(4.1)
(0.3)
—
13.7

$

$

Fair Value (Level 2)

September 30, 2015
20.3
(3.1)
17.2

$

$

September 30, 2014
3.5
(1.8)
1.7

$

$

We also hold financial instruments consisting of cash, short-term investments, 
short-term debt and long-term debt. The fair values of our cash, short-term 
investments and short-term debt approximate their carrying amounts as 
reported in our Consolidated Balance Sheet due to the short-term nature 
of these instruments.

We base the fair value of long-term debt upon quoted market prices 
for the same or similar issues. The fair value of long-term debt below 
considers the terms of the debt excluding the impact of derivative and 
hedging activity. The carrying amount of a portion of our long-term debt 
is impacted by fixed-to-floating interest rate swap contracts that are 
designated as fair value hedges.

The following table presents the carrying amounts and estimated fair values of financial instruments not measured at fair value in the Consolidated 
Balance Sheet (in millions):

$

$

Carrying 
Amount
1,427.3 $
721.9
—
1,500.9

Carrying 
Amount
1,191.3 $
628.5
325.0
900.4

September 30, 2015

Total
1,427.3 $
721.9
—
1,682.6

Fair Value

Level 1
1,412.1 $
—
—
—

September 30, 2014

Total
1,191.3 $
628.5
325.0
1,119.4

Fair Value

Level 1
1,154.2 $
—
—
—

Level 2

15.2 $

721.9
—
1,682.6

Level 2

37.1 $

628.5
325.0
1,119.4

Level 3
—
—
—
—

Level 3
—
—
—
—

Cash and cash equivalents
Short-term investments
Short-term debt
Long-term debt

Cash and cash equivalents
Short-term investments
Short-term debt
Long-term debt

38

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-KPart II 
Item 8 Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

NOtE 9 

Shareowners’ Equity

Common Stock

At September 30, 2015, the authorized stock of the Company consisted of one billion shares of common stock, par value $1.00 per share, and  
25 million shares of preferred stock, without par value. At September 30, 2015, 9.0 million shares of authorized common stock were reserved for 
various incentive plans.

Changes in outstanding common shares are summarized as follows (in millions):

Beginning balance
Treasury stock purchases
Shares delivered under incentive plans
ENDING BALANCE

2015
136.7
(5.4)
1.1
132.4

2014
138.8
(4.1)
2.0
136.7

2013
139.8
(4.7)
3.7
138.8

At September 30, 2015 and 2014 there were $12.5 million and $4.5 million, respectively, of outstanding common stock share repurchases recorded in 
accounts payable that did not settle until the next fiscal year.

While not material to previously issued financial statements, we corrected certain amounts in the rollforward of additional paid-in capital within our 
Consolidated Statement of Shareowners’ Equity for the year ended September 30, 2014. Within the rollforward of additional paid-in capital, income tax 
benefits from share-based compensation decreased by $11.8 million, and share-based compensation expense increased by $11.8 million.

accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss

Changes in accumulated other comprehensive loss by component for the years ended September 30, 2015, 2014 and 2013 were (in millions):

Pension and other 
postretirement 
benefit plan 
adjustments, net  
of tax (Note 11)

Accumulated 
currency 
translation 
adjustments, 
net of tax

Balance as of September 30, 2012

Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other  
comprehensive loss

Other comprehensive income (loss)
BALANCE AS OF SEPTEMBER 30, 2013

Other comprehensive (loss) income before reclassifications
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other  
comprehensive loss

Other comprehensive (loss) income
BALANCE AS OF SEPTEMBER 30, 2014

Other comprehensive (loss) income before reclassifications
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other  
comprehensive loss

Other comprehensive (loss) income
BALANCE AS OF SEPTEMBER 30, 2015

$

$

$

$
$

(1,226.0) $
314.9

87.3
402.2
(823.8) $
(143.9)

58.3
(85.6)
(909.4) $
(257.3)

69.6
(187.7) $
(1,097.1) $

0.5 $
8.3  

—  
8.3  
8.8 $

(61.3)

—
(61.3)
(52.5) $

(199.9)

—
(199.9) $
(252.4) $

Net unrealized 
gains (losses) 
on cash  
flow hedges, 
net of tax
0.2
1.2

Total 
accumulated 
other 
comprehensive 
loss, net of tax
(1,225.3)
324.4

$

(4.1)
(2.9)
(2.7) $
14.2

2.4
16.6
13.9
36.7

(35.7)
1.0
14.9

$

$
$

83.2
407.6
(817.7)
(191.0)

60.7
(130.3)
(948.0)
(420.5)

33.9
(386.6)
(1,334.6)

39

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Part II 
Item 8 Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

The reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive loss to the Consolidated Statement of Operations for the years ended September 30, 
2015, 2014 and 2013 were (in millions):

Pension and other postretirement benefit plan adjustments:

Amortization of prior service credit
Amortization of net actuarial loss

Net unrealized losses (gains) on cash flow hedges:

Forward exchange contracts
Forward exchange contracts

TOTAL RECLASSIFICATIONS

Year Ended September 30,
2014

2013

Affected Line in the 
Consolidated Statement  
of Operations

$

$

$

$

$

(12.9)
102.6
89.7
(31.4)
58.3

2.3
(0.7)
1.6
0.8
2.4

60.7

$

$

$

$

$

(a)
(a)
Income before income taxes
Income tax provision

(13.2)
149.0
135.8
(48.5)
87.3 Net income

(1.6) Sales
(4.9) Cost of sales
(6.5)
2.4
(4.1) Net income

Income before income taxes
Income tax provision

83.2 Net income

2015

(17.2)
123.2
106.0
(36.4)
69.6

8.4
(44.6)
(36.2)
0.5
(35.7)

33.9

$

$

$

$

$

(a)  Reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss into cost of sales and selling, general and administrative expenses. These components are included in the computation 

of net periodic benefit costs. See Note 11 for further information.

NOtE 10  Share-Based Compensation

During 2015, 2014 and 2013 we recognized $41.5 million, $42.5 million and 
$41.1 million of pre-tax share-based compensation expense, respectively. 
The total income tax benefit related to share-based compensation expense 
was $13.2 million, $12.9 million and $12.5 million during 2015, 2014 
and 2013, respectively. We recognize compensation expense on grants 
of share-based compensation awards on a straight-line basis over the 
service period of each award recipient. As of September 30, 2015, total 
unrecognized compensation cost related to share-based compensation 
awards was $36.8 million, net of estimated forfeitures, which we expect 
to recognize over a weighted average period of approximately 1.6 years.

Our 2012 Long-Term Incentives Plan (2012 Plan) authorizes us to deliver up 
to 6.8 million shares of our common stock upon exercise of stock options 
or upon grant or in payment of stock appreciation rights, performance 

Stock Options

shares, performance units, restricted stock units and restricted stock. Our 
2003 Directors Stock Plan, as amended, authorizes us to deliver up to 
0.5 million shares of our common stock upon exercise of stock options 
or upon grant of shares of our common stock and restricted stock units. 
Shares relating to awards under our 2012 Plan, 2008 Long-Term Incentives 
Plan, as amended, or our 2000 Long-Term Incentives Plan, as amended, 
that terminate by expiration, forfeiture, cancellation or otherwise without 
the issuance or delivery of shares will be available for further awards under 
the 2012 Plan. Approximately 2.8 million shares under our 2012 Plan and 
0.3 million shares under our 2003 Directors Stock Plan remain available for 
future grant or payment at September 30, 2015. We use treasury stock 
to deliver shares of our common stock under these plans. Our 2012 Plan 
does not permit share-based compensation awards to be granted after 
February 7, 2022.

We have granted non-qualified and incentive stock options to purchase our common stock under various incentive plans at prices equal to the fair 
market value of the stock on the grant dates. The exercise price for stock options granted under the plans may be paid in cash, already-owned shares 
of common stock or a combination of cash and such shares. Stock options expire ten years after the grant date and vest ratably over three years.

The per-share weighted average fair value of stock options granted during the years ended September 30, 2015, 2014 and 2013 was $26.70, $34.03 and 
$25.18, respectively. The total intrinsic value of stock options exercised was $46.1 million, $108.1 million and $131.7 million during 2015, 2014 and 2013, 
respectively. We estimated the fair value of each stock option on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes pricing model and the following assumptions:

Average risk-free interest rate
Expected dividend yield
Expected volatility
Expected term (years)

2015
1.61%
2.25%
31%
5.1  

2014
1.52%
2.13%
41%
5.2  

2013
0.66%
2.35%
43%
5.3  

The average risk-free interest rate is based on U.S. treasury security rates corresponding to the expected term in effect as of the grant date. The 
expected dividend yield is based on the expected annual dividend as a percentage of the market value of our common stock as of the grant date. We 
determined expected volatility using daily historical volatility of our stock price over the most recent period corresponding to the expected term as of the 
grant date. We determined the expected term of the stock options using historical data adjusted for the estimated exercise dates of unexercised options.

40

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-KPart II 
Item 8 Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

A summary of stock option activity for the year ended September 30, 2015 is:

Outstanding at October 1, 2014
Granted
Exercised
Forfeited
Cancelled
OUTSTANDING AT SEPTEMBER 30, 2015
Vested or expected to vest at September 30, 2015
Exercisable at September 30, 2015

Shares
(in thousands)

4,523   $
1,041    
(897)
(90)
(3)
4,574
4,397    
2,665    

Wtd. Avg. 
Exercise Price
75.65
115.62
67.18
105.58
84.75
85.81
84.94
70.23

Wtd. Avg. 
Remaining 
Contractual Term
(years)

Aggregate Intrinsic 
Value of In-The-
Money Options
(in millions)

6.8 $
6.8  
5.6  

92.1
91.5
85.2

Performance Share awards

Certain officers and key employees are also eligible to receive shares of 
our common stock in payment of performance share awards granted to 
them. Grantees of performance shares will be eligible to receive shares of 
our common stock depending upon our total shareowner return, assuming 
reinvestment of all dividends, relative to the performance of companies in 
the S&P 500 Index over a three-year period. The awards actually earned 
will range from zero percent to 200 percent of the targeted number of 

performance shares for the three-year performance periods and will be 
paid, to the extent earned, in the fiscal quarter following the end of the 
applicable three-year performance period. For the three-year performance 
period ending September 30, 2015, the payout will be 93% of the target 
number of shares, with a maximum of 68,000 shares to be delivered in 
payment under the awards in December 2015. 

A summary of performance share activity for the year ended September 30, 2015 is as follows:

Performance
Shares
(in thousands)    

Wtd. Avg. 
Grant Date 
Share Fair Value
102.54
103.70
101.57
101.57
103.56
103.33

Outstanding at October 1, 2014
Granted(1)
Adjustment for performance results achieved(2)
Vested and issued
Forfeited
OUTSTANDING AT SEPTEMBER 30, 2015
(1)  Performance shares granted assuming achievement of performance goals at target.
(2)  Adjustments were due to the number of shares vested under the fiscal 2014 awards at the end of the three-year performance period ended September 30, 2014 being higher 

224   $
87    
71    

(154)
(2)
226

than the target number of shares.

The following table summarizes information about performance shares vested during the years ended September 30, 2015, 2014 and 2013:

Percent payout
Shares vested (in thousands)
Total fair value of shares vested (in millions)

2015
187%  
154  
17.2   $

2014
180%  
127  
14.2   $

2013
173%
232  
18.7  

$

The per-share fair value of performance share awards granted during the years ended September 30, 2015, 2014 and 2013 was $103.70, $108.48 
and $98.15, respectively, which we determined using a Monte Carlo simulation and the following assumptions:

Average risk-free interest rate
Expected dividend yield
Expected volatility

2015
0.96%
2.22%
24%

2014
0.60%
2.11%
33%

2013
0.32%
2.32%
36%

The average risk-free interest rate is based on the three-year U.S. treasury security rate in effect as of the grant date. The expected dividend yield is 
based on the expected annual dividend as a percentage of the market value of our common stock as of the grant date. The expected volatilities were 
determined using daily historical volatility for the most recent three-year period as of the grant date.

41

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Part II 
Item 8 Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

restricted Stock and restricted Stock Units

We grant restricted stock and restricted stock units to certain employees, and 
non-employee directors may elect to receive a portion of their compensation 
in restricted stock units. Restrictions on employee restricted stock and 
employee restricted stock units generally lapse over periods ranging from 
one to five years. Director restricted stock units generally are payable 
upon retirement. We value restricted stock and restricted stock units at 

the closing market value of our common stock on the date of grant. The 
weighted average grant date fair value of restricted stock and restricted 
stock unit awards granted during the years ended September 30, 2015, 
2014 and 2013 was $115.02, $109.69 and $80.17, respectively. The total 
fair value of shares vested during the years ended September 30, 2015, 
2014, and 2013 was $8.0 million, $6.4 million, and $9.4 million, respectively.

A summary of restricted stock and restricted stock unit activity for the year ended September 30, 2015 is as follows:

Outstanding at October 1, 2014
Granted
Vested
Forfeited
OUTSTANDING AT SEPTEMBER 30, 2015

Restricted
Stock and
Restricted
Stock Units
(in thousands)

190   $
52    
(71)
(8)
163    

Wtd. Avg.
Grant Date
Share
Fair Value
84.57
115.02
73.79
100.61
98.22

We also granted seven thousand shares of unrestricted common stock to non-employee directors during the year ended September 30, 2015.  
The weighted average grant date fair value of the unrestricted stock awards granted during the years ended September 30, 2015, 2014, and 2013 was 
$111.43, $108.86 and $76.65, respectively.

NOtE 11  retirement Benefits

We sponsor funded and unfunded pension plans and other postretirement 
benefit plans for our employees. The pension plans cover most of our 
employees and provide for monthly pension payments to eligible employees 
after retirement. Pension benefits for salaried employees generally are 
based on years of credited service and average earnings. Pension benefits 
for hourly employees are primarily based on specified benefit amounts 
and years of service. Effective July 1, 2010 we closed participation in our 
U.S. and Canada pension plans to employees hired after June 30, 2010. 
Employees hired after June 30, 2010 are instead eligible to participate in 
employee savings plans. The Company contributions are based on age 
and years of service and range from 3% to 7% of eligible compensation. 
Effective October 1, 2010, we also closed participation in our U.K. pension 

The components of net periodic benefit cost (income) are (in millions):

plan to employees hired after September 30, 2010 and these employees are 
now eligible for a defined contribution plan. Benefits to be provided to plan 
participants hired before July 1, 2010 or October 1, 2010, respectively, are 
not affected by these changes. Our policy with respect to funding our pension 
obligations is to fund the minimum amount required by applicable laws and 
governmental regulations. We were not required to make contributions 
to satisfy minimum funding requirements in our U.S. pension plans. We 
did not make voluntary contributions to our U.S. qualified pension plan 
in 2015, 2014 or 2013. Other postretirement benefits are primarily in the 
form of retirement medical plans that cover most of our employees in the 
U.S. and Canada and provide for the payment of certain medical costs 
of eligible employees and dependents after retirement.

$

Service cost
Interest cost
Expected return on plan assets
Amortization:

Prior service credit
Net actuarial loss

Settlements
NET PERIODIC BENEFIT COST (INCOME) $

Pension Benefits

2015
85.7   $
167.2    
(223.2)

(2.7)
118.7    
— 
145.7 $

2014
78.5   $
174.2    
(217.9)

(2.7)
99.7    
(0.1)   
131.7 $

2013
92.1   $
160.2    
(226.3)

(2.5)
144.6    
—    
168.1 $

Other Postretirement Benefits
2015

2014

1.5   $
4.1    
—  

(14.5)

4.5    
—    
(4.4) $

2.0   $
6.5    
—    

(10.2)

2.9    
—    
1.2 $

2013

2.3  
6.3  
—  

(10.7)
4.4  
—  
2.3

42

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
   
   
   
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Benefit obligation, plan assets, funded status, and net liability information is summarized as follows (in millions):

Part II 
Item 8 Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

Benefit obligation at beginning of year
Service cost
Interest cost
Actuarial losses (gains)
Plan amendments
Plan participant contributions
Benefits paid
Currency translation and other
Benefit obligation at end of year
Plan assets at beginning of year
Actual return on plan assets
Company contributions
Plan participant contributions
Benefits paid
Currency translation and other
Plan assets at end of year
FUNDED STATUS OF PLANS
Net amount on balance sheet consists of:
Other assets
Compensation and benefits
Retirement benefits
NET AMOUNT ON BALANCE SHEET

Pension Benefits

Other Postretirement Benefits

2015
4,236.6

$

$

85.7  
167.2  
230.2  
(3.5)
4.9  

(329.1)
(109.8)
4,282.2  
3,591.0  
29.5  
41.0  
4.9  

(329.1)
(74.8)
3,262.5  
(1,019.7) $

$

0.1
(11.3)
(1,008.5)
(1,019.7) $

$

$

$

2014
3,804.8   $
78.5    
174.2    
431.5  
1.2    
5.4    

(218.8)
(40.2)
4,236.6    
3,367.0    
425.2    
42.1    
5.4    

(218.8)
(29.9)
3,591.0    

(645.6) $

1.4   $

(12.2)
(634.8)
(645.6) $

2015
122.2

$

1.5  
4.1  

(20.1)

—  
5.4  

(17.7)
(2.1)
93.3  
—  
—  
12.3  
5.4  

(17.7)

—  
—  
(93.3) $

— $

(11.4)
(81.9)
(93.3) $

2014
150.2  
2.0  
6.5  

14.2
(37.0)
8.2  
(21.0)
(0.9)
122.2  
—  
—  
12.8  
8.2  
(21.0)
—  
—  
(122.2)

—  
(14.9)
(107.3)
(122.2)

Amounts included in accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax, at September 30, 2015 and 2014 which have not yet been recognized in net 
periodic benefit cost are as follows (in millions):

Prior service cost (credit)
Net actuarial loss
TOTAL

Pension Benefits

Other Postretirement Benefits

$

$

2015

3.0 $

1,099.9  
1,102.9 $

2014
4.0
$
904.7    
908.7

$

2015
(22.9) $
17.1    
(5.8 ) $

2014
(31.9)
32.6  
0.7

During 2015, we recognized prior service credits of $17.2 million  
($10.8 million net of tax) and net actuarial losses of $123.2 million  
($80.4 million net of tax) in pension and other postretirement net periodic 
benefit cost, which were included in accumulated other comprehensive 
loss at September 30, 2014. In 2016, we expect to recognize prior 
service credits of $14.0 million ($8.9 million net of tax), and net actuarial 
losses of $127.1 million ($82.9 million net of tax) in pension and other 
postretirement net periodic benefit cost, which are included in accumulated 
other comprehensive loss at September 30, 2015.

Net Periodic Benefit Cost assumptions

During 2015, we offered lump-sum distributions to certain deferred vested 
participants in the U.S. defined benefit plans. Related payments totaled 
$108.8 million. No settlement charge was required to be recorded.

The accumulated benefit obligation for our pension plans was $3,979.3 
million and $3,960.2 million at September 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

Significant assumptions used in determining net periodic benefit cost included in the Consolidated Statement of Operations for the period ended 
September 30 are (in weighted averages):

U.S. Plans
Discount rate
Expected return on plan assets
Compensation increase rate
Non-U.S. Plans
Discount rate
Expected return on plan assets
Compensation increase rate

Pension Benefits
September 30,
2014

5.05%
7.50%
3.75%

3.69%
5.33%
3.11%

2015

4.50%
7.50%
3.75%

3.01%
5.31%
3.16%

2013

4.15%
8.00%
4.00%

3.37%
5.42%
3.03%

Other Postretirement Benefits
September 30,
2014

2015

3.65%
—  
—  

3.50%
—  
—  

4.60%
—  
—  

4.20%
—  
—  

2013

3.85%
—  
—  

3.80%
—  
—  

43

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
   
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Part II 
Item 8 Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

Net Benefit Obligation assumptions

Significant assumptions used in determining the benefit obligations included in the Consolidated Balance Sheet are (in weighted averages):

Pension Benefits
September 30,
2015

2014

Other Postretirement Benefits 
September 30,
2015

2014

U.S. Plans
Discount rate
Compensation increase rate
Health care cost trend rate(1)
Non-U.S. Plans
3.50%
Discount rate
—  
Compensation increase rate
Health care cost trend rate(1)
5.83%
(1)  The health care cost trend rate reflects the estimated increase in gross medical claims costs. As a result of the plan amendment adopted effective October 1, 2002, our effective 
per person retiree medical cost increase is zero percent beginning in 2005 for the majority of our postretirement benefit plans. For our other plans, we assume the gross health 
care cost trend rate will decrease to 5.50% in 2018 for U.S. Plans and 4.50% in 2017 for Non-U.S. Plans.

3.60%
—  
5.39%

2.67%
3.11%
—  

3.01%
3.16%
—  

3.85%
—  
7.00%

3.65%
—  
7.00%

4.55%
3.75%
—  

4.50%
3.75%
—  

In October 2014, the U.S. Society of Actuaries released a new mortality table (RP-2014) and new mortality improvement scale (MP-2014). We 
used these mortality tables to measure our U.S. pension obligation as of September 30, 2015. This change in mortality assumptions resulted in a  
$222.1 million increase to our projected benefit obligation.

In determining the expected long-term rate of return on assets assumption, we consider actual returns on plan assets over the long term, adjusted for 
forward-looking considerations, such as inflation, interest rates, equity performance and the active management of the plan’s invested assets. We also 
considered our current and expected mix of plan assets in setting this assumption. This resulted in the selection of the weighted average long-term rate 
of return on assets assumption. Our global weighted-average targeted and actual asset allocations at September 30, by asset category, are:

Asset Category
Equity securities
Debt securities
Other

Allocation Range
40% – 65%
30% – 50%
0% – 15%

Target 
Allocations

September 30,
2015

51%
39%
10%

48%
43%
9%

2014

50%
42%
8%

The investment objective for pension funds related to our defined benefit 
plans is to meet the plan’s benefit obligations, while maximizing the long-term 
growth of assets without undue risk. We strive to achieve this objective by 
investing plan assets within target allocation ranges and diversification within 
asset categories. Target allocation ranges are guidelines that are adjusted 
periodically based on ongoing monitoring by plan fiduciaries. Investment 
risk is controlled by rebalancing to target allocations on a periodic basis 
and ongoing monitoring of investment manager performance relative to 
the investment guidelines established for each manager.

As of September 30, 2015 and 2014, our pension plans do not own our 
common stock.

In certain countries where we operate, there are no legal requirements or 
financial incentives provided to companies to pre-fund pension obligations. 
In these instances, we typically make benefit payments directly from cash 
as they become due, rather than by creating a separate pension fund.

The valuation methodologies used for our pension plans’ investments 
measured at fair value are described as follows. There have been no 
changes in the methodologies used at September 30, 2015 and 2014.

Common stock — Valued at the closing price reported on the active 
market on which the individual securities are traded.

Mutual funds — Valued at the net asset value reported by the fund.

Corporate debt — Valued at either the yields currently available on 
comparable securities of issuers with similar credit ratings or valued 
under a discounted cash flow approach that maximizes observable inputs, 
such as current yields of similar instruments, but includes adjustments for 
certain risks that may not be observable such as credit and liquidity risks.

Government securities — Valued at the most recent closing price on the 
active market on which the individual securities are traded or, absent an 
active market, utilizing observable inputs such as closing prices in less 
frequently traded markets.

Common collective trusts — Valued at the net asset value as determined 
by the custodian of the fund. The NAV is based on the fair value of the 
underlying assets owned by the fund, minus its liabilities then divided by 
the number of units outstanding.

Private equity and alternative equity — Valued at the estimated fair value, 
as determined by the respective fund manager, based on the NAV of the 
investment units held at year end, which is subject to judgment.

Real estate funds — Consists of the real estate funds, which provide an 
indirect investment into a diversified and multi-sector portfolio of property 
assets. Publicly-traded real estate funds are valued at the most recent 
closing price reported on the SIX Swiss Exchange. The remainder is 
valued at the estimated fair value, as determined by the respective fund 
manager, based on the NAV of the investment units held at year end, 
which is subject to judgment.

Insurance contracts — Valued at the aggregate amount of accumulated 
contribution and investment income less amounts used to make benefit 
payments and administrative expenses which approximates fair value.

Other — Consists of other fixed income investments and common 
collective trusts with a mix of equity and fixed income underlying assets. 
Other fixed income investments are valued at the most recent closing 
price reported in the markets in which the individual securities are traded, 
which may be infrequently.

44

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-KPart II 
Item 8 Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

The methods described above may produce a fair value calculation that may not be indicative of net realizable value or reflective of future fair values. 
Furthermore, while we believe our valuation methods are appropriate and consistent with other market participants, the use of different methodologies 
or assumptions to determine the fair value of certain financial instruments could result in a different fair value measurement at the reporting date. Refer 
to Note 8 for further information regarding levels in the fair value hierarchy. The following table presents our pension plans’ investments measured at 
fair value as of September 30, 2015:

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

$

5.1 $

— $

— $

TOTAL PLAN INVESTMENTS

$

1,062.3 $

2,002.8 $

The following table presents our pension plans’ investments measured at fair value as of September 30, 2014:

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

$

1.9 $

— $

— $

8.7  
63.8  
3.1  
197.4 $

88.1
63.8
4.4
3,262.5

628.5  
174.6  
—  

—  
212.0  
—  

—  
—  
—  

2.3  

37.0  
—  

—  
2.8  
—  

—  
—  
—  

—  
—  
467.5  

643.8  
121.3  
124.8  

—  
—  
—  

—  

—  
259.5  

40.0  
6.6  
258.6  

79.4  
—  
1.3  

706.8  
216.8  
—  

—  
231.4  
—  

—  
—  
—  

7.2  

46.4  
—  

—  
3.3  
—  

—  
—  
—  

—  
—  
527.2  

692.6  
147.2  
129.4  

—  
—  
—  

—  

—  
286.0  

31.0  
14.9  
266.7  

80.3  
—  
2.6  

Total

5.1

628.5
174.6
467.5

643.8
333.3
124.8

70.2
50.7
0.9

2.3

37.0
259.5

40.0
9.4
258.6

Total

1.9

706.8
216.8
527.2

692.6
378.6
129.4

78.8
49.9
0.9

7.2

46.4
286.0

31.0
18.2
266.7

—  
—  
—  

—  
—  
—  

70.2  
50.7  
0.9  

—  

—  
—  

—  
—  
—  

—  
—  
—  

—  
—  
—  

78.8  
49.9  
0.9  

—  

—  
—  

—  
—  
—  

8.6  
57.8  
3.3  
199.3 $

88.9
57.8
5.9
3,591.0

45

U.S. Plans

Cash and cash equivalents
Equity securities:
Common stock
Mutual funds
Common collective trusts

Fixed income securities:

Corporate debt
Government securities
Common collective trusts
Other types of investments:

Private equity
Alternative equity
Insurance contracts

Non-U.S. Plans

Cash and cash equivalents
Equity securities:
Common stock
Common collective trusts

Fixed income securities:

Corporate debt
Government securities
Common collective trusts
Other types of investments:

Real estate funds
Insurance contracts
Other

U.S. Plans

Cash and cash equivalents
Equity securities:
Common stock
Mutual funds
Common collective trusts

Fixed income securities:

Corporate debt
Government securities
Common collective trusts
Other types of investments:

Private equity
Alternative equity
Insurance contracts

Non-U.S. Plans

Cash and cash equivalents
Equity securities:
Common stock
Common collective trusts

Fixed income securities:

Corporate debt
Government securities
Common collective trusts
Other types of investments:

Real estate funds
Insurance contracts
Other

TOTAL PLAN INVESTMENTS

$

1,213.8 $

2,177.9 $

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Part II 
Item 8 Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

The table below sets forth a summary of changes in fair market value of our pension plans’ Level 3 assets for the year ended September 30, 2015:

U.S. Plans

Private equity
Alternative equity
Insurance contracts

Non-U.S. Plans
Real estate 
Insurance contracts
Other

Balance  
October 1, 2014

Realized Gains 
(Losses)

Unrealized  
Gains (Losses)

Purchases, Sales, 
Issuances, and 
Settlements, Net

Balance  
September 30, 2015

$

$

78.8 $
49.9  
0.9  

8.6  
57.8  
3.3  
199.3 $

$
7.2
4.0  
—    

—    
—    
—    
$

11.2

(11.0) $
1.7    
—    

0.1    
11.3    
0.1    
2.2

$

(4.8) $
(4.9)

—  

—  

(5.3)
(0.3)
(15.3) $

70.2
50.7
0.9

8.7
63.8
3.1
197.4

The table below sets forth a summary of changes in fair market value of our pension plans’ Level 3 assets for the year ended September 30, 2014:

U.S. Plans

Private equity
Alternative equity
Insurance contracts

Non-U.S. Plans
Real estate
Insurance contracts
Other

Balance 
October 1, 2013

Realized Gains 
(Losses)

Unrealized 
Gains (Losses)

Purchases, Sales, 
Issuances, and 
Settlements, Net

Balance 
September 30, 2014

$

$

80.4 $
42.1  
0.8  

8.3  
45.5  
4.2  
181.3 $

$
7.8
1.3  
—    

—    
—    
—    
9.1

$

(3.5) $
2.8  
—    

0.3    
14.1    
—    

13.7

$

(5.9) $
3.7  
0.1  

—  

(1.8)
(0.9)
(4.8) $

78.8
49.9
0.9

8.6
57.8
3.3
199.3

Estimated Future Payments

We expect to contribute $47.0 million related to our worldwide pension plans and $11.7 million to our postretirement benefit plans in 2016.

The following benefit payments, which include employees’ expected future service, as applicable, are expected to be paid (in millions):

2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021 – 2025

$

Pension 
Benefits

234.9 $
227.7  
242.1  
253.7  
264.3  
1,428.6  

Other 
Postretirement 
Benefits
11.7
11.6
11.1
10.8
7.2
27.6

Other Postretirement Benefits

A one percentage point change in assumed health care cost trend rates would have the following effect (in millions):

Increase (decrease) to total of service and interest cost components $
Increase (decrease) to postretirement benefit obligation

0.2 $
3.0  

0.2 $
3.0  

One Percentage Point Increase
2014

2015

One Percentage Point Decrease
2014
(0.1)
(2.6)

2015
(0.2) $
(2.6)

46

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K 
 
 
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
   
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
   
   
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Part II 
Item 8 Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

Pension Benefits

Information regarding our pension plans with accumulated benefit obligations in excess of the fair value of plan assets (underfunded plans) at September 30, 
2015 and 2014 are as follows (in millions):

Projected benefit obligation
Accumulated benefit obligation
Fair value of plan assets

Defined Contribution Savings Plans

$

2015
4,281.0 $
3,978.3  
3,261.2  

2014
3,919.1
3,651.5
3,277.8

We also sponsor certain defined contribution savings plans for eligible employees. Expense related to these plans was $46.3 million in 2015, $43.8 million 
in 2014 and $40.9 million in 2013.

NOtE 12  Other (Expense) Income

The components of other (expense) income are (in millions):

Net gain (loss) on disposition of property
Interest income
Royalty income
Legacy product liability and environmental charges
Other
OTHER (EXPENSE) INCOME

$

$

$

2015
0.1
10.7  
2.9  

(19.8)

0.6  
(5.5) $

2014
(0.6) $
9.5  
2.5  

(14.6)
12.9  
9.7

$

2013
(0.5) 
9.8
3.3
(24.9)
18.0
5.7

Other (expense) income included an $8.0 million gain in 2014 and a $19.2 million gain in 2013 from favorable resolutions of certain intellectual property 
and commercial legal matters.

NOtE 13 

Income taxes

Selected income tax data (in millions):

Components of income before income taxes:

United States
Non-United States

TOTAL
Components of the income tax provision:

Current:

United States
Non-United States
State and local

Total current
Deferred:

United States
Non-United States
State and local

Total deferred
INCOME TAX PROVISION
total income taxes paid

2015

2014

2013

$

$

$

$
$

660.5   $
467.0    

607.3   $
526.9    

1,127.5

$

1,134.2

$

238.6   $

73.6
17.0
329.2

(30.3)
2.6
(1.6)
(29.3)
299.9
313.1

$
$

219.4   $
85.3    
9.9    
314.6    

(3.8)
(4.0)
0.6  
(7.2)
307.4
323.8

$
$

513.5  
467.4  
980.9

164.5
51.1
15.5
231.1

(1.3)
(2.9)
(2.3)
(6.5)
224.6
203.9

During 2013, we recognized net discrete tax benefits of $22.7 million primarily related to the favorable resolution of tax matters in various global jurisdictions 
and the retroactive extension of the U.S. federal research and development tax credit.

47

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
   
 
 
 
   
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Part II 
Item 8 Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

Effective tax rate reconciliation

The reconciliation between the U.S. federal statutory rate and our effective tax rate was:

Statutory tax rate
State and local income taxes
Non-United States taxes
Tax effect of foreign dividends
Employee stock ownership plan benefit
Change in valuation allowances
Domestic manufacturing deduction
Adjustments for prior period tax matters
Other
EFFECTIVE INCOME TAX RATE

2015
35.0%
0.9
(7.9)
(0.2)
(0.2)
(0.5)
(1.2)
0.5
0.2
26.6%

2014
35.0%
0.8  
(9.5)
0.5  
(0.2)
(0.1)
(1.1)
1.0
0.7
27.1%

2013
35.0%
0.9  
(9.6)
0.8  
(0.2)
(0.4)
(1.1)
(2.0)
(0.5) 
22.9%

We operate in certain non-U.S. tax jurisdictions under various government sponsored tax incentive programs, which expire during 2017 through 2019 
and may be extended if certain additional requirements are met. The tax benefit attributable to these incentive programs was $36.5 million ($0.27 per 
diluted share) in 2015, $42.9 million ($0.31 per diluted share) in 2014 and $38.2 million ($0.27 per diluted share) in 2013.

Deferred taxes

The tax effects of temporary differences that give rise to our net deferred income tax assets (liabilities) at September 30, 2015 and 2014 were (in millions):

Current deferred income tax assets:

Compensation and benefits
Product warranty costs
Inventory
Allowance for doubtful accounts
Deferred credits
Returns, rebates and incentives
Self-insurance reserves
Restructuring reserves
Net operating loss carryforwards
U.S. federal tax credit carryforwards
Other — net
Current deferred income tax assets

Long-term deferred income tax assets (liabilities):

Retirement benefits
Property
Intangible assets
Environmental reserves
Share-based compensation
Self-insurance reserves
Deferred gains
Net operating loss carryforwards
Capital loss carryforwards
U.S. federal tax credit carryforwards
State tax credit carryforwards
Other — net
Subtotal
Valuation allowance
Net long-term deferred income tax assets

TOTAL NET DEFERRED INCOME TAX ASSETS

$

$

$

2015

$

28.4
10.3  
15.3  
8.8  
9.2  
50.8  
0.6  
2.6  
3.3  
—  
21.9  
151.2  

$

371.2
(74.9)
(53.2)
15.9  
35.5  
9.4  
2.0  
22.6  
13.6  
1.2  
7.3  
15.2  
365.8  
(22.2)
343.6  
494.8

$

2014

33.7
12.3
18.3
8.8
7.5
54.5
0.9
2.1
3.5
0.2
21.7
163.5

240.4
(81.9)
(50.2)
16.9
32.6
7.9
2.4
31.9
14.8
1.3
5.8
11.6
233.5
(27.8)
205.7
369.2

Total deferred tax assets were $645.1 million at September 30, 2015 and $529.1 million at September 30, 2014. Total deferred tax liabilities were $128.1 million 
at September 30, 2015 and $132.1 million at September 30, 2014.

48

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Part II 
Item 8 Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

We have not provided U.S. deferred taxes for $3,059.0 million of undistributed 
earnings of the Company’s subsidiaries, since these earnings have been, 
and under current plans will continue to be, indefinitely reinvested outside 
the U.S. It is not practicable to estimate the amount of additional taxes 
that may be payable upon distribution.

We believe it is more likely than not that we will realize current and long-
term deferred tax assets through the reduction of future taxable income, 
other than for the deferred tax assets reflected below. Significant factors we 
considered in determining the probability of the realization of the deferred tax 
assets include our historical operating results and expected future earnings.

Tax attributes and related valuation allowances at September 30, 2015 are (in millions):

Tax Attribute to be Carried Forward
Non-United States net operating loss carryforward
Non-United States net operating loss carryforward
Non-United States capital loss carryforward
United States net operating loss carryforward
United States tax credit carryforward
State and local net operating loss carryforward
State tax credit carryforward
Subtotal — tax carryforwards
Other deferred tax assets
TOTAL

Tax Benefit 
Amount

5.8 $
6.5  
13.6  
3.6  
1.2  
10.0  
7.3  
48.0  
0.9  
48.9 $

$

$

Valuation 
Allowance
5.8
1.7
13.6
—
—
0.2
—
21.3
0.9
22.2

Carryforward
Period Ends
2016-2025
Indefinite
Indefinite
2019-2033
2018-2027
2016-2033
2025-2030

Indefinite

The valuation allowance decreased $5.6 million in 2015 primarily due to the expiration of non-U.S. net operating loss carryforwards. 

Unrecognized tax Benefits

We operate in numerous taxing jurisdictions and are subject to regular 
examinations by various U.S. federal, state and non-U.S. taxing authorities 
for various tax periods. Additionally, we have retained tax liabilities and  
the rights to tax refunds in connection with various divestitures of  
businesses in prior years. Our income tax positions are based on research 

and interpretations of the income tax laws and rulings in each of the 
jurisdictions in which we do business. Due to the subjectivity of interpretations 
of laws and rulings in each jurisdiction, the differences and interplay in 
tax laws between those jurisdictions as well as the inherent uncertainty in 
estimating the final resolution of complex tax audit matters, our estimates 
of income tax liabilities may differ from actual payments or assessments.

A reconciliation of our gross unrecognized tax benefits, excluding interest and penalties, is as follows (in millions):

Gross unrecognized tax benefits balance at beginning of year
Additions based on tax positions related to the current year
Additions based on tax positions related to prior years
Reductions based on tax positions related to prior years
Reductions related to settlements with taxing authorities
Reductions related to lapses of statute of limitations
Effect of foreign currency translation
GROSS UNRECOGNIZED TAX BENEFITS BALANCE AT END OF YEAR

$

$

2015
38.9   $
2.1  
11.6  
(1.0)
(4.3)
(1.6)
(1.8)
43.9

$

2014
40.8   $
1.0    
2.2    
—    
—  

(4.2)
(0.9)
38.9

$

2013
70.3  
1.1  
8.8  
—
(36.2)
(1.2)
(2.0)
40.8

The amount of gross unrecognized tax benefits that would reduce our 
effective tax rate if recognized was $43.9 million, $38.9 million and  
$40.8 million at September 30, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively. 

Accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits 
were $5.1 million and $8.1 million at September 30, 2015 and 2014, 
respectively. We recognize interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax 
benefits in the income tax provision. Benefits recognized were $2.4 million,  
$4.0 million and $6.7 million in 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

If the unrecognized tax benefits were recognized, the net impact on our 
income tax provision, including the recognition of interest and penalties and 
offsetting tax assets, would be $26.5 million as of September 30, 2015.

We believe it is reasonably possible that the amount of gross unrecognized 
tax benefits could be reduced by up to $31.0 million in the next 12 months 
as a result of the resolution of tax matters in various global jurisdictions 
and the lapses of statutes of limitations. If the unrecognized tax benefits 
were recognized, the net reduction to our income tax provision, including 
the recognition of interest and penalties and offsetting tax assets, could 
be up to $14.5 million.

We conduct business globally and are routinely audited by the various tax 
jurisdictions in which we operate. We are no longer subject to U.S. federal 
income tax examinations for years before 2012 and are no longer subject to 
state, local and non-U.S. income tax examinations for years before 2003.

49

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Part II 
Item 8 Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

NOtE 14  Commitments and Contingent Liabilities

Obligations and expected recoveries related to environmental remediation costs, conditional asset retirement obligations and other recorded indemnification 
matters as of September 30, 2015 and 2014 are as follows:

Environmental remediation costs
Conditional asset retirement obligations
Indemnification liabilities
Total recorded liabilities
Recorded probable expected recoveries
NET RECORDED LIABILITIES

2015
61.4   $
20.2
32.6
114.2
(33.2)
81.0

$

2014
60.0
22.2
35.7
117.9
(40.0)
77.9

$

$

As of September 30, 2015, we have estimated the total reasonably possible costs we could incur from these environmental remediation costs and 
indemnification liabilities to be $143.3 million ($101.1 million, net of related receivables).

Environmental Matters

Federal, state and local requirements relating to the discharge of substances 
into the environment, the disposal of hazardous wastes and other activities 
affecting the environment have and will continue to have an effect on 
our manufacturing operations. Thus far, compliance with environmental 
requirements and resolution of environmental claims have been accomplished 
without material effect on our liquidity and capital resources, competitive 
position, financial condition or results of operations.

We have been designated as a potentially responsible party at 13 Superfund 
sites, excluding sites as to which our records disclose no involvement or 
as to which our potential liability has been finally determined and assumed 
by third parties. In addition, various other lawsuits, claims and proceedings 
have been asserted against us seeking remediation of alleged environmental 
impairments, principally at previously owned properties.

Environmental remediation cost liabilities and related expected recoveries at September 30, 2015 are as follows (in millions):

Other current liabilities
Other liabilities
Total recorded environmental remediation costs(1)
Receivables
Other assets
Total recorded probable expected recoveries
NET ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION COSTS

2015
13.4  
48.0
61.4
(1.6)
(6.6)
(8.2)
53.2

$

$

(1) 

Includes $39.3 million related to discounted ongoing operating and maintenance expenditures.

Based on our assessment, we believe that our expenditures for environmental capital investment and remediation necessary to comply with present 
regulations governing environmental protection and other expenditures for the resolution of environmental claims will not have a material effect on our 
liquidity and capital resources, competitive position, financial condition or results of operations. We cannot assess the possible effect of compliance 
with future requirements.

Conditional asset retirement Obligations

We accrue for costs related to a legal obligation associated with the 
retirement of a tangible long-lived asset that results from the acquisition, 
construction, development or the normal operation of the long-lived asset. 
The obligation to perform the asset retirement activity is not conditional 
even though the timing or method may be conditional. Identified conditional 

asset retirement obligations include asbestos abatement and remediation 
of soil contamination beneath current and previously divested facilities. 
We estimate conditional asset retirement obligations using site-specific 
knowledge and historical industry expertise.

Conditional asset retirement obligations and related expected recoveries at September 30, 2015 and 2014 are as follows (in millions):

Other current liabilities
Other liabilities
Total recorded conditional asset retirement obligations
Probable expected recoveries recorded in other assets
NET CONDITIONAL ASSET RETIREMENT OBLIGATIONS

2015

0.4   $

19.8
20.2
(0.3)
19.9

$

2014
0.3
21.9
22.2
(0.3)
21.9

$

$

There have been no significant changes in liabilities incurred, liabilities settled, accretion expense or revisions in estimated cash flows for the periods 
ended September 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

Other Matters

Various other lawsuits, claims and proceedings have been or may be 
instituted or asserted against us relating to the conduct of our business, 
including those pertaining to product liability, environmental, safety and 
health, intellectual property, employment and contract matters. Although 
the outcome of litigation cannot be predicted with certainty and some 

lawsuits, claims or proceedings may be disposed of unfavorably to us, 
we believe the disposition of matters that are pending or have been 
asserted will not have a material effect on our business, financial condition 
or results of operations.

50

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
We (including our subsidiaries) have been named as a defendant in lawsuits 
alleging personal injury as a result of exposure to asbestos that was used 
in certain components of our products many years ago. Currently there 
are a few thousand claimants in lawsuits that name us as defendants, 
together with hundreds of other companies. In some cases, the claims 
involve products from divested businesses, and we are indemnified for 
most of the costs. However, we have agreed to defend and indemnify 
asbestos claims associated with products manufactured or sold by our 
former Dodge mechanical and Reliance Electric motors and motor repair 
services businesses prior to their divestiture by us, which occurred on 
January 31, 2007. We are also responsible for half of the costs and liabilities 
associated with asbestos cases against our former Rockwell International 
Corporation’s divested measurement and flow control business. But in 
all cases, for those claimants who do show that they worked with our 
products or products of divested businesses for which we are responsible, 
we nevertheless believe we have meritorious defenses, in substantial 
part due to the integrity of the products, the encapsulated nature of any 
asbestos-containing components, and the lack of any impairing medical 
condition on the part of many claimants. We defend those cases vigorously. 
Historically, we have been dismissed from the vast majority of these claims 
with no payment to claimants.

We have maintained insurance coverage that we believe covers indemnity 
and defense costs, over and above self-insured retentions, for claims 
arising from our former Allen-Bradley subsidiary. Following litigation against 
Nationwide Indemnity Company (Nationwide) and Kemper Insurance 
(Kemper), the insurance carriers that provided liability insurance coverage 
to Allen-Bradley, we entered into separate agreements on April 1, 2008 
with both insurance carriers to further resolve responsibility for ongoing 
and future coverage of Allen-Bradley asbestos claims. In exchange for a 
lump sum payment, Kemper bought out its remaining liability and has been 
released from further insurance obligations to Allen-Bradley. Nationwide 
entered into a cost share agreement with us to pay the substantial majority 
of future defense and indemnity costs for Allen-Bradley asbestos claims. 

Part II 
Item 8 Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

We believe that this arrangement with Nationwide will continue to provide 
coverage for Allen-Bradley asbestos claims throughout the remaining life 
of the asbestos liability.

The uncertainties of asbestos claim litigation make it difficult to predict 
accurately the ultimate outcome of asbestos claims. That uncertainty is 
increased by the possibility of adverse rulings or new legislation affecting 
asbestos claim litigation or the settlement process. Subject to these 
uncertainties and based on our experience defending asbestos claims, 
we do not believe these lawsuits will have a material effect on our financial 
condition or results of operations.

We have, from time to time, divested certain of our businesses. In connection 
with these divestitures, certain lawsuits, claims and proceedings may be 
instituted or asserted against us related to the period that we owned the 
businesses, either because we agreed to retain certain liabilities related 
to these periods or because such liabilities fall upon us by operation of 
law. In some instances the divested business has assumed the liabilities; 
however, it is possible that we might be responsible to satisfy those liabilities 
if the divested business is unable to do so.

In connection with the spin-offs of our former automotive business, 
semiconductor systems business and Rockwell Collins avionics and 
communications business, the spun-off companies have agreed to 
indemnify us for substantially all contingent liabilities related to the respective 
businesses, including environmental and intellectual property matters.

In conjunction with the sale of our Dodge mechanical and Reliance Electric 
motors and motor repair services businesses, we agreed to indemnify 
Baldor Electric Company for costs and damages related to certain legal, 
legacy environmental and asbestos matters of these businesses arising 
before January 31, 2007, for which the maximum exposure would be 
capped at the amount received for the sale.

Indemnification liabilities and related expected recoveries at September 30, 2015 and 2014 are as follows (in millions):

Other current liabilities
Other liabilities
Total recorded indemnification liabilities
Receivables
Other assets
Total recorded probable expected recoveries
NET INDEMNIFICATION LIABILITIES

2015
3.2 
29.4
32.6
(2.1)
(22.6)
(24.7)
7.9

$

$

2014
2.9
32.8
35.7
(2.1)
(24.6)
(26.7)
9.0

$

$

Included in the above are certain environmental indemnification liabilities that are substantially indemnified by ExxonMobil Corporation for which we 
have recorded a liability of $26.0 million and $27.9 million, and a related receivable of $24.7 million and $26.7 million, as of September 30, 2015 and 
2014, respectively. 

In many countries we provide a limited intellectual property indemnity as 
part of our terms and conditions of sale. We also at times provide limited 
intellectual property indemnities in other contracts with third parties, 
such as contracts concerning the development and manufacture of our 
products. As of September 30, 2015, we were not aware of any material 
indemnification claims that were probable or reasonably possible of an 
unfavorable outcome. Historically, claims that have been made under 
the indemnification agreements have not had a material impact on our 
operating results, financial position or cash flows; however, to the extent 
that valid indemnification claims arise in the future, future payments by 
us could be significant and could have a material adverse effect on our 
results of operations or cash flows in a particular period.

Lease Commitments
Rental expense was $117.0 million in 2015, $121.6 million in 2014 and 
$119.6 million in 2013. As of September 30, 2015, minimum future rental 
commitments under operating leases having noncancelable lease terms 
in excess of one year are payable as follows (in millions):

2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
Beyond 2020
TOTAL

$

$

73.6
61.3
50.5
38.9
34.7
66.7
325.7

Commitments from third parties under sublease agreements having 
noncancelable lease terms in excess of one year aggregated $0.8 million as 
of September 30, 2015 and are receivable through 2019 at approximately 
$0.2 million per year. Most leases contain renewal options for varying 
periods, and certain leases include options to purchase the leased property.

51

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Part II 
Item 8 Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

NOtE 15  Business Segment Information

Rockwell Automation is a leading global provider of industrial automation power, control and information solutions that help manufacturers achieve 
competitive advantages for their businesses. We determine our operating segments based on the information used by our chief operating decision 
maker, our Chief Executive Officer, to allocate resources and assess performance. Based upon this information, we organized our products, solutions 
and services into two operating segments: Architecture & Software and Control Products & Solutions.

architecture & Software

Control Products & Solutions

The Architecture & Software segment contains all of the hardware, software 
and communication components of our integrated control and information 
architecture capable of controlling the customer’s industrial processes and 
connecting with their business enterprise. Architecture & Software has a 
broad portfolio of products including:

•• Control platforms that perform multiple control disciplines and monitoring 
of applications, including discrete, batch and continuous process, drives 
control, motion control and machine safety control. Our platform products 
include controllers, electronic operator interface devices, electronic input/
output devices, communication and networking products and industrial 
computers. The information-enabled Logix controllers provide integrated 
multi-discipline control that is modular and scalable.

•• Software products that include configuration and visualization software 
used to operate and supervise control platforms, advanced process 
control software and manufacturing execution software (MES) that 
enables customers to improve manufacturing productivity and meet 
regulatory requirements.

•• Other products, including rotary and linear motion control products, 

sensors and machine safety components.

The Control Products & Solutions segment combines a comprehensive 
portfolio of intelligent motor control and industrial control products, application 
expertise and project management capabilities. This comprehensive 
portfolio includes:

•• Low and medium voltage electro-mechanical and electronic motor 
starters, motor and circuit protection devices, AC/DC variable frequency 
drives, push buttons, signaling devices, termination and protection 
devices, relays and timers.

•• Value-added solutions ranging from packaged solutions such as configured 
drives and motor control centers to automation and information solutions 
where we provide design, integration and start-up services for custom-
engineered hardware and software systems primarily for manufacturing 
applications.

•• Services designed to help maximize a customer’s automation investment 
and provide total life-cycle support, including technical support and repair, 
asset management, training, predictive and preventative maintenance, 
and safety and network consulting.

The following tables reflect the sales and operating results of our reportable segments for the years ended September 30, 2015, 2014 and 2013 (in millions):

2015

2014

2013

Sales:

Architecture & Software
Control Products & Solutions

TOTAL
Segment operating earnings:
Architecture & Software
Control Products & Solutions

Total
Purchase accounting depreciation and amortization
General corporate-net
Non-operating pension costs
Interest expense
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES

$

$

$

$

2,749.5   $
3,558.4    
6,307.9

$

2,845.3   $
3,778.2    
6,623.5

$

$

808.6
551.9  
1,360.5  
(21.0)
(85.6)
(62.7)
(63.7)
1,127.5

$

$

839.6
512.4  
1,352.0  
(21.6)
(81.0)
(55.9)
(59.3)
1,134.2

$

2,682.0  
3,669.9  
6,351.9

759.4
477.4
1,236.8
(19.3)
(97.2)
(78.5)
(60.9)
980.9

Among other considerations, we evaluate performance and allocate 
resources based upon segment operating earnings before income taxes, 
interest expense, costs related to corporate offices, non-operating pension 
costs, certain nonrecurring corporate initiatives, gains and losses from 
the disposition of businesses and purchase accounting depreciation 
and amortization. Depending on the product, intersegment sales within a 

single legal entity are either at cost or cost plus a mark-up, which does not 
necessarily represent a market price. Sales between legal entities are at an 
appropriate transfer price. We allocate costs related to shared segment 
operating activities to the segments using a methodology consistent with 
the expected benefit.

52

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K 
   
 
   
 
 
 
 
   
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The following tables summarize the identifiable assets at September 30, 2015, 2014 and 2013 and the provision for depreciation and amortization and 
the amount of capital expenditures for property for the years then ended for each of the reportable segments and Corporate (in millions):

Part II 
Item 8 Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

Identifiable assets:

Architecture & Software
Control Products & Solutions
Corporate

TOTAL
Depreciation and amortization:

Architecture & Software
Control Products & Solutions
Corporate

Total
Purchase accounting depreciation and amortization
TOTAL
Capital expenditures for property:

Architecture & Software
Control Products & Solutions
Corporate

TOTAL

2015

2014

2013

$

$

$

$

$

$

1,790.5
2,078.1
2,536.1
6,404.7

69.7
70.3
1.5
141.5
21.0
162.5

29.4
56.8
36.7
122.9

$

$

$

$

$

$

1,874.5
2,273.7
2,076.1
6,224.3

64.8
65.9
0.2
130.9
21.6
152.5

33.6
51.2
56.2
141.0

$

$

$

$

$

$

1,653.4
2,200.0
1,991.2
5,844.6

68.1
57.7
0.1
125.9
19.3
145.2

31.5
52.8
61.9
146.2

Identifiable assets at Corporate consist principally of cash, net deferred 
income tax assets, prepaid pension and property. Property shared by the 
segments and used in operating activities is also reported in Corporate 
identifiable assets and Corporate capital expenditures. Corporate identifiable 
assets include shared net property balances of $266.8 million, $294.1 million 
and $299.2 million at September 30, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively, 

for which depreciation expense has been allocated to segment operating 
earnings based on the expected benefit to be realized by each segment. 
Corporate capital expenditures include $36.7 million, $56.2 million and 
$61.9 million in 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively, that will be shared 
by our operating segments.

We conduct a significant portion of our business activities outside the United States. The following tables present sales and property by geographic 
region (in millions):

United States
Canada
Europe, Middle East and Africa
Asia Pacific
Latin America
TOTAL

$

$

Sales

Property

2015
3,446.8 $
366.6  
1,174.0  
834.5  
486.0  
6,307.9 $

2014
3,414.6 $
437.0  
1,351.8  
884.0  
536.1  
6,623.5 $

2013
3,202.9 $
468.7  
1,284.9  
851.9  
543.5  
6,351.9 $

2015
472.1 $
7.3  
50.4  
41.9  
33.9  
605.6 $

2014
497.5 $
7.6  
48.8  
37.3  
41.7  
632.9 $

2013
484.7
7.6
43.0
39.1
41.6
616.0

We attribute sales to the geographic regions based on the country of 
destination.

In the United States, Canada and certain other countries, we sell our 
products primarily through independent distributors. In the remaining 
countries, we sell products through a combination of direct sales and sales 

through distributors. We sell large systems and service offerings principally 
through our direct sales force, though opportunities are sometimes identified 
through distributors. Sales to our largest distributor in 2015, 2014 and 
2013, which are attributable to both segments, were approximately 10 
percent of our total sales.

53

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Part II 
Item 8 Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

NOtE 16  Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited)

(in millions, except per share amounts)
Sales
Gross profit
Income before income taxes
Net income
Earnings per share:

Basic
Diluted

(in millions, except per share amounts)
Sales
Gross profit
Income before income taxes
Net income
Earnings per share:

Basic
Diluted

$

$

First
1,574.4 $
687.5  
287.5  
214.2  

2015 Quarters

Second
1,550.8 $
673.2  
276.5  
206.0  

Third
1,575.2 $
678.2  
284.6  
206.1  

Fourth
1,607.5 $
664.2
278.9
201.3

1.58  
1.56  

1.53  
1.51  

1.53  
1.52  

1.51
1.50

First
1,591.7 $
663.7  
272.8  
198.1  

2014 Quarters

Second
1,600.5 $
655.8
248.4
180.3

Third
1,649.5 $
681.5  
274.0  
199.7  

Fourth
1,781.8 $
752.9
339.0
248.7

1.43  
1.41  

1.30
1.28

1.44  
1.43  

1.81
1.79

2015
6,307.9
2,703.1
1,127.5
827.6

6.15
6.09

2014
6,623.5
2,753.9
1,134.2
826.8

5.98
5.91

Note: The sum of the quarterly per share amounts will not necessarily equal the annual per share amounts presented.

54

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
PART II

ItEM 8  Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

Part II 
Item 8 Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

report of Independent registered Public accounting Firm

To the Board of Directors and Shareowners of

Rockwell Automation, Inc.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Rockwell Automation, Inc. (the “Company”) as of September 30, 2015 and 2014, 
and the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income, cash flows, and shareowners’ equity for each of the three years in 
the period ended September 30, 2015. Our audits also included the financial statement schedule listed in the Index at Item 15(a)(2). We also have 
audited the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of September 30, 2015, based on criteria established in Internal Control — Integrated 
Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. The Company’s management is responsible 
for these financial statements and financial statement schedule, for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting, and for its assessment 
of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial 
Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements and financial statement schedule and an opinion on the Company’s 
internal control over financial reporting based on our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards 
require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement 
and whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audits of the financial statements included 
examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used 
and significant estimates made by management, and evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. Our audit of internal control over financial 
reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing 
and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audits also included performing such other 
procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions.

A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed by, or under the supervision of, the company’s principal executive and principal 
financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, and effected by the company’s board of directors, management, and other personnel to provide 
reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with 
generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the 
maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide 
reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted 
accounting principles and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and 
directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition 
of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Because of the inherent limitations of internal control over financial reporting, including the possibility of collusion or improper management override of 
controls, material misstatements due to error or fraud may not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. Also, projections of any evaluation of the 
effectiveness of the internal control over financial reporting to future periods are subject to the risk that the controls may become inadequate because 
of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Rockwell Automation, 
Inc. as of September 30, 2015 and 2014, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended September 30, 
2015, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Also, in our opinion, such financial statement schedule, 
when considered in relation to the basic consolidated financial statements taken as a whole, presents fairly, in all material respects, the information set 
forth therein. Also, in our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of September 30, 
2015, based on the criteria established in Internal Control — Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of 
the Treadway Commission.

/s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

November 17, 2015 

55

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-KPart II 
Item 9 Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure

ItEM 9  Changes in and Disagreements with accountants 
on accounting and Financial Disclosure

None.

ItEM 9a  Controls and Procedures

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, we have evaluated 
the effectiveness, as of September 30, 2015, of our disclosure controls and procedures, as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) and Rule 15d-15(e) of the Exchange 
Act. Based on that evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were 
effective as of September 30, 2015.

Management’s report on Internal Control Over Financial reporting

We are responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal 
control over financial reporting, as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the 
Exchange Act. Our internal control over financial reporting is a process 
designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of our 
financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external 
purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. 
Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, 
including the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, we 
evaluated the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting 
based on the framework in Internal Control — Integrated Framework (2013) 
issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway 
Commission (COSO). Based upon that evaluation, management has 
concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective 
as of September 30, 2015.

The effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of 
September 30, 2015 has been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, as stated 
in their report that is included on the previous two pages.

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting 
may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation 
of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may 
become inadequate because of the changes in conditions, or that the 
degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

Changes in Internal Control Over Financial reporting

There has not been any change in our internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(f)) during the fiscal 
quarter to which this report relates that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

ItEM 9B  Other Information

None.

56

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-KPart III 
Item 12  Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and management and Related Stockholder matters

Part III

ItEM 10    Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance

Other than the information below, the information required by this Item is 
incorporated by reference to the sections entitled Election of Directors, 
Board of Directors and Committees and Section 16(a) Beneficial 
Ownership Reporting Compliance in the Proxy Statement.

No nominee for director was selected pursuant to any arrangement or 
understanding between the nominee and any person other than the 
Company pursuant to which such person is or was to be selected as a 
director or nominee. See also the information about executive officers of 
the Company under Item 4A of Part I.

We have adopted a code of ethics that applies to our executive officers, 
including the principal executive officer, principal financial officer and principal 
accounting officer. A copy of our Code of Conduct is posted on our Internet 
site at http://www.rockwellautomation.com under the “Investor Relations” 
link. In the event that we amend or grant any waiver from a provision of 
the code of ethics that applies to the principal executive officer, principal 
financial officer or principal accounting officer and that requires disclosure 
under applicable SEC rules, we intend to disclose such amendment or 
waiver and the reasons therefor on our Internet site.

ItEM 11  Executive Compensation

The information required by this Item is incorporated by reference to the sections entitled Executive Compensation, Director Compensation and 
Compensation Committee Report in the Proxy Statement.

ItEM 12    Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners  

and Management and related Stockholder Matters

Other than the information below, the information required by this Item is incorporated by reference to the sections entitled Ownership of Equity 
Securities of the Company in the Proxy Statement.

The following table provides information as of September 30, 2015 about our common stock that may be issued upon the exercise of options, warrants 
and rights granted to employees, consultants or directors under all of our existing equity compensation plans, including our 2012 Long-Term Incentives 
Plan, 2008 Long-Term Incentives Plan, 2000 Long-Term Incentives Plan and 2003 Directors Stock Plan.

Number of Securities 
to be issued 
upon Exercise of 
Outstanding Options, 
Warrants and Rights
(a)

Weighted Average 
Exercise Price 
of Outstanding 
Options, Warrants 
and Rights
(b)
85.81(2)
n/a 
85.81

Number of Securities Remaining 
Available for Future Issuance 
under Equity Compensation 
Plans (excluding Securities 
reflected in Column (a))
(c)

Plan Category
Equity compensation plans approved by shareowners
Equity compensation plans not approved by shareowners
TOTAL
(1)  Represents outstanding options and shares issuable in payment of outstanding performance shares (at maximum payout) and restricted stock units under our 2012 Long-Term 

3,085,139(3)
— 
3,085,139

— 
5,056,982

5,056,982(1) $

$

Incentives Plan, 2008 Long-Term Incentives Plan, 2000 Long-Term Incentives Plan and 2003 Directors Stock Plan.

(2)  Represents the weighted average exercise price of outstanding options and does not take into account the performance shares and restricted units.
(3)  Represents 2,831,404 and 253,735 shares available for future issuance under our 2012 Long-Term Incentives Plan and our 2003 Directors Stock Plan, respectively.

57

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K 
Part III 
Item 13 Certain Relationships and Related transactions, and Director Independence

ItEM 13  Certain relationships and related transactions, 

and Director Independence

The information required by this Item is incorporated by reference to the sections entitled Board of Directors and Committees and Corporate 
Governance in the Proxy Statement.

ItEM 14  Principal accountant Fees and Services

The information required by this Item is incorporated by reference to the section entitled Audit Matters in the Proxy Statement.

58

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-KPart IV 
Item 15 exhibits and Financial Statement Schedule

Part IV

ItEM 15  Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedule

(a)  Financial Statements, Financial Statement Schedule and Exhibits

(1)   Financial Statements (all financial statements listed below are those of the Company and its 

consolidated subsidiaries)

Consolidated Balance Sheet, September 30, 2015 and 2014 .............................................................................................. 27

Consolidated Statement of Operations, years ended September 30, 2015, 2014 and 2013 .............................................. 28

Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income, years ended September 30, 2015, 2014 and 2013 ......................... 28

Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows, years ended September 30, 2015, 2014 and 2013 ............................................. 29

Consolidated Statement of Shareowners’ Equity, years ended September 30, 2015, 2014 and 2013 .............................. 30

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements ........................................................................................................................ 31

report of Independent registered Public accounting Firm ................................................................................................ 55

(2)  Financial Statement Schedule for the years ended September 30, 2015, 2014 and 2013

Schedule II—Valuation and Qualifying accounts ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� S-1

Schedules not filed herewith are omitted because of the absence of conditions under which they are required or 
because the information called for is shown in the consolidated financial statements or notes thereto.

(3)  Exhibits

3-a

3-b

4-a-1

4-a-2

4-a-3

4-a-4

4-a-5

4-a-6

4-a-7

*10-a-1

Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, filed as Exhibit 3 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter 
ended March 31, 2002, is hereby incorporated by reference.
By-Laws of the Company, as amended and restated effective September 10, 2014, filed as Exhibit 3.2 to the Company’s Current Report 
on Form 8-K dated September 15, 2014, are hereby incorporated by reference.
Indenture dated as of December 1, 1996 between the Company and The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A. (formerly JPMorgan 
Chase, successor to The Chase Manhattan Bank, successor to Mellon Bank, N.A.), as Trustee, filed as Exhibit 4-a to Registration 
Statement No. 333-43071, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Form of certificate for the Company’s 6.70% Debentures due January 15, 2028, filed as Exhibit 4-b to the Company’s Current Report on 
Form 8-K dated January 26, 1998, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Form of certificate for the Company’s 5.20% Debentures due January 15, 2098, filed as Exhibit 4-c to the Company’s Current Report on 
Form 8-K dated January 26, 1998, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Form of certificate for the Company’s 5.65% Notes due December 31, 2017, filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Current Report on 
Form 8-K dated December 3, 2007, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Form of certificate for the Company’s 6.25% Debentures due December 31, 2037, filed as Exhibit 4.2 to the Company’s Current Report 
on Form 8-K dated December 3, 2007, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Form of certificate for the Company’s 2.050% Notes due March 1, 2020, filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 
8-K dated February 17, 2015, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Form of certificate for the Company’s 2.875% Notes due March 1, 2025, filed as Exhibit 4.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 
8-K dated February 17, 2015, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Copy of the Company’s 2003 Directors Stock Plan, filed as Exhibit 4-d to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-8  
(No. 333-101780), is hereby incorporated by reference.

*  Management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.

59

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-KPart IV 
Item 15 exhibits and Financial Statement Schedule

*10-a-2

Form of Stock Option Agreement under Sections 7(a)(i) and 7(a)(ii) of the 2003 Directors Stock Plan, filed as Exhibit 10.3 to the 
Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2003, is hereby incorporated by reference.
*10-a-3 Memorandum of Amendments to the Company’s 2003 Directors Stock Plan approved and adopted by the Board of Directors of the 

Company on April 25, 2003, filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 
2003, is hereby incorporated by reference.

*10-a-4 Memorandum of Amendments to the Company’s 2003 Directors Stock Plan approved and adopted by the Board of Directors of the 

Company on November 7, 2007, filed as Exhibit 10.3 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended  
December 31, 2007, is hereby incorporated by reference.

*10-a-5 Memorandum of Amendments to the Company’s 2003 Directors Stock Plan approved and adopted by the Board of Directors of the 

*10-a-7

*10-a-6

Company on September 3, 2008, filed as Exhibit 10-b-16 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended  
September 30, 2008, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Form of Restricted Stock Unit Agreement under Section 6 of the Company’s 2003 Director’s Stock Plan, as amended, filed as Exhibit 
10.3 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2008, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Copy of the Company’s Directors Deferred Compensation Plan approved and adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company on 
November 5, 2008, filed as Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended December 31, 2008, is 
hereby incorporated by reference.
Summary of Non-Employee Director Compensation and Benefits as of October 1, 2015, filed as Exhibit 10 to the Company's Quarterly 
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2015, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Copy of the Company’s 2000 Long-Term Incentives Plan, as amended through February 4, 2004, filed as Exhibit 10-e-1 to the 
Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2004, is hereby incorporated by reference.
*10-b-2 Memorandum of Proposed Amendments to the Rockwell International Corporation 2000 Long-Term Incentives Plan approved and 

*10-b-1

*10-a-8

*10-b-3

adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company on June 6, 2001, in connection with the spinoff of Rockwell Collins, filed as Exhibit 
10-e-4 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2001, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Forms of Stock Option Agreements under the Company’s 2000 Long-Term Incentives Plan, filed as Exhibit 10-e-6 to the Company’s 
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2002, are hereby incorporated by reference.

*10-b-4 Memorandum of Amendments to the Company’s 2000 Long-Term Incentives Plan, as amended, filed as Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s 

Current Report on Form 8-K dated April 7, 2005, is hereby incorporated by reference.

*10-b-5 Memorandum of Amendments to the Company’s 2000 Long-Term Incentives Plan, as amended, filed as Exhibit 99.1 to the Company’s 

Current Report on Form 8-K dated November 4, 2005, is hereby incorporated by reference.

*10-c-3

*10-c-1

*10-c-2

*10-b-7

*10-b-8

*10-b-6 Memorandum of Proposed Amendment and Restatement of the Company’s 2000 Long-Term Incentives Plan, as amended, approved 
and adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company on November 7, 2007, filed as Exhibit 10.4 to the Company’s Quarterly Report 
on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended December 31, 2007, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Forms of Stock Option Agreement under the Company’s 2000 Long-Term Incentives Plan, as amended, for options granted to executive 
officers of the Company after December 1, 2007, filed as Exhibit 10.5 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter 
ended December 31, 2007, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Copy of resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company, adopted December 5, 2007 and effective February 6, 2008, amending the 
Company’s 2000 Long-Term Incentives Plan, as amended, filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the 
quarter ended March 31, 2008, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Copy of the Company’s 2008 Long-Term Incentives Plan, as amended and restated through June 4, 2010, filed as Exhibit 99 to the 
Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated June 10, 2010, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Form of Stock Option Agreement under the Company’s 2008 Long-Term Incentives Plan, filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s 
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2008, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Forms of Stock Option Agreement under the Company’s 2008 Long-Term Incentives Plan for options granted to executive officers of 
the Company after December 1, 2008, filed as Exhibit 10.3 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 
December 31, 2008, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Form of Stock Option Agreement under the Company’s 2008 Long-Term Incentives Plan, as amended, for options granted to executive 
officers of the Company after December 6, 2010, filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter 
ended December 31, 2010, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Form of Stock Option Agreement under the Company’s 2008 Long-Term Incentives Plan, as amended, for options granted to executive 
officers of the Company after November 30, 2011, filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter 
ended December 31, 2011, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Copy of the Company's 2012 Long-Term Incentives Plan, filed as Exhibit 4-c to the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-8 
(No. 333-180557), is hereby incorporated by reference.
Form of Stock Option Agreement under the Company's 2012 Long-Term Incentives Plan for options granted to executive officers of 
the Company after December 5, 2012, filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 
December 31, 2012, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Form of Restricted Stock Agreement under the Company's 2012 Long-Term Incentives Plan for shares of restricted stock awarded to 
executive officers of the Company after December 5, 2012, filed as Exhibit 10.2 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for 
the quarter ended December 31, 2012 is hereby incorporated by reference.
Form of Performance Share Agreement under the Company's 2012 Long-Term Incentives Plan for performance shares awarded to 
executive officers of the Company after December 5, 2012, filed as Exhibit 10.3 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for 
the quarter ended December 31, 2012 is hereby incorporated by reference.

*10-c-4

*10-c-7

*10-c-5

*10-c-6

*10-c-8

*10-c-9

*  Management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.

60

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-KPart IV 
Item 15 exhibits and Financial Statement Schedule

*10-d

*10-e-1

Copy of resolutions of the Compensation and Management Development Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company, adopted 
February 5, 2003, regarding the Corporate Office vacation plan, filed as Exhibit 10.5 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q 
for the quarter ended March 31, 2003, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Copy of the Company’s Deferred Compensation Plan, as amended and restated September 6, 2006, filed as Exhibit 10-f to the 
Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2006, is hereby incorporated by reference.

10-i-l

10-h-3

10-h-2

10-h-1

*10-f-1

*10-f-2

*10-g-3

*10-g-4

*10-g-2

*10-g-1

*10-e-2 Memorandum of Proposed Amendment and Restatement of the Company’s Deferred Compensation Plan approved and adopted by the 
Board of Directors of the Company on November 7, 2007, filed as Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the 
quarter ended December 31, 2007, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Copy of the Company’s Annual Incentive Compensation Plan for Senior Executive Officers, as amended December 3, 2003, filed as 
Exhibit 10-h-1 to the Company’s Annual Report for the year ended September 30, 2004, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Copy of the Company’s Incentive Compensation Plan, filed as Exhibit 10 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated 
September 7, 2005, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Change of Control Agreement dated as of September 30, 2013 between the Company and Keith D. Nosbusch, filed as Exhibit 99.1 to 
the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated October 2, 2013, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Form of Change of Control Agreement dated as of September 30, 2013 between the Company and each of Theodore D. Crandall, 
Frank C. Kulaszewicz, Blake D. Moret and Robert A. Ruff and certain other corporate officers filed as Exhibit 99.2 to the Company’s 
Current Report on Form 8-K dated October 2, 2013, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Letter Agreement dated September 3, 2009 between the Company and Keith D. Nosbusch, filed as Exhibit 99.1 to the Company’s 
Current Report on Form 8-K dated September 8, 2009, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Letter Agreement dated September 3, 2009 between Registrant and Theodore D. Crandall, filed as Exhibit 99.2 to the Company’s 
Current Report on Form 8-K dated September 8, 2009, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Agreement and Plan of Distribution dated as of December 6, 1996, among Rockwell International Corporation (renamed Boeing 
North American, Inc.), the Company (formerly named New Rockwell International Corporation), Allen-Bradley Company, Inc., Rockwell 
Collins, Inc., Rockwell Semiconductor Systems, Inc., Rockwell Light Vehicle Systems, Inc. and Rockwell Heavy Vehicle Systems, 
Inc., filed as Exhibit l0-b to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended December 31, 1996, is hereby 
incorporated by reference.
Post-Closing Covenants Agreement dated as of December 6, 1996, among Rockwell International Corporation (renamed Boeing North 
American, Inc.), The Boeing Company, Boeing NA, Inc. and the Company (formerly named New Rockwell International Corporation), 
filed as Exhibit 10-c to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended December 31, 1996, is hereby 
incorporated by reference.
Tax Allocation Agreement dated as of December 6, 1996, among Rockwell International Corporation (renamed Boeing North American, 
Inc.), the Company (formerly named New Rockwell International Corporation) and The Boeing Company, filed as Exhibit 10-d to the 
Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended December 31, 1996, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Distribution Agreement dated as of September 30, 1997 by and between the Company and Meritor Automotive, Inc., filed as Exhibit 2.1 
to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated October 10, 1997, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Employee Matters Agreement dated as of September 30, 1997 by and between the Company and Meritor Automotive, Inc., filed as 
Exhibit 2.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated October 10, 1997, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Tax Allocation Agreement dated as of September 30, 1997 by and between the Company and Meritor Automotive, Inc., filed as Exhibit 
2.3 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated October 10, 1997, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Distribution Agreement dated as of December 31, 1998 by and between the Company and Conexant Systems, Inc., filed as Exhibit 2.1 
to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated January 12, 1999, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Amended and Restated Employee Matters Agreement dated as of December 31, 1998 by and between the Company and Conexant 
Systems, Inc., filed as Exhibit 2.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated January 12, 1999, is hereby incorporated by 
reference.
Tax Allocation Agreement dated as of December 31, 1998 by and between the Company and Conexant Systems, Inc., filed as Exhibit 
2.3 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated January 12, 1999, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Distribution Agreement dated as of June 29, 2001 by and among the Company, Rockwell Collins, Inc. and Rockwell Scientific Company 
LLC, filed as Exhibit 2.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated July 11, 2001, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Employee Matters Agreement dated as of June 29, 2001 by and among the Company, Rockwell Collins, Inc. and Rockwell 
Scientific Company LLC, filed as Exhibit 2.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated July 11, 2001, is hereby 
incorporated by reference.
Tax Allocation Agreement dated as of June 29, 2001 by and between the Company and Rockwell Collins, Inc., filed as Exhibit 2.3 to the 
Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated July 11, 2001, is hereby incorporated by reference.
$1,000,000,000 Five-Year Credit Agreement dated as of March 24, 2015 among the Company, the Banks listed on the signature pages 
thereof, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Bank of America, N.A. and Goldman Sachs Bank USA, as Syndication 
Agents, and The Bank of New York Mellon, BMO Harris Bank N.A., Citibank, N.A., Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., The Northern 
Trust Company, PNC Bank National Association, U.S. Bank National Association, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as 
Documentation Agents, filed as Exhibit 99 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated March 27, 2015, is hereby incorporated 
by reference.
Purchase and Sale Agreement dated as of August 24, 2005 by and between the Company and First Industrial Acquisitions, Inc., 
including the form of Lease Agreement attached as Exhibit I thereto, together with the First Amendment to Purchase and Sale 
Agreement dated as of September 30, 2005 and the Second Amendment to Purchase and Sale Agreement dated as of October 
31, 2005, filed as Exhibit 10-p to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2005, is hereby 
incorporated by reference.

10-k-1

10-k-3

10-k-2

10-i-2

10-j-3

10-i-3

10-j-1

10-j-2

10-m

10-l

*  Management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.

61

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-KPart IV 
Item 15 exhibits and Financial Statement Schedule

10-n-1

10-n-2

12
21
23
24

31.1
31.2
32.1
32.2
101

Purchase Agreement, dated as of November 6, 2006, by and among Rockwell Automation, Inc., Rockwell Automation of Ohio, Inc., 
Rockwell Automation Canada Control Systems, Grupo Industrias Reliance S.A. de C.V., Rockwell Automation GmbH (formerly known  
as Rockwell International GmbH) and Baldor Electric Company, contained in the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated 
November 9, 2006, is hereby incorporated by reference.
First Amendment to Purchase Agreement dated as of January 24, 2007 by and among Rockwell Automation, Inc., Rockwell Automation of 
Ohio, Inc., Rockwell Automation Canada Control Systems, Grupo Industrias Reliance S.A. de C.V., Rockwell Automation GmbH and Baldor 
Electric Company, filed as Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2007, is hereby 
incorporated by reference.
Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges for the Five Years Ended September 30, 2015.
List of Subsidiaries of the Company.
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.
Powers of Attorney authorizing certain persons to sign this Annual Report on Form 10-K on behalf of certain directors and officers of the 
Company.
Certification of Periodic Report by the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Certification of Periodic Report by the Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Certification of Periodic Report by the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
Certification of Periodic Report by the Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
Interactive Data Files.

*  Management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.

62

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-KPart IV 
Item 15 exhibits and Financial Statement Schedule

Signatures

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed 
on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

Dated: November 17, 2015

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange act of 1934, this report has been signed below on the 17th day of November 2015 by  
the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities indicated.

rOCKWELL aUtOMatION, INC.
By

/s/ Theodore d. Crandall

  theodore D. Crandall

Senior Vice President and 
Chief Financial Officer

By

By

*By

**By

/s/ Theodore d. Crandall
theodore D. Crandall 
Senior Vice President and 
Chief Financial Officer 
(Principal Financial Officer)
/s/ david M. dorgan
David M. Dorgan 
Vice President and Controller 
(Principal accounting Officer)
Keith D. Nosbusch *
Chairman of the Board, 
President and 
Chief Executive Officer 
(Principal Executive Officer) 
and Director
Betty C. Alewine*
Director
J. Phillip Holloman*
Director
Verne G. Istock*
Director
Barry C. Johnson*
Director
Steven R. Kalmanson*
Director
James P. Keane*
Director
Lawrence D. Kingsley*
Director
William T. McCormick, Jr.*
Director
Donald R. Parfet *
Director
Lisa A. Payne*
Director
/s/ douglas M. hagerMan
Douglas M. Hagerman, attorney-in-fact**
authority of powers of attorney filed herewith

ItEM 15   Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedule

63

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Part IV 
Item 15 exhibits and Financial Statement Schedule

Schedule II 

 rockwell automation, Inc.  
Valuation and Qualifying accounts

FOr tHE YEarS ENDED SEPtEMBEr 30, 2015, 2014 aND 2013 

Additions

Balance at 
Beginning of Year

Charged to
Costs and
Expenses

Charged
to Other
Accounts

Balance at 
End of Year

Deductions(b)

$

(in millions)
Description
*Year ended September 30, 2015
Allowance for doubtful accounts(a)
Valuation allowance for deferred tax assets
*Year ended September 30, 2014
Allowance for doubtful accounts(a)
Valuation allowance for deferred tax assets
*Year ended September 30, 2013
Allowance for doubtful accounts(a)
Valuation allowance for deferred tax assets
(a) 
(b)  Consists of amounts written off for the allowance for doubtful accounts and adjustments resulting from our ability to utilize foreign tax credits, capital losses, or net operating 

Includes allowances for current and other long-term receivables.

25.3 $
28.3

30.8 $
31.8

22.2 $
27.8

6.5 $
4.0

2.8 $
2.3

— $
0.5

5.5 $
8.1

9.6 $
5.0

8.1 $
2.5

8.3 $
5.8

— $
—

— $
—

24.8
22.2

22.2
27.8

25.3
28.3

$

$

loss carryforwards for which a valuation allowance had previously been recorded.
Amounts reported relate to continuing operations in all periods presented.

* 

S-1

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Index to Exhibits*

Part IV 
INDeX tO eXHIBItS

Exhibit No. Exhibit
12
21
23
24

31.1
31.2
32.1
32.2
101
* 

Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges for the Five Years Ended September 30, 2015.
List of Subsidiaries of the Company.
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.
Powers of Attorney authorizing certain persons to sign this Annual Report on Form 10-K on behalf of certain directors and officers of 
the Company.
Certification of Periodic Report by the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Certification of Periodic Report by the Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Certification of Periodic Report by the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
Certification of Periodic Report by the Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
Interactive Data Files.

See Part IV, Item 15(a)(3) for exhibits incorporated by reference.

E-1

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K  
Part IV 
eXHIBIt 31�1 

EXHIBIt 31.1  Certification

I, Keith D. Nosbusch, certify that:

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Rockwell Automation, Inc.;

Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make 
the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered 
by this report;

Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the 
financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

The registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in 
Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) 
for the registrant and have:

a)  Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, 
to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within 
those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

b)  Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our 
supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for 
external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

c)  Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the 

effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

d)  Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent 
fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially 
affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

5. 

The registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the 
registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

a)  All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably 

likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

b)  Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control 

over financial reporting.

Date: November 17, 2015

/s/ KeiTh d. nosbusCh
Keith D. Nosbusch
Chairman, President and 
Chief Executive Officer

E-2

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-KPart IV 
eXHIBIt 31�2 

EXHIBIt 31.2  Certification

I, Theodore D. Crandall, certify that:

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Rockwell Automation, Inc.;

Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make 
the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered 
by this report;

Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the 
financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

The registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in 
Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) 
for the registrant and have:

a)  Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, 
to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within 
those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

b)  Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our 
supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for 
external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

c)  Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the 

effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

d)  Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent 
fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially 
affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

5. 

The registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the 
registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

a)  All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably 

likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

b)  Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control 

over financial reporting.

Date: November 17, 2015 

/s/ Theodore d. Crandall
Theodore D. Crandall
Senior Vice President and 
Chief Financial Officer

E-3

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-KPart IV 
eXHIBIt 32�1 

EXHIBIt 32.1  Certification of Periodic report

I, Keith D. Nosbusch, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Rockwell Automation, Inc. (the “Company”) certify, pursuant to Section 906 
of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, that:

(1) 

the Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Company for the year ended September 30, 2015 (the “Report”) fully complies with the requirements of 
Section 13(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

(2) 

the information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.

Date: November 17, 2015 

/s/ KeiTh d. nosbusCh
Keith D. Nosbusch
Chairman, President and 
Chief Executive Officer

E-4

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-KPart IV 
eXHIBIt 32�2 

EXHIBIt 32.2  Certification of Periodic report

I, Theodore D. Crandall, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Rockwell Automation, Inc. (the “Company”) certify, pursuant to Section 906 
of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, that:

(1) 

the Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Company for the year ended September 30, 2015 (the “Report”) fully complies with the requirements of 
Section 13(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

(2) 

the information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.

Date: November 17, 2015 

/s/ Theodore d. Crandall
Theodore D. Crandall
Senior Vice President and 
Chief Financial Officer

E-5

Rockwell Automation, Inc. - Form 10-K(This page intentionally left blank)

Rockwell Automation, Inc.
Supplemental Financial Information 
Reconciliation to Non-GAAP Measures and 
Comparison of Five-Year Cumulative Total Return

This section does not constitute part of our Annual Report on Form 10-K  
for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2015.

Reconciliation to Non-GAAP Measures
Adjusted EPS 

Our annual report contains information regarding Adjusted EPS, which is a non-GAAP measure that excludes non-operating pension 

costs and their related income tax effects. We define non-operating pension costs as defined benefit plan interest cost, expected return 

on plan assets, amortization of actuarial gains and losses and the impact of any plan curtailments or settlements. These components of 

net periodic benefit cost primarily relate to changes in pension assets and liabilities that are a result of market performance; we consider 

these costs to be unrelated to the operating performance of our business. We believe that Adjusted EPS provides useful information to 

our investors about our operating performance and allows management and investors to compare our operating performance period 

over period. Our measure of Adjusted EPS may be different from measures used by other companies. This non-GAAP measure should not 

be considered a substitute for diluted EPS.

The following is a reconciliation of diluted EPS from continuing operations to Adjusted EPS:

Diluted EPS from continuing operations 

$      6.09 

$       5.91 

$       5.36 

Non-operating pension costs per diluted share 

Tax effect of non-operating pension costs per diluted share 

0.46 

(0.15) 

0.40 

(0.14) 

0.55 

(0.20) 

Year Ended September 30,

2015 

2014 

2013 

2012

$     5.13

0.25

(0.09)

Adjusted EPS 

 $     6.40  

 $      6.17 

 $      5.71 

 $   5.29

Free Cash Flow

Our annual report contains information regarding free cash flow, which is a non-GAAP financial measure that takes into consideration 

capital investments required to maintain the operations of our businesses and execute our strategy. We account for share-based 

compensation under U.S. GAAP, which requires that we report the excess income tax benefit from share-based compensation as a 

financing cash flow rather than as an operating cash flow. We have added this benefit back to our calculation of free cash flow in order to 

generally classify cash flows arising from income taxes as operating cash flows.  In our opinion, free cash flow provides useful information 

to investors regarding our ability to generate cash from business operations that is available for acquisitions and other investments, 

service of debt principal, dividends and share repurchases. We use free cash flow, as defined, as one measure to monitor and evaluate 

performance. Our definition of free cash flow may be different from definitions used by other companies.

The following is a summary of our cash flows from operating, investing and financing activities (in millions):

Cash provided by (used for): 

  Operating activities 

Investing activities 

  Financing activities 

  Effect of exchange rate changes on cash 

Year Ended September 30,

2015 

2014 

2013 

2012

 $   1,187.7 

 $ 1,033.3 

 $ 1,014.8 

$   718.7

(246.9) 

(608.1) 

(96.7) 

(483.4) 

(521.8) 

(37.7) 

(256.8) 

(454.6) 

0.6 

(503.2)

(282.7)

(16.8)

Cash provided by (used for) continuing operations 

 $    236.0  

$      (9.6) 

$   304.0 

$  (84.0)

The following table summarizes free cash flow (in millions):

Cash provided by continuing operating activities 

 $   1,187.7 

 $ 1,033.3 

 $ 1,014.8 

Capital expenditures 

Excess income tax benefit from share-based compensation 

(122.9) 

12.4 

(141.0) 

29.9 

(146.2) 

31.9 

Year Ended September 30,

2015 

2014 

2013 

2012

$   718.7

(139.6)

18.5

Free cash flow 

 $ 1,077.2  

$   922.2 

$   900.5 

$ 597.6

This page does not constitute part of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2015.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Segment Operating Earnings 

Our annual report contains information regarding total segment operating earnings, which is a non-GAAP financial measure. We exclude 

purchase accounting depreciation and amortization, general corporate – net, non-operating pension costs, interest expense and income tax 

provision because we do not consider these costs to be directly related to the operating performance of our segments. We believe that this 

measure is useful to investors as a measure of operating performance. We use this measure to monitor and evaluate the profitability of our 

operating segments. Our measure of total segment operating earnings may be different from measures used by other companies.

 The following table reflects our sales and operating results (in millions):

Sales

  Architecture & Software 

  Control Products & Solutions 

  Total sales 

Segment operating earnings

  Architecture & Software 

  Control Products & Solutions 

Total segment operating earnings 

Purchase accounting depreciation and amortization 

General corporate — net 

Non-operating pension costs (1) 

Interest expense 

Income before income taxes 

Income tax provision 

Net income 

Year Ended September 30,

2015 

2014 

2013 

2012

$  2,749.5  

$  2,845.3  

$  2,682.0  

$  2,650.4

3,558.4  

3,778.2  

3,669.9  

3,609.0

 $  6,307.9   

$  6,623.5  

$  6,351.9  

$  6,259.4

$ 

808.6  

$ 

839.6  

$ 

759.4  

$ 

714.4

551.9  

1,360.5  

(21.0) 

(85.6) 

(62.7) 

(63.7) 

1,127.5  

(299.9) 

512.4  

1,352.0  

(21.6) 

(81.0) 

(55.9) 

(59.3) 

1,134.2  

(307.4) 

477.4  

1,236.8  

(19.3) 

(97.2) 

(78.5) 

(60.9) 

980.9  

(224.6) 

449.5

1,163.9

(19.8)

(82.9)

(35.2)

(60.1)

965.9

(228.9)

 $  827.6   

$ 

826.8  

$ 

756.3  

$ 

737.0

(1) Beginning in fiscal 2013, we redefined segment operating earnings to exclude non-operating pension costs. Non-operating pension costs 

were reclassified to a separate line item within the above table for all periods presented. These costs were previously included in segment 

operating earnings and in general corporate-net. We continue to include service cost and amortization of prior service cost in the business 

segment that incurred the expense as these costs represent the operating cost of providing pension benefits to our employees.

This page does not constitute part of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2015.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Return On Invested Capital

Our annual report contains information regarding Return On Invested Capital (ROIC), which is a non-GAAP financial measure.  We 

believe that ROIC is useful to investors as a measure of performance and of the effectiveness of the use of capital in our operations.  

We use ROIC as one measure to monitor and evaluate performance.  Our measure of ROIC may be different from that used by other 

companies.  We define ROIC as the percentage resulting from the following calculation:

(a) 

Income from continuing operations, before interest expense, income tax provision, and purchase accounting  

depreciation and amortization, divided by;

(b)  average invested capital for the year, calculated as a five quarter rolling average using the sum of short-term debt,  

long-term debt, shareowners’ equity, and accumulated amortization of goodwill and other intangible assets, minus cash  

and cash equivalents and short-term investments, multiplied by;

(c)  one minus the effective tax rate for the period.

ROIC is calculated as follows
(in millions, except percentages) 

(a) Return

Twelve Months Ended September 30,

2015 

2014 

2013 

2012

Income from continuing operations 

$ 

827.6  

$ 

826.8  

$ 

756.3  

$ 

737.0

Interest expense 

Income tax provision 

Purchase accounting depreciation and amortization 

63.7  

299.9  

21.0  

59.3  

307.4  

21.6  

60.9  

224.6  

19.3  

60.1

228.9

19.8

  Return 

  1,212.2   

  1,215.1  

  1,061.1  

  1,045.8

(b) Average Invested Capital

Short-term debt 

Long-term debt 

Shareowners’ equity 

  Accumulated amortization of goodwill and intangibles 

  Cash and cash equivalents 

Short-term investments 

  Average invested capital 

(c) Effective Tax Rate

Income tax provision 

166.6  

1,261.9  

2,521.3  

792.6  

(1,376.1) 

(693.3) 

275.5  

905.3  

209.0  

905.0  

207.2

905.0

2,680.7  

2,086.7  

1,881.5

772.7  

775.2  

(1,210.6) 

(1,010.2) 

(485.2) 

(361.7) 

751.0

(878.8)

(232.5)

  2,727.0  

  2,938.4  

  2,604.0  

  2,633.4

299.9  

307.4  

224.6  

228.9

Income from continuing operations before income taxes 

$  1,127.5  

$  1,134.2  

$ 

980.9  

$ 

965.9

Effective tax rate 

(a)/(b)*(1-c) Return on Invested Capital 

26.6%   

32.6%   

27.1%  

30.1%  

22.9%  

31.4%  

23.7%

30.3%

This page does not constitute part of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2015.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Comparison of Five-Year Cumulative Total Return
Comparison of Five-Year Cumulative Total Return
Comparison of Five-Year Cumulative Total Return
Rockwell Automation, 
Rockwell Automation, 
Rockwell Automation, 
S&P 500 Index and S&P Electrical Components & Equipment
S&P 500 Index and S&P Electrical Components & Equipment
S&P 500 Index and S&P Electrical Components & Equipment 
The following line graph compares the cumulative total shareowner return on our Common Stock against the 
The following line graph compares the cumulative total shareowner return on our Common Stock against the 
The following line graph compares the cumulative total shareowner return on our Common Stock against the  cumulative total 
cumulative total return of the S&P Composite-500 Stock Index and the S&P Electrical Components & Equipment 
cumulative total return of the S&P Composite-500 Stock Index and the S&P Electrical Components & Equipment 
return of the S&P Composite-500 Stock Index and the S&P Electrical Components & Equipment Index for the period of five fiscal 
Index for the period of five fiscal years from October 1, 2010 to September 30, 2015, assuming in each case a fixed 
Index for the period of five fiscal years from October 1, 2010 to September 30, 2015, assuming in each case a fixed 
investment of $100 at the respective closing prices on September 30, 2009 and reinvestment of all dividends.
years from October 1, 2010 to September 30, 2015, assuming in each case a fixed  investment of $100 at the respective closing 
investment of $100 at the respective closing prices on September 30, 2009 and reinvestment of all dividends.

prices on September 30, 2010 and reinvestment of all dividends.

$250  
$250  

$200  
$200  

$150  
$150  

$100  
$100  

$50  
$50  

2010  
2010  

2011  
2011  

2012  
2012  

2013  
2013  

2014  
2014  

2015  
2015  

Rockwell Automation
Rockwell Automation
S&P 500 Index
S&P 500 Index
S&P Electrical Components & Equipment
S&P Electrical Components & Equipment

The cumulative total returns on Rockwell Automation Common Stock and each index as of each September 30, 2010 - 2015  plotted 
The cumulative total returns on Rockwell Automation Common Stock and each index as of each September 30, 2010 - 2015 
The cumulative total returns on Rockwell Automation Common Stock and each index as of each September 30, 2010 - 2015 
in the above graph are as follows: 
plotted in the above graph are as follows: 
plotted in the above graph are as follows: 

Rockwell Automation*
Rockwell Automation*
S&P 500 Index
S&P 500 Index
S&P Electrical Components & Equipment
S&P Electrical Components & Equipment
Cash dividends per common share
Cash dividends per common share

2010
2010

$100.00
$100.00
100.00
100.00
100.00
100.00
1.22
1.22

2011
2011

$92.63
$92.63
101.14
101.14
84.06
84.06
1.475
1.475

2012
2012

2013
2013

2014
2014

2015
2015

$117.77
$117.77
131.69
131.69
112.22
112.22
1.745
1.745

$185.11
$185.11
157.16
157.16
154.97
154.97
1.98
1.98

$193.93
$193.93
188.18
188.18
153.97
153.97
2.32
2.32

$183.29
$183.29
187.02
187.02
127.81
127.81
2.60
2.60

* Includes the reinvestment of all dividends in our Common Stock.
* Includes the reinvestment of all dividends in our Common Stock.

This page does not constitute part of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2015.

(This page intentionally left blank)

ROCKWELL AUTOMATION
1201 South Second Street  Milwaukee, WI  53204 USA
+1 (414) 382-2000   |  www.rockwellautomation.com