Cognex (NASDAQ:CGNX) Releases Q1 2026 Earnings Guidance

Cognex (NASDAQ:CGNX) updated its first quarter 2026 earnings guidance on Thursday. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 0.220-0.260 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 0.200. The company issued revenue guidance of $235.0 million-$255.0 million, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $237.5 million.

Cognex Stock Down 1.8%

Shares of CGNX stock traded down $1.03 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $57.64. 951,489 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,094,000. Cognex has a 52-week low of $22.67 and a 52-week high of $59.88. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $39.03 and a 200 day moving average of $41.31. The company has a market cap of $9.66 billion, a PE ratio of 86.27 and a beta of 1.53.

Cognex (NASDAQ:CGNX) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 11th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $0.27 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.22 by $0.05. Cognex had a return on equity of 9.03% and a net margin of 11.51%.The firm had revenue of $252.34 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $238.92 million. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.16 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 9.9% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts predict that Cognex will post 0.61 EPS for the current year.

Cognex Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 12th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 26th will be given a $0.085 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 26th. This represents a $0.34 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. Cognex’s payout ratio is currently 53.13%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

CGNX has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. DA Davidson set a $38.00 target price on Cognex and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, November 3rd. UBS Group reissued a “buy” rating and set a $58.00 target price on shares of Cognex in a research report on Friday, October 31st. Barclays restated an “overweight” rating and set a $61.00 target price (up previously from $54.00) on shares of Cognex in a research note on Friday. Raymond James Financial reiterated a “strong-buy” rating on shares of Cognex in a research note on Thursday. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. restated an “underweight” rating and set a $35.00 price objective (down previously from $45.00) on shares of Cognex in a research report on Wednesday, December 3rd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have given a Buy rating, six have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Cognex presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $49.00.

Cognex News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Cognex this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 beat and stronger guidance — Cognex reported Q4 revenue of ~$252.3M (up ~10% Y/Y) and EPS that topped consensus; management issued Q1 FY2026 guidance above Street estimates (EPS $0.22–$0.26; revenue $235M–$255M), supporting the rally. Cognex Reports Fourth Quarter 2025 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Margin-focused overhaul, buyback/dividend update and capital returns — Management emphasized portfolio optimization and margin improvements and announced a quarterly dividend; commentary and a shareholder-return focus were highlighted as catalysts for the stock’s strong move. Why Cognex (CGNX) Is Up 48.6% After Margin-Focused Overhaul, Buyback And Dividend Update
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst bullishness — Needham raised its price target (reported coverage) and other firms have upgraded/raised estimates following the results, supporting momentum and investor conviction. Benzinga Coverage (Needham PT Raise)
• Neutral Sentiment: Improved cash flow and balance-sheet metrics — Company reported stronger operating cash flow and elevated cash balances, which underpin buybacks/dividends but are not an immediate earnings driver. QuiverQuant Q4 financial details
• Neutral Sentiment: Dividend declared — Board approved a quarterly dividend of $0.085/share (record Feb 26, pay Mar 12); supportive for income-minded holders but a small yield (~0.6%).
• Negative Sentiment: Rising AI regulatory risk — TipRanks flagged new regulatory/compliance risk tied to AI rules that could increase costs and constrain product deployment or margin upside over time. Cognex Confronts Rising AI Regulation Risks
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling and mixed analyst history — Recent insider sales and a range of analyst price targets (some below current levels) inject caution despite the rally. QuiverQuant insider & analyst notes

Institutional Trading of Cognex

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of CGNX. Royal Bank of Canada increased its holdings in shares of Cognex by 13.2% in the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 200,351 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $5,976,000 after acquiring an additional 23,326 shares during the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC bought a new position in Cognex in the first quarter worth about $291,000. Intech Investment Management LLC boosted its stake in Cognex by 24.1% in the first quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC now owns 47,444 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $1,415,000 after acquiring an additional 9,223 shares during the period. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Cognex by 402.2% during the first quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 919 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 736 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Cetera Investment Advisers raised its position in shares of Cognex by 7.5% during the 2nd quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 13,208 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $419,000 after purchasing an additional 920 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 88.12% of the company’s stock.

About Cognex

Cognex Corporation is a leading provider of machine vision systems, software, sensors and industrial barcode readers used to automate manufacturing, logistics and distribution processes. The company designs and develops vision-based products that help manufacturers and logistics operators inspect, identify and guide parts, assemblies and packaged goods in real time. Its solutions are applied in a broad range of industries, including automotive, electronics, semiconductor, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, and general manufacturing.

The company’s product portfolio includes stand-alone vision systems, vision sensors and deep learning-based software platforms that enable automated inspection, quality control and traceability.