CGNX
Cognex Corporation Technology - Scientific & Technical Instruments Investor Relations →
Cognex Corporation (CGNX) closed at $42.37 as of 2026-02-02, trading 0.6% above its 200-week moving average of $42.13. The stock moved further from the line this week, up from -8.4% last week. The 14-week RSI sits at 53, indicating neutral momentum.
Over the past 1859 weeks of data, CGNX has crossed below its 200-week moving average 24 times. On average, these episodes lasted 26 weeks. Historically, investors who bought CGNX at the start of these episodes saw an average one-year return of +45.9%.
With a market cap of $7.1 billion, CGNX is a mid-cap stock. The company generates a free cash flow yield of 2.5%. Return on equity stands at 7.2%. The stock trades at 4.8x book value.
Over the past 33.2 years, a hypothetical investment of $100 in CGNX would have grown to $3798, compared to $2849 for the S&P 500. That represents an annualized return of 11.6% vs 10.6% for the index — confirming CGNX as a market-beating investment and the kind of quality company where buying during 200-week moving average touches has historically been rewarded.
Free cash flow has been declining at a -23.4% compound annual rate. A deteriorating cash flow trend warrants extra scrutiny — the stock may be cheap for a reason.
Growth of $100: CGNX vs S&P 500
Monthly data normalized to $100 at start. Vertical dashed lines mark 200-week MA touches.
What Happens After CGNX Crosses Below the Line?
Across 23 historical episodes, buying CGNX when it crossed below its 200-week moving average produced an average return of +34.4% after 12 months (median +21.0%), compared to +11.9% for the S&P 500 over the same periods. 67% of those episodes were profitable after one year. After 24 months, the average return was +38.4% vs +24.6% for the index.
Each line shows $100 invested at the moment CGNX crossed below its 200-week MA. Bold blue = stock average. Gray dashed = S&P 500 average over same periods.
Historical Touches
CGNX has crossed below its 200-week MA 24 times with an average 1-year return of +45.9% after recovery.
| Crossed Below | Recovered | Weeks | Max Depth | 1-Year Return | Return Since Touch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1990 | Oct 1990 | 1 | 5.2% | +217.1% | +9094.9% |
| Apr 1992 | Nov 1992 | 30 | 34.3% | +49.2% | +5446.1% |
| Sep 1996 | Sep 1996 | 1 | 0.8% | +156.0% | +1502.8% |
| Oct 1996 | Nov 1996 | 3 | 8.5% | +131.8% | +1488.2% |
| May 1998 | Jan 1999 | 32 | 50.9% | +41.4% | +1049.4% |
| Oct 2000 | May 2001 | 28 | 40.2% | -30.5% | +678.2% |
| Jun 2001 | Jul 2001 | 7 | 15.6% | -23.1% | +648.4% |
| Aug 2001 | Aug 2003 | 107 | 53.2% | -44.2% | +681.6% |
| Sep 2003 | Sep 2003 | 3 | 9.1% | -1.4% | +658.0% |
| Oct 2003 | Dec 2003 | 10 | 10.1% | -2.0% | +747.0% |
| Oct 2004 | Oct 2004 | 2 | 1.9% | +21.4% | +780.4% |
| Jan 2005 | Jan 2005 | 3 | 4.2% | +31.3% | +768.2% |
| Mar 2005 | Mar 2005 | 1 | 1.0% | +16.0% | +766.0% |
| Apr 2005 | May 2005 | 5 | 12.4% | +23.5% | +821.4% |
| May 2006 | Apr 2008 | 102 | 39.9% | -6.4% | +727.6% |
| Jun 2008 | Feb 2010 | 86 | 55.1% | -36.1% | +784.3% |
| May 2010 | Jun 2010 | 2 | 3.4% | +91.8% | +983.5% |
| Jun 2010 | Jul 2010 | 3 | 6.5% | +112.5% | +1040.5% |
| Jan 2016 | Feb 2016 | 5 | 9.2% | +123.8% | +222.3% |
| Dec 2018 | Dec 2018 | 1 | 0.7% | +55.1% | +26.5% |
| Feb 2020 | Apr 2020 | 6 | 10.5% | +91.2% | +1.1% |
| May 2022 | Sep 2025 | 176 | 53.0% | -8.2% | -19.9% |
| Oct 2025 | Oct 2025 | 1 | 8.8% | N/A | +4.1% |
| Oct 2025 | Ongoing | 15+ | 17.7% | Ongoing | +2.6% |
| Average | 26 | — | +45.9% | — |
Not financial advice. This is an educational tool. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Do your own research before making investment decisions.
Data as of Friday close, 2026-02-02