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Stock Comparison · Structural lead, mixed market

Cognex vs Zebra Technologies: Which Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?

Cognex holds the cleaner structural position, with the lead spread across profitability and valuation. Zebra Technologies still has the edge on valuation, which keeps the comparison from looking entirely one-sided. The market setup is mixed, without a decisive signal in either direction. The market is not adding a decisive signal either way — the structural read carries the weight.

The comparison is based on similar long-term financial trajectories, not sector labels. Both peer scores are relative to the Russell 1000 universe, making them directly comparable.

Updated 2026-08-16

The clearest separation starts in profitability, but stability adds another real layer to the result. The overall score gap is 8 points in favour of Cognex Corporation.

Trajectory Similarity
0.69
Moderately similar
Peer-set rank: #8
within Cognex Corporation's functional peer set

This comparison is anchored in long-term financial trajectory similarity within the selected peer universe.

This level of similarity points to a meaningful structural match, though not a tight one.

The clearest structural overlap shows up in investment intensity and revenue growth trajectory.

Similarity drivers
investment intensityrevenue growth trajectory
How to read the score
0.85–1.00 · Very similar0.70–0.84 · Similar0.55–0.69 · Moderately similarbelow 0.55 · Loose match
Peer-Relative Score
CGNX
Cognex Corporation
49
Peer-Score
Signal qualityMedium
Peer basis: Russell 1000
vs
ZBRA
Zebra Technologies Corporation
41
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: Russell 1000

Scores reflect position relative to comparable companies with similar long-term financial trajectories.

The largest gaps do not all point in the same direction.

Dimension spread: CGNX vs ZBRA Profitability 58 30 Stability 40 13 Valuation 26 53 Growth 81 66 CGNX ZBRA
Gap Ranking
#1 Profitability +28
#2 Valuation +27
#3 Stability +27
#4 Growth +15
Price Setup

Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.

Price setup map for CGNX and ZBRA Stronger + cheaper Stronger + richer Weaker + cheaper Weaker + richer CGNXZBRA Relative valuation Structural strength

Cognex Corporation is stronger, but the price setup still looks more supportive for Zebra Technologies Corporation.

Valuation position uses peer-relative PE percentile (idx_pct_pe) where available.

Entry today — historical context

Where CGNX and ZBRA each sit in their own 5-year price and valuation history.

BASED ON 5-YEAR HISTORY CGNX Elevated · above norm 0th 50th 100th 8 pct gap ZBRA Elevated · above norm 0th 50th 100th 88th 80th
CGNX (88th percentile) and ZBRA (80th percentile) both sit in the upper portion of their own 5-year ranges. The historical entry context is broadly similar for both. This reflects entry timing, not which company is structurally stronger.

Describes historical entry positioning only. Descriptive — not investment advice.

Relative Position vs Comparable Companies
Profitability
Cognex Corporation sits in the stronger part of the group on profitability, while Zebra Technologies Corporation is closer to mid-pack.
Valuation
Zebra Technologies Corporation sits in the stronger part of the group on valuation, while Cognex Corporation is closer to mid-pack.
Profitability — Dominant Gap
CGNX
58
ZBRA
30
Gap+28in favour of CGNX

The profitability gap is wide, with the stronger side earning materially better operating marks.

What keeps the gap from being one-sided

Absolute pricing still looks more supportive for Zebra Technologies, with a forward P/E that is 22.7 turns lower there.

What this means for the comparison

The lead is built on both profitability and valuation — though valuation still provides a counterweight.

Explore full peer positioning in AssetNext

Break down the CGNX vs ZBRA comparison across all dimensions with the full interactive tool.

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Other comparisons with conflicting dimension signals

Explore how CGNX and ZBRA each compare against other companies in their peer groups.

Rule-based, descriptive analysis only. Derived from peer percentile dimensions. Not investment advice. Peer groups are determined algorithmically based on structural similarity — not by sector classification alone.

How AssetNext Peer Scores Work

AssetNext scores reflect each company's structural position within its functional peer group — not a ranking against all stocks simultaneously. Peers are identified by similarity across eight financial dimensions, including revenue growth trajectory, margin structure, capital intensity, and earnings stability. A score of 75 means the company ranks in the top quartile within its own peer group, not the entire market.

Four dimension scores drive the overall peer score: Growth (revenue trajectory and expansion dynamics), Quality (margin structure and capital efficiency), Valuation (peer-relative pricing on standard multiples), and Stability (earnings consistency and financial predictability). Each dimension is scored 0–100 relative to the peer group, then combined into an overall peer score using equal weighting.

Because scores are peer-relative, the same company can have slightly different scores in different index universes. On comparison pages, both companies are shown within their shared peer universe wherever possible — so the scores are directly comparable. The peer basis is stated on each score card.

Scores are recalculated periodically as underlying financial data is updated. All analysis is descriptive and rule-based — AssetNext describes structural realities and never issues buy, sell or hold recommendations.