Dividend Growth Stocks: 25 Aristocrats

8. Roper Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROP)

5-Year Average Dividend Growth Rate: 10.02%

On January 29, RBC Capital cut its price target on Roper Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROP) to $398 from $539 and kept a Sector Perform rating following the company’s earnings and outlook. The firm said the sharp drop in the stock reflected investor unease around weaker organic growth expected in the second half of the year, along with continued scrutiny of three softer areas in Roper’s portfolio: Deltek, Neptune, and Procare. RBC also pointed to the growing risk from AI across Roper’s businesses, noting that these concerns are likely to linger and cannot be fully ruled out over the next year.

Roper added to those concerns by forecasting 2026 revenue and profit below Wall Street expectations, largely due to softer demand at Deltek, its government contracting software unit. The company sees total revenue growth of about 8% for the year, compared with analyst estimates closer to 9%.

CEO Neil Hunn said the outlook reflects a more realistic and balanced view after recent quarters fell short, driven mainly by uncertainty at Deltek. He also warned that future US government shutdowns could create further pressure, noting that Deltek saw a slowdown last September as agencies paused activity ahead of the most recent shutdown.

For 2026, Roper expects adjusted earnings of $21.30 to $21.55 per share, below the $21.65 analysts had been forecasting, according to data from LSEG. First-quarter adjusted earnings are projected at $4.95 to $5.00 per share, also below estimates of $5.18. The company had already reduced its 2025 profit outlook in October, mainly because of higher costs tied to recent acquisitions.

On the quarterly front, Roper reported revenue of $2.06 billion for the period ended December 31, slightly under the $2.08 billion consensus. Hunn said results were held back by weaker perpetual license revenue, which dragged on organic growth in the application software segment. Despite that, adjusted earnings for the quarter came in at $5.21 per share, topping expectations of $5.14.

Roper Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROP) is a diversified technology company that focuses on vertical software and technology-enabled products serving a range of specialized, defensible niche markets.