The fiscal fourth quarter also ended a year that achieved record earnings and sales for the supplier of factory automation systems and software, said Chief Executive Keith Nosbusch. Looking ahead to the fiscal year that began Oct. 1, Nosbusch forecast another increase in fiscal 2015 earnings and sales, despite global economic uncertainties.

"I keep looking forward to a year when the outlook is stable and everything is clear, but I guess that's just wishful thinking," Nosbusch said Wednesday in a conference call with investors. He cited geopolitical uncertainty in Russia, the Ukraine, the Middle East and economic slowdowns in China and Brazil.

Rockwell, which has its roots as a Milwaukee-based manufacturer over a century ago, has evolved into a supplier of software, systems and Internet infrastructure that increase efficiency and productivity at factories, chemical plants, water and wastewater facilities, oil and gas fields, energy utilities and food and beverage industries.

For the quarter ended Sept. 30, Rockwell posted net income of $248.7 million, or $1.79 a share, up 15.5% from $215.3 million, or $1.62 a share, a year earlier.

But after adjustments to strip out nonrecurring costs and charges that are not directly related to running the business, per-share earnings rose to $1.86, up from $1.62 last year. That beats analyst expectations of $1.82 a share.

Revenue rose 3.9% to $1.78 billion from $1.72 billion. Sales would have been higher, but the dollar strengthened in value over the last year, which diminished the value of Rockwell's non-U.S. sales after they were translated from foreign currencies.

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