Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, machine vision products specialist Cognex (CGNX 0.66%) has earned a respected four-star ranking.

With that in mind, let's take a closer look at Cognex and see what CAPS investors are saying about the stock right now.

Cognex facts

Headquarters (founded)

Natick, Mass. (1981)

Market Cap

$1.6 billion

Industry

Scientific and technical instruments

Trailing-12-Month Revenue

$326.2 million

Management

CEO Robert Willett

CFO Richard Morin

Trailing-12-Month Return on Equity

12.4%

Cash/Debt

$156.0 million / $0

Competitors

KLA-Tencor (KLAC 2.50%)

Orbotech (NASDAQ: ORBK)

Perceptron (PRCP)

Sources: S&P Capital IQ and Motley Fool CAPS.

On CAPS, 90% of the 308 members who have rated Cognex believe the stock will outperform the S&P 500 going forward.

Earlier this year, one of those Fools, All-Star MajorBob04, succinctly summed up the Cognex bull case for our community: "The Company designs, develops, manufactures, and markets machine vision systems which are used to automate a range of manufacturing processes where vision is required. Great technology that is feeding some of the largest and most efficient warehouses."

If you want market-thumping returns, you need to put together the best portfolio you can. Owning exceptional stocks is a surefire way to secure your financial future. Of course, despite a strong four-star rating, Cognex may not be your top choice.

Want to see how well (or not so well) the stocks in this series are performing? Follow the TrackPoisedTo CAPS account.