Wisconsin Stock Market Recap: Generac Soars 10%, Top Companies Post Gains

Date: Week ending Friday, January 23, 2026

Following the market closure on Monday, January 19, for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Wisconsin’s major public companies saw a shortened but largely positive trading week (Tuesday–Friday).

The state’s industrial and manufacturing heavyweights led the gains, benefiting from a broader market rally in the sector. Generac Holdings was the standout performer, surging over 10% this week, driven by renewed investor interest in energy resilience. Rockwell Automation and A.O. Smith also posted strong results, with the latter seeing solid gains amid positive sentiment in the water technology sector.

Financial and utility stocks remained stable but posted more modest gains. Associated Banc-Corp and WEC Energy Group acted as defensive anchors, seeing low-volatility trading. Fiserv saw a mixed week but managed to close up from its Tuesday open.

Wisconsin Stock Performance (Jan 20–23, 2026)

The chart below details the performance of the state’s top 10 companies, ranked by their percentage gain for the week.

*Note: Prices based on available closing data as of market close Friday, Jan 23.

Key Headlines

• A.O. Smith (AOS): The Milwaukee-based water technology giant replaced Fastenal on the state watch-list this week, delivering a solid +3.6% return.
• Oshkosh Corp (OSK): Received a price target upgrade to $155 from Morgan Stanley, signaling confidence in their defense and vocational segments.
• Generac (GNRC): Outpaced the market significantly, continuing a recovery trend from late 2025 lows.
• Sector Trend: The “Wisconsin 10” effectively outperformed the broader S&P 500 average for the week, driven by an overweight concentration in industrials.