fbpx

3 Top Cash-Cow Stocks

These companies are drowning in cash.

The best businesses churn out cash faster than it can be used. Plenty of free cash flow (FCF) — the amount of cash from operating activities left over after capital investments are made — allows a company to invest in the future as well as return cash to shareholders. Dividends, buybacks, and acquisitions are all fueled by a company’s free cash flow.

What makes a company a cash cow? A high free cash flow margin (the percentage of revenue converted into FCF) and a high cash return on invested capital (how much FCF is generated from each dollar invested back into the business) usually indicate that a company is producing excessive amounts of cash. Here’s why Microsoft(NASDAQ:MSFT), Disney (NYSE:DIS), and Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG)(NASDAQ:GOOGL) are three top cash cows.

Moving to the cloud

The PC market may not be on fire, but Microsoft continues to produce impressive profits. During fiscal 2016, which ended in June, Microsoft generated $25 billion of free cash flow, driven by Windows, Office, and the company’s growing cloud-computing business. With revenue of $85.3 billion, that puts Microsoft’s free cash flow margin at an impressive 29.3%.

Windows

IMAGE SOURCE: MICROSOFT.

A quick look at the balance sheet shows that Microsoft doesn’t quite know what to do with all of this cash. Net of debt, the company had nearly $60 billion in cash collecting dust at the end of fiscal 2016, despite paying a dividend and funding expansive share buybacks.

Microsoft’s cash return on invested capital is also impressive, clocking in at 19.9%. The excess cash on the balance sheet weighs this number down, but it’s clear that cash invested back into the business generates an exceptional return.

Microsoft is aggressively transforming into a cloud computing company,  shifting much of its software to a subscription model and rapidly growing its Azure cloud platform. Azure revenue is more than doubling each year, putting Microsoft in a strong No. 2 position behind Amazon.com‘s Web Services in the cloud infrastructure market. With the cloud business growing swiftly, Microsoft is making the necessary moves to retain its cash-cow status far into the future.

The online advertising king

Alphabet, despite its size, continues to grow at a double-digit pace. Revenue surged 20% year over year during the latest quarter, driven entirely by Google. Other Bets, which includes all of the company’s other businesses and moonshots, remains a source of little revenue and substantial losses.

Google Logo

IMAGE SOURCE: ALPHABET.

Google’s core advertising business drives incredible cash generation for the company. During the trailing-12-month period, Alphabet produced $23.5 billion of free cash flow on $85.5 billion of revenue. Free cash flow margin was an impressive 27.5%, nipping at the heels of Microsoft.

Alphabet also has a mountain of cash on its balance sheet, totaling $79 billion net of debt. Cash return on invested capital is 17%, a bit lower than that of Microsoft. Google doesn’t pay a dividend, but it did recently begin buying back its own shares. It certainly generates enough cash to return substantially more to shareholders in the future.

Alphabet is showing no sign of slowing down, with its core Google business driving its results. Even if none of its moonshots work out, the company remains one of the biggest cash cows around.

An entertainment juggernaut

One of Disney’s biggest cash-cow businesses, cable sports network ESPN, is facing an uncertain future, with a declining subscriber base and the ever-present threat of cord cutting. But the company remains an undisputed cash cow, with a broad set of business churning out billions each year. The company produced $8.4 billion of free cash flow in fiscal 2016 on $55.6 billion of revenue. That’s good for a free cash flow margin of about 15.1%.

Carousel Wdw Fireworks Homepage

IMAGE SOURCE: DISNEY.

About half of Disney’s operating income in 2016 came from its media networks, and about 87% of media network operating income came from cable networks. ESPN is the big hitter in that category, and its ongoing problems are a real concern. But other businesses are generating cash as well. Disney’s parks and resorts spit out $3.3 billion of operating income during 2016, with the movie business contributing $2.7 billion and consumer products adding another $2 billion.

Disney’s cash return on invested capital isn’t quite as impressive as Microsoft’s or Alphabet’s, coming in at a lower 12.5%. Still, Disney throws off enough cash to pay a decent dividend, spend billions on share buybacks, and fund acquisitions — like Marvel in 2009 and Lucasfilm in 2012 — that broaden its entertainment portfolio. ESPN represents a challenge, but Disney’s cash-cow status allows it to make the investments necessary to drive long-term growth.

10 stocks we like better than Walt Disney
When investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.*

David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the ten best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Walt Disney wasn’t one of them! That’s right — they think these 10 stocks are even better buys.

Click here to learn about these picks!

*Stock Advisor returns as of December 12, 2016

Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Timothy Green has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Alphabet (A shares), Alphabet (C shares), Amazon.com, and Walt Disney. The Motley Fool owns shares of Microsoft. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insightsmakes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

You May Also Like
An Unknown Side of Cancun: Enjoy a Luxurious Stay at the JW Marriott Resort and Spa and Bring Your Taste for Adventure

Treat yourself to luxury, relaxation and unforgettable experiences at this fantastic resort.

Read More
Steiger Facial Plastic Surgery Offers Pamper Mom Facial Special

The offering is available through May 31.

Read More
NAIOP South Florida Appoints Officers, Executive Board and Board of Directors for 2022

NAIOP South Florida, a Commercial Real Estate Development Association offering advocacy, education and business opportunities to its members, has announced the following officers for the 2022 Board of Directors: President:

Read More
Pride Week Festival Begins With Tribute to Pulse Nightclub Survivor

Miami Beach Pride’s week-long festivities will commence with a special tribute to the LGBTQ+ community honoring the victims of the tragic shooting at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando. A ceremonial “flip

Read More
Other Posts
Surfside luxury condo sees notable sales

Arte at Surfside is making waves. There’s, of course, the news that Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner are renting at the 16-resident luxury condominium. And there’s the December penthouse sale

Read More
Up in the Air: A Discussion

In a dynamic region where residents are typically on the move, everyone is wondering about the health of the airline industry and the safety of airports and airplanes. Everyone is

Read More
South Florida Yachting Legend Passes

Robert “Bob” Roscioli, an icon in the South Florida marine industry, has passed away. Many recognize the name Roscioli from the widely-successful and world-renowned Roscioli Yachting Center, a full service

Read More
Four key steps

[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text] What a crazy time we are all experiencing. Right now, getting back to basics is most important. It is not and

Read More

Drew Limsky

Drew Limsky

Editor-in-Chief

BIOGRAPHY

Drew Limsky joined Lifestyle Media Group in August 2020 as Editor-in-Chief of South Florida Business & Wealth. His first issue of SFBW, October 2020, heralded a reimagined structure, with new content categories and a slew of fresh visual themes. “As sort of a cross between Forbes and Robb Report, with a dash of GQ and Vogue,” Limsky says, “SFBW reflects South Florida’s increasingly sophisticated and dynamic business and cultural landscape.”

Limsky, an avid traveler, swimmer and film buff who holds a law degree and Ph.D. from New York University, likes to say, “I’m a doctor, but I can’t operate—except on your brand.” He wrote his dissertation on the nonfiction work of Joan Didion. Prior to that, Limsky received his B.A. in English, summa cum laude, from Emory University and earned his M.A. in literature at American University in connection with a Masters Scholar Award fellowship.

Limsky came to SFBW at the apex of a storied career in journalism and publishing that includes six previous lead editorial roles, including for some of the world’s best-known brands. He served as global editor-in-chief of Lexus magazine, founding editor-in-chief of custom lifestyle magazines for Cadillac and Holland America Line, and was the founding editor-in-chief of Modern Luxury Interiors South Florida. He also was the executive editor for B2B magazines for Acura and Honda Financial Services, and he served as travel editor for Conde Nast. Magazines under Limsky’s editorship have garnered more than 75 industry awards.

He has also written for many of the country’s top newspapers and magazines, including The New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Miami Herald, Boston Globe, USA Today, Worth, Robb Report, Afar, Time Out New York, National Geographic Traveler, Men’s Journal, Ritz-Carlton, Elite Traveler, Florida Design, Metropolis and Architectural Digest Mexico. His other clients have included Four Seasons, Acqualina Resort & Residences, Yahoo!, American Airlines, Wynn, Douglas Elliman and Corcoran. As an adjunct assistant professor, Limsky has taught journalism, film and creative writing at the City University of New York, Pace University, American University and other colleges.