fbpx

The 3 Best-Run Companies in the Technology Sect

Technology is competitive, but the managements of these companies are more than equal to the task.

Famed investor Warren Buffett, the Berkshire Hathaway CEO worth some $74 billion thanks to good old-fashioned buy-and-hold investing, famously avoids the technology sector. While this rule — a product of his aversion to market changes and the relentless competition often found in tech — has been relaxed in recent years, it is clear to any casual observer that his trepidation is likely warranted.

The simple fact of the matter is that the vast majority of technology companies spend piles of money in the hopes of capturing dominant market share in an emerging sector or market. It’s a fact of life that many of these companies will fail. All the worse, many that succeed often throw good money after bad in order to keep up their success — essentially suffering from gross mismanagement.

So, in the hopes of having our cake and eating it, too, we asked three of the Fool’s best and brightest to each detail a technology company that not only continues to innovate and offer amazing products but also possesses an amazing management team that’s making all the right moves. For reasons we shall soon learn, the companies they named, Ultimate Software Group (NASDAQ:ULTI), Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ:ATVI), and Intuit (NASDAQ:INTU) each exhibit a plethora of attractive traits worthy of admiration — and possibly your investment dollars.

Read on to find out more.

The ultimate place to work

Brian Feroldi (Ultimate Software Group): While Scott Scherr doesn’t garner as much name recognition as Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, or Tim Cook, there’s no doubt in mind my he qualifies as a top-notch tech leader.

Scott Scherr is the CEO of the Ultimate Software Group, which is a company that he founded all the way back in 1990. This company provides cloud-based human-resources software, and it has been stealing market share away from the big boys in the industry for years. That’s allowed the company’s top line to scream higher over the last two decades, causing its share price to follow suit.

ULTI Revenue (TTM) Chart

ULTI REVENUE (TTM) DATA BY YCHARTS.

While Scherr has been delivering strong returns for shareholders for years, he also boasts incredibly impressive reviews from employees as well. Right now 98% of the company’s employees approve of him as CEO on glassdoor.com, and 93% of workers would recommend the company to a friend. Those figures make Scherr one of the highest-rated tech CEOs in the country.

You can’t please Wall Street and your employees alike without doing something right. That’s why I hold Scott Scherr in high esteem.

Intuition points to Intuit

Sean O’Reilly (Intuit Inc.): I have long marveled at financial software maker Intuit. The developer of such products as QuickBooks and TurboTax has been a sure bet for steady, profitable growth. Management is more than aware of how to maximize on its fantastic franchises and is also exceptionally good at deploying the copious amounts of free cash flow that its products generate to create lasting value for shareholders.

Founded by Scott Cook and Tom Proulx in 1983, it has a financial results record that is hard to match. Returns on equity have averaged approximately 23.5% for the past decade, and earnings per share have grown at an 11.5% annualized rate over that same time period. As icing on the cake, the company continues to generate increasingly large amounts of free cash flow year after year. Free cash flow for the 12-month period that ended Oct. 31, 2016, came in at a more than respectable $985 million, with analysts polled by S&P Global Market Intelligence expecting the company to break through that all-important $1 billion number this year.

Forecasts out into the end of the decade are just as bullish. These same analysts expect earnings per share to grow to $4.73 by 2020. This growth is being fueled by the company’s shift toward cloud-based versions of its financial software offerings — a move that has already been met with enthusiastic demand in the marketplace. For example, subscriptions to Quickbooks Online increased 41% year over year in FY 2016.

All told, Intuit is a supremely well-managed enterprise whose stock is more than worthy of consideration by Foolish investors.

Never mind the cold — this is one blizzard you’ll want to be a part of

Keith Noonan (Activision Blizzard): Activision Blizzard has been in the news for inking a deal that will again make its CEO one of the highest-paid executives in America. Even if the software publisher is paying a premium, there’s no denying that Bobby Kotick has worked wonders since assuming the top spot at the company in 1991. The video games business is volatile, and Activision’s steady rise through the industry’s ups and downs, track record of innovation and franchise management, and demonstrated knack for being ahead of the curve make a strong case for calling it one of the best-managed companies in tech.

Kotick’s new compensation package will actually see the CEO take a reduction in base salary, but substantial incentives are worked into the deal, and the executive stands to receive big equity kickbacks if he increases the company’s market capitalization by at least 15% through a major acquisition. Between the hugely successful merger of Activision and Blizzard in 2008, buying out Vivendi’s controlling stake in the company for a steal at $8.2 billion in 2013, and a successful start to the integration of King Digital, there’s reason to be optimistic about the company’s future takeovers.

Smart management has helped to build the strongest portfolio of gaming franchises in the industry and has put the company in a good position to take advantage of opportunities like the rise of digital sales, e-sports, and virtual reality. Impressive stock performance backs up the case for Activision Blizzard’s being one of tech’s best-run companies, with shares up more than 200% over the last five years and more than 320% over the last decade.

Trump’s potential $1.6 trillion investment
We aren’t politicos here at The Motley Fool. But we know a great investing opportunity when we see one.

Our analysts spotted what could be a $1.6 trillion opportunity lurking in Donald Trump’s infrastructure plans. And given this team’s superb track record (more than doubling the market over the past decade*), you don’t want to miss what they found.

They’ve picked 11 stocks poised to profit from Trump’s first 100 days as president. History has shown that getting in early on a good idea can often pay big bucks – so don’t miss out on this moment.

Click here to get access to the full list!

*Stock Advisor returns as of December 12, 2016

Brian Feroldi owns shares of Activision Blizzard. Keith Noonan owns shares of Activision Blizzard. Sean O’Reillyhas no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Activision Blizzard and Intuit. The Motley Fool recommends Ultimate Software Group. 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.