Intel’s Free Cash Flow Makes INTC Stock a Buy

Some investors believe that Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) stock is cheap because it trades at 11 times its forward price-earnings ratio. Others believe INTC stock isn’t cheap because its earnings growth continues to decelerate. I’m still upbeat about INTC stock, simply because Intel’s free cash flow generation continues to be strong. That’s a much better indicator of value, in my opinion, than earnings or sales.

Intel expects 2019 free cash flow of $15 billion, 4.9% higher than a year earlier, and 27% above its five-year average of $11.8 billion. INTC generated $59 billion of free cash flow over the past five years, returning $55 billion (equaling 93% of its free cash flow) to shareholders in the form of dividends and repurchases of Intel stock. In fiscal 2018, Intel repurchased $10.7 billion of INTC stock at an average price of $49.38 per share. In 2014, it also repurchased more than $10.8 billion of its stock at an average price of $32.47 a share. Based on the stock’s Oct. 14 closing price of $51.64, Intel’s return on investment from these two large buybacks is 32%. Furthermore, INTC has reduced its share count by almost 8% over the past five years. None of this would have been possible without its strong free cash flow.

Source: InvestorPlace

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