Flex has been on fire lately. In the past six months alone, the company’s stock price has rocketed 106%, reaching $63 per share. This was partly due to its solid quarterly results, and the performance may have investors wondering how to approach the situation.

Is there a buying opportunity in Flex, or does it present a risk to your portfolio? Get the full stock story straight from our expert analysts, it’s free for active Edge members.

Why Is Flex Not Exciting?

Despite the momentum, we're cautious about Flex. Here are three reasons why FLEX doesn't excite us and a stock we'd rather own.

1. Long-Term Revenue Growth Disappoints

A company’s long-term sales performance is one signal of its overall quality. Even a bad business can shine for one or two quarters, but a top-tier one grows for years. Regrettably, Flex’s sales grew at a sluggish 2.4% compounded annual growth rate over the last five years. This fell short of our benchmarks.

2. Mediocre Free Cash Flow Margin Limits Reinvestment Potential

If you’ve followed StockStory for a while, you know we emphasize free cash flow. Why, you ask? We believe that in the end, cash is king, and you can’t use accounting profits to pay the bills.

Flex has shown weak cash profitability over the last five years, giving the company limited opportunities to return capital to shareholders. Its free cash flow margin averaged 2.7%, subpar for a business services business.

3. New Investments Fail to Bear Fruit as ROIC Declines

ROIC, or return on invested capital, is a metric showing how much operating profit a company generates relative to the money it has raised (debt and equity).

We like to invest in businesses with high returns, but the trend in a company’s ROIC is what often surprises the market and moves the stock price. On average, Flex’s ROIC decreased by 4.5 percentage points annually over the last few years. We like what management has done in the past, but its declining returns are perhaps a symptom of fewer profitable growth opportunities.

Final Judgment

Flex’s business quality ultimately falls short of our standards. After the recent rally, the stock trades at 20.3× forward P/E (or $63 per share). Investors with a higher risk tolerance might like the company, but we think the potential downside is too great. We're fairly confident there are better investments elsewhere. Let us point you toward the most dominant software business in the world.

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