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MaxLinear

MXL
36
Semiconductors · Technology
Price
$66.61
+1.33 (+2.04%)
Market Cap
$6.04B
Exchange
NASDAQ
Winston Score
36
Winston is serious
Below-average fundamentals — multiple weak pillars.
Data as of Aug 23, 2026 · filings through Jun 30, 2026
How the score breaks down
Quality
Mixed
Growth
Good
Cash Flow
Weak
Stability
Good
Valuation
Data not available

Share count rising — dilution

+8.7% over 4y

The company has issued more shares over this period, which dilutes each existing shareholder’s stake.

Diluted shares outstanding: 79.7M (2021) → 86.6M (2025)

Winston Score History

The full picture

MaxLinear makes computer chips that help move data through broadband networks, cable systems, and data centers. Its chips are used inside routers, modems, and networking equipment made by companies like Comcast and other large internet service providers. The company sits in the semiconductor industry and specializes in high-speed connectivity chips for both home internet infrastructure and enterprise data centers.

MaxLinear earns money by selling chips to equipment manufacturers, who then build those chips into their products. The company operates globally, with a significant portion of its revenue tied to customers in Asia and North America, and it generated roughly $700–800 million in annual revenue in recent fiscal periods. Its technical expertise in mixed-signal chip design gives it some competitive edge, but the company has struggled with profitability, posting negative operating margins as demand from broadband customers weakened sharply after a post-pandemic inventory buildup. The key growth driver is a recovery in broadband spending and expanding sales into data center interconnect markets.

Growth Profile

When traditional metrics don't capture the full picture, these are the signals growth stock investors use instead.

Revenue Growth

+55.2% YoY

YoY Growth Rate

Revenue accelerating

EPS Growth

+109.7% YoY

YoY Growth Rate

EPS growth accelerating

R&D Spend

$209M/ year

Declining (-7% vs prior year)

44.6% of revenue

3.0x the sector average (15%)

R&D spend declining — could signal cost-cutting or efficiency

Insider Activity

6.8%ownership

Flat

Insider ownership roughly steady over the past year

Cash Position

Cash flow positive

$65M cash & investments

Quarterly Free Cash Flow

↑ Burn rate improving

Company generates more cash than it spends — no dilution risk from fundraising

Revenue accelerating

MaxLinear grew revenue 55% year-over-year and the growth rate is speeding up. That's the kind of momentum growth investors look for — the question is whether margins can follow.

The Winston Score above measures business quality today. Growth stocks often score lower because they invest in the future rather than maximising current profits. These metrics show what matters most for evaluating that future.

Score breakdown

Every number that matters to educated investors.

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Quality

Profit per sale
Gross Margin
57.8%
Premium pricing power — 57.8% gross margin
Profit after running costs
Operating Margin
-2.5%
Losing money on operations — -2.5%
Return on the money invested
ROCE
-10.8%
Weak — -10.8% return on capital

Negative ROIC means the business is losing money on every dollar invested in it.

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Growth

Sales growth
Sales YoY
+50.5%
Fast-growing sales (+50.5% YoY)
Profit growth
EPS YoY
N/A
Data not available
How steady the profit is
EPS Consistency
6/8 quarters
Earnings grew in most of the last 8 quarters

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Cash Flow

Profit that turns into cash
Cash Conversion
N/A
Data not available
Spare cash per sale
FCF Margin
0.6%
Thin free cash flow (0.6%)

FCF margin between 0% and 10%. Some cash from sales, but not a lot.

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Stability

What it owes vs what it owns
Debt / Equity
0.26
Conservative — low debt load (0.26)
Covers its interest
Interest Cover
N/A
Data not available

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Valuation

Price vs profit
P/E Ratio (TTM)
N/M
Negative earnings — P/E not meaningful
Cheaper or dearer next year
P/E vs Forward
N/A
not available
Data not available

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Dividends

Not applicable for this business.
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