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Recent Articles
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Alphabet’s Cash Flow Soars in Fourth Quarter
Feb 5, 2025
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Image Source: TradingView.
Google Search and other revenue advanced 12.5% in the quarter on a year-over-year basis, while YouTube ads increased 13.8%. Total Google advertising revenue increased 10.6% in the quarter year-over-year. Total Google Services revenue edged 10.2% higher, while Google Cloud revenue increased 30% from the same period last year. Alphabet ended the quarter with $95.7 billion in total cash and marketable securities and long-term debt of $10.9 billion, good for a robust net cash position. Net cash provided by operating activities soared to $39.1 billion in the quarter versus $18.9 billion in the year-ago period. Free cash flow in the quarter was $24.8 billion, up from $7.9 billion in last year’s quarter. We continue to like Alphabet as a top weighting in the Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio.
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Phillips 66 Outlines Strategic Priorities
Feb 4, 2025
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Image Source: TradingView.
Looking forward to its strategic priorities through 2027, Phillips 66 plans to return greater than 50% of operating cash flow to shareholders, achieve 2% higher than industry average crude utilization, target annual adjusted controllable costs of $5.50 per barrel in Refining, grow Midstream and Chemicals mid-cycle adjusted EBITDA $1 billion in total by 2027, and maintain financial strength and flexibility by reducing total debt to $17 billion. Though the quarterly performance was messy, we continue to like Phillips 66. Shares yield 3.9% at the time of this writing.
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Tesla Remains a Net Cash Rich, Free Cash Flow Generating Powerhouse
Feb 4, 2025
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Image: Tesla continues to attack costs with average cost of goods sold per vehicle reaching an all-time low in the fourth quarter of 2024. Image Source: Tesla.
In the fourth quarter, Model 3/Y production fell 8% on a year-over-year basis, while other models production advanced 25%. Model 3/Y deliveries increased 2%, while other models deliveries advanced 3%. Tesla’s quarterly net cash provided by operating activities increased 10%, to $4.8 billion, while capital spending increased 21%, to $2.8 billion, resulting in free cash flow of $2.03 billion, down 2% on a year-over-year basis. Free cash flow for the full year 2024 was $3.58 billion, down 18% on a year-over-year basis. Tesla ended the calendar year with $36.6 billion in cash, cash equivalents and investments. Though free cash flow faced pressure during 2024, the company remains a net cash rich, free-cash-flow generating powerhouse.
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Altria Expects Modest Earnings Growth in 2025, Shares Yield 7.8%
Feb 2, 2025
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Image Source: Altria.
Altria ended the year with $3.1 billion in cash and cash equivalents and $24.9 billion in debt. Looking to 2025, Altria expects to deliver full-year adjusted diluted earnings per share in a range of $5.22-$5.37, which reflects a growth rate of 2%-5% from a base of $5.12 in 2024. Management expects 2025 capital expenditures to be between $175-$225 million. Though Altria’s 2025 outlook came in lower than expected, we like the firm’s pricing power and income generation potential with a forward estimated yield of 7.8%.
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