Tearsheet

Investment Highlights Why It Matters Which of these 2 stories sounds closer for this stock?

1. Generates cash flow

The stock generated 4% or more of the share price (called cash flow yield), and shows moderate 10-15% or more growth.

2. Riding a trend

Think Tesla during the pandemic of 2020 when EVs were riding a cultural high, or Nvidia in the current AI boom, or even Figma. These companies don’t have enough yield, or, enough growth, or both - however - they are riding a trend. They have momentum. These can be more volatile - they don’t have the floor of strong cash flow


0 Megatrend and thematic drivers
Megatrends include Artificial Intelligence, and 5G & Advanced Connectivity. Themes include Data Centers & Infrastructure, Telecom Infrastructure, Show more.
Weak multi-year price returns
2Y Excs Rtn is -64%, 3Y Excs Rtn is -124%
Not profitable at operating income level
Op Inc LTMOperating Income, Last Twelve Months is -125 Mil, Op Mgn LTMOperating Margin = Operating Income / Revenue Reflects profitability before taxes and before impact of capital structure (interest payments). is -30%
1   Weak revenue growth
Rev Chg 3Y AvgRevenue Change % averaged over trailing 3 years is -22%
2   Significant share based compensation
SBC/Rev LTMShare Based Compensation / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 18%
3   Not cash flow generative
CFO/Rev LTMCash Flow from Operations / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is -4.4%, FCF/Rev LTMFree Cash Flow / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is -8.9%
4   Yield minus risk free rate is negative
ERPEquity Risk Premium (ERP) = Total Yield - Risk Free Rate, Reflects the premium above risk free assets offered by the investment. is -16%
5   Key risks
MXL key risks include [1] persistent GAAP operating losses indicating structural financial weaknesses and [2] an ongoing legal dispute with Silicon Motion involving a $160 million claim.
0 Megatrend and thematic drivers
Megatrends include Artificial Intelligence, and 5G & Advanced Connectivity. Themes include Data Centers & Infrastructure, Telecom Infrastructure, Show more.
1 Weak multi-year price returns
2Y Excs Rtn is -64%, 3Y Excs Rtn is -124%
2 Not profitable at operating income level
Op Inc LTMOperating Income, Last Twelve Months is -125 Mil, Op Mgn LTMOperating Margin = Operating Income / Revenue Reflects profitability before taxes and before impact of capital structure (interest payments). is -30%
3 Weak revenue growth
Rev Chg 3Y AvgRevenue Change % averaged over trailing 3 years is -22%
4 Significant share based compensation
SBC/Rev LTMShare Based Compensation / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 18%
5 Not cash flow generative
CFO/Rev LTMCash Flow from Operations / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is -4.4%, FCF/Rev LTMFree Cash Flow / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is -8.9%
6 Yield minus risk free rate is negative
ERPEquity Risk Premium (ERP) = Total Yield - Risk Free Rate, Reflects the premium above risk free assets offered by the investment. is -16%
7 Key risks
MXL key risks include [1] persistent GAAP operating losses indicating structural financial weaknesses and [2] an ongoing legal dispute with Silicon Motion involving a $160 million claim.

Valuation, Metrics & Events

MXL Stock


Why The Stock Moved


Qualitative Assessment

AI Generated Analysis | Feedback

Here are the key points regarding MaxLinear's (MXL) stock movement from approximately August 31, 2025, to December 20, 2025: **1. MaxLinear reported strong financial performance in its Third Quarter 2025 results.** The company announced net revenue of $126.5 million, marking a 16% sequential increase and a 56% year-over-year growth. This performance also included a return to non-GAAP diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.14 and positive operating cash flow of $10.1 million. **2. The company announced a significant share repurchase program in November 2025.** MaxLinear's board authorized a plan to repurchase up to $75 million of its common stock, indicating management's confidence in the company's valuation and potentially boosting shareholder value. **3. Positive revenue guidance was provided for the Fourth Quarter 2025.** MaxLinear projected Q4 2025 revenue to be between $130 million and $140 million, alongside a non-GAAP gross margin of 58% to 61%, signaling continued positive momentum and growth expectations. **4. MaxLinear continued strategic investments in key growth markets.** The company reiterated its focus on significant investments in areas such as data center optical, wireless infrastructure, passive optical networks (PON), Wi-Fi 7, Ethernet, and storage accelerators, positioning it for future expansion in high-growth segments. **5. The company's prior quarter (Q2 2025) results established a positive trajectory.** Although slightly preceding the specified period (results announced July 23, 2025), MaxLinear's robust Q2 2025 financial results, with a 13% sequential and 18% year-over-year revenue increase, as well as a return to non-GAAP profitability and positive free cash flow, set a positive tone that likely carried into the subsequent quarters within the requested timeframe.

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Stock Movement Drivers

Return vs. Risk


Price Returns Compared

 202020212022202320242025Total [1]
Returns
MXL Return80%97%-55%-30%-17%-12%-18%
Peers Return55%32%-38%51%29%7%162%
S&P 500 Return16%27%-19%24%23%16%112%

Monthly Win Rates [3]
MXL Win Rate58%75%25%50%42%50% 
Peers Win Rate67%63%35%62%55%53% 
S&P 500 Win Rate58%75%42%67%75%73% 

Max Drawdowns [4]
MXL Max Drawdown-62%-19%-60%-58%-53%-54% 
Peers Max Drawdown-39%-11%-47%-4%-17%-36% 
S&P 500 Max Drawdown-31%-1%-25%-1%-2%-15% 


[1] Cumulative total returns since the beginning of 2020
[2] Peers: AVGO, MRVL, SWKS, QRVO, QCOM. See MXL Returns vs. Peers.
[3] Win Rate = % of calendar months in which monthly returns were positive
[4] Max drawdown represents maximum peak-to-trough decline within a year
[5] 2025 data is for the year up to 12/19/2025 (YTD)

How Low Can It Go

Unique KeyEventMXLS&P 500
2022 Inflation Shock2022 Inflation Shock  
2022 Inflation Shock% Loss% Loss-81.4%-25.4%
2022 Inflation Shock% Gain to Breakeven% Gain to Breakeven436.7%34.1%
2022 Inflation ShockTime to BreakevenTime to BreakevenNot Fully Recovered days464 days
2020 Covid Pandemic2020 Covid Pandemic  
2020 Covid Pandemic% Loss% Loss-62.4%-33.9%
2020 Covid Pandemic% Gain to Breakeven% Gain to Breakeven166.3%51.3%
2020 Covid PandemicTime to BreakevenTime to Breakeven97 days148 days
2018 Correction2018 Correction  
2018 Correction% Loss% Loss-52.2%-19.8%
2018 Correction% Gain to Breakeven% Gain to Breakeven109.2%24.7%
2018 CorrectionTime to BreakevenTime to Breakeven771 days120 days

Compare to AMAT, QCOM, TXN, MSI, QRVO


In The Past

MaxLinear's stock fell -81.4% during the 2022 Inflation Shock from a high on 12/27/2021. A -81.4% loss requires a 436.7% gain to breakeven.

Preserve Wealth

Limiting losses and compounding gains is essential to preserving wealth over time.

Asset Allocation

Actively managed asset allocation strategies protect wealth. Learn more.

About MaxLinear (MXL)

Better Bets than MaxLinear (MXL)

Trade Ideas

Select past ideas related to MXL. For more, see Trefis Trade Ideas.

Unique KeyDateTickerCompanyCategoryTrade Strategy6M Fwd Rtn12M Fwd Rtn12M Max DD
ENPH_11302025_Dip_Buyer_High_CFO_Margins_ExInd_DE11302025ENPHEnphase EnergyDip BuyDB | CFO/Rev | Low D/EDip Buy with High Cash Flow Margins
Buying dips for companies with significant cash flows from operations and reasonable debt / market cap
15.3%15.3%-0.9%
PD_11262025_Dip_Buyer_High_FCF_Yield_ExInd_DE_RevG11262025PDPagerDutyDip BuyDB | FCF Yield | Low D/EDip Buy with High Free Cash Flow Yield
Buying dips for companies with significant free cash flow yield (FCF / Market Cap) and reasonable debt / market cap
10.2%10.2%0.0%
CRM_11212025_Dip_Buyer_FCFYield11212025CRMSalesforceDip BuyDB | FCFY OPMDip Buy with High FCF Yield and High Margin
Buying dips for companies with high FCF yield and meaningfully high operating margin
14.6%14.6%-0.1%
HUBS_11212025_Dip_Buyer_High_CFO_Margins_ExInd_DE11212025HUBSHubSpotDip BuyDB | CFO/Rev | Low D/EDip Buy with High Cash Flow Margins
Buying dips for companies with significant cash flows from operations and reasonable debt / market cap
9.6%9.6%0.0%
FIVN_11212025_Dip_Buyer_High_FCF_Yield_ExInd_DE_RevG11212025FIVNFive9Dip BuyDB | FCF Yield | Low D/EDip Buy with High Free Cash Flow Yield
Buying dips for companies with significant free cash flow yield (FCF / Market Cap) and reasonable debt / market cap
8.4%8.4%0.0%
MXL_10312023_Dip_Buyer_High_CFO_Margins_ExInd_DE10312023MXLMaxLinearDip BuyDB | CFO/Rev | Low D/EDip Buy with High Cash Flow Margins
Buying dips for companies with significant cash flows from operations and reasonable debt / market cap
36.8%-3.7%-27.0%
MXL_4302023_Dip_Buyer_High_CFO_Margins_ExInd_DE04302023MXLMaxLinearDip BuyDB | CFO/Rev | Low D/EDip Buy with High Cash Flow Margins
Buying dips for companies with significant cash flows from operations and reasonable debt / market cap
-38.2%-12.3%-40.5%
MXL_6302022_Dip_Buyer_High_CFO_Margins_ExInd_DE06302022MXLMaxLinearDip BuyDB | CFO/Rev | Low D/EDip Buy with High Cash Flow Margins
Buying dips for companies with significant cash flows from operations and reasonable debt / market cap
0.2%-7.1%-31.2%
Unique KeyDateTickerCompanyCategoryTrade Strategy6M Fwd Rtn12M Fwd Rtn12M Max DD
ENPH_11302025_Dip_Buyer_High_CFO_Margins_ExInd_DE11302025ENPHEnphase EnergyDip BuyDB | CFO/Rev | Low D/EDip Buy with High Cash Flow Margins
Buying dips for companies with significant cash flows from operations and reasonable debt / market cap
15.3%15.3%-0.9%
PD_11262025_Dip_Buyer_High_FCF_Yield_ExInd_DE_RevG11262025PDPagerDutyDip BuyDB | FCF Yield | Low D/EDip Buy with High Free Cash Flow Yield
Buying dips for companies with significant free cash flow yield (FCF / Market Cap) and reasonable debt / market cap
10.2%10.2%0.0%
CRM_11212025_Dip_Buyer_FCFYield11212025CRMSalesforceDip BuyDB | FCFY OPMDip Buy with High FCF Yield and High Margin
Buying dips for companies with high FCF yield and meaningfully high operating margin
14.6%14.6%-0.1%
HUBS_11212025_Dip_Buyer_High_CFO_Margins_ExInd_DE11212025HUBSHubSpotDip BuyDB | CFO/Rev | Low D/EDip Buy with High Cash Flow Margins
Buying dips for companies with significant cash flows from operations and reasonable debt / market cap
9.6%9.6%0.0%
FIVN_11212025_Dip_Buyer_High_FCF_Yield_ExInd_DE_RevG11212025FIVNFive9Dip BuyDB | FCF Yield | Low D/EDip Buy with High Free Cash Flow Yield
Buying dips for companies with significant free cash flow yield (FCF / Market Cap) and reasonable debt / market cap
8.4%8.4%0.0%
MXL_10312023_Dip_Buyer_High_CFO_Margins_ExInd_DE10312023MXLMaxLinearDip BuyDB | CFO/Rev | Low D/EDip Buy with High Cash Flow Margins
Buying dips for companies with significant cash flows from operations and reasonable debt / market cap
36.8%-3.7%-27.0%
MXL_4302023_Dip_Buyer_High_CFO_Margins_ExInd_DE04302023MXLMaxLinearDip BuyDB | CFO/Rev | Low D/EDip Buy with High Cash Flow Margins
Buying dips for companies with significant cash flows from operations and reasonable debt / market cap
-38.2%-12.3%-40.5%
MXL_6302022_Dip_Buyer_High_CFO_Margins_ExInd_DE06302022MXLMaxLinearDip BuyDB | CFO/Rev | Low D/EDip Buy with High Cash Flow Margins
Buying dips for companies with significant cash flows from operations and reasonable debt / market cap
0.2%-7.1%-31.2%

Recent Active Movers

Recent Active Movers

More From Trefis

Peer Comparisons for MaxLinear

Peers to compare with:

Financials

MXLAVGOMRVLSWKSQRVOQCOMMedian
NameMaxLinearBroadcom Marvell .Skyworks.Qorvo Qualcomm  
Mkt Price17.63340.3684.0964.6885.63175.2584.86
Mkt Cap1.51,610.972.09.67.9188.940.8
Rev LTM42363,8877,7934,0873,66344,2845,940
Op Inc LTM-12526,0751,14752436512,394836
FCF LTM-3826,9141,5771,07653512,8201,326
FCF 3Y Avg-021,3201,2801,44653711,2771,363
CFO LTM-1927,5371,8911,30168014,0121,596
CFO 3Y Avg2621,8611,5931,66167512,5041,627

Growth & Margins

MXLAVGOMRVLSWKSQRVOQCOMMedian
NameMaxLinearBroadcom Marvell .Skyworks.Qorvo Qualcomm  
Rev Chg LTM7.5%23.9%45.0%-2.2%-7.2%13.7%10.6%
Rev Chg 3Y Avg-22.3%25.2%12.3%-9.2%-3.7%1.2%-1.3%
Rev Chg Q55.9%28.2%36.8%7.3%1.1%10.0%19.1%
QoQ Delta Rev Chg LTM12.0%6.6%7.7%1.9%0.3%2.4%4.5%
Op Mgn LTM-29.6%40.8%14.7%12.8%10.0%28.0%13.8%
Op Mgn 3Y Avg-21.2%38.6%-1.2%18.6%5.1%25.9%11.8%
QoQ Delta Op Mgn LTM5.8%1.8%8.7%-2.2%0.9%-0.2%1.4%
CFO/Rev LTM-4.4%43.1%24.3%31.8%18.6%31.6%28.0%
CFO/Rev 3Y Avg0.7%44.1%25.8%38.1%18.5%31.5%28.7%
FCF/Rev LTM-8.9%42.1%20.2%26.3%14.6%28.9%23.3%
FCF/Rev 3Y Avg-4.1%43.0%20.7%33.2%14.6%28.4%24.5%

Valuation

MXLAVGOMRVLSWKSQRVOQCOMMedian
NameMaxLinearBroadcom Marvell .Skyworks.Qorvo Qualcomm  
Mkt Cap1.51,610.972.09.67.9188.940.8
P/S3.625.29.22.42.24.33.9
P/EBIT-10.062.123.417.424.314.220.4
P/E-8.669.729.120.236.534.131.6
P/CFO-82.558.538.17.411.713.512.6
Total Yield-11.7%1.4%3.7%9.5%2.7%4.9%3.2%
Dividend Yield0.0%0.0%0.3%4.5%0.0%2.0%0.1%
FCF Yield 3Y Avg-0.7%3.1%2.1%10.0%5.8%7.0%4.5%
D/E0.10.00.10.10.20.10.1
Net D/E0.00.00.0-0.00.10.00.0

Returns

MXLAVGOMRVLSWKSQRVOQCOMMedian
NameMaxLinearBroadcom Marvell .Skyworks.Qorvo Qualcomm  
1M Rtn31.5%-4.0%3.4%3.3%4.9%6.0%4.2%
3M Rtn8.9%-1.3%13.3%-17.1%-6.7%5.6%2.1%
6M Rtn33.9%36.4%14.6%-8.5%7.2%17.1%15.8%
12M Rtn-8.1%57.4%-22.7%-23.6%24.5%19.1%5.5%
3Y Rtn-47.5%553.1%125.1%-20.6%-5.7%67.3%30.8%
1M Excs Rtn28.6%-6.9%0.5%0.4%2.0%3.1%1.3%
3M Excs Rtn0.9%-1.6%9.3%-23.3%-13.2%1.7%-0.4%
6M Excs Rtn21.3%20.9%5.5%-22.2%-7.6%2.2%3.9%
12M Excs Rtn-22.8%30.1%-37.8%-38.7%7.7%0.5%-11.1%
3Y Excs Rtn-123.9%452.6%28.5%-97.8%-86.2%-16.9%-51.6%

Financials

Segment Financials

Revenue by Segment

$ Mil20242023202220212020
Single Segment6931,120892479317
Total6931,120892479317


Price Behavior

Short Interest

Short Interest: As Of Date11282025
Short Interest: Shares Quantity5,733,912
Short Interest: % Change Since 11152025-4.8%
Average Daily Volume1,173,742
Days-to-Cover Short Interest4.89
Basic Shares Quantity87,186,000
Short % of Basic Shares6.6%

Earnings Returns History

Expand for More

 Forward Returns
Earnings Date1D Returns5D Returns21D Returns
10/23/2025-10.8%-13.0%-22.4%
7/23/202512.6%10.9%-1.1%
4/23/2025-12.3%-9.3%6.0%
1/29/2025-19.8%-13.5%-33.0%
10/23/20241.5%-1.5%5.9%
7/24/2024-37.1%-36.6%-44.7%
4/24/2024-1.2%-9.2%-13.4%
1/31/2024-11.0%-15.3%-2.5%
...
SUMMARY STATS   
# Positive787
# Negative171617
Median Positive12.3%9.0%11.1%
Median Negative-10.8%-11.2%-8.6%
Max Positive14.0%21.9%43.1%
Max Negative-37.1%-36.6%-44.7%

SEC Filings

Expand for More

Report DateFiling DateFiling
93020251023202510-Q 9/30/2025
6302025723202510-Q 6/30/2025
3312025423202510-Q 3/31/2025
12312024129202510-K 12/31/2024
93020241023202410-Q 9/30/2024
6302024724202410-Q 6/30/2024
3312024424202410-Q 3/31/2024
12312023131202410-K 12/31/2023
93020231025202310-Q 9/30/2023
6302023727202310-Q 6/30/2023
3312023426202310-Q 3/31/2023
12312022201202310-K 12/31/2022
93020221025202210-Q 9/30/2022
6302022727202210-Q 6/30/2022
3312022427202210-Q 3/31/2022
12312021202202210-K 12/31/2021

Insider Activity

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 OwnerTitleFiling DateActionPriceSharesTransacted
Value
Value of
Held Shares
Form
0ARTUSI DANIEL A 10302025Sell15.879,055143,697521,910Form