Can Flex's Cash Flow & Market Strength Offset Ongoing Macro Pressures?

Core Insights - Flex Ltd. is experiencing growth momentum with increased AI investments, strong customer relationships, and disciplined financial management as it enters the second half of fiscal 2026 [1] - The company is focused on long-term value creation despite facing challenges such as tariff tensions and forex headwinds [1] Financial Performance - Flex reported a record $1.1 billion in free cash flow for fiscal 2025 and generated $305 million in adjusted free cash flow in the second quarter of fiscal 2026 [2] - The company aims for over 80% free cash flow conversion, supporting share repurchases, debt reduction, and continued investments [2] - In fiscal 2025, Flex repurchased $1.3 billion worth of stock, with $297 million repurchased in the second quarter of fiscal 2026 [2] Business Segments and Growth Outlook - Flex is advancing its data center portfolio with next-generation AI power, compute, and cooling solutions, showing solid growth in Medical Devices, Optical, and Satcom [3] - The company expects data center revenues to grow at least 35% this year, with balanced growth projected for fiscal 2026 across its segments [4] - The Reliability segment is expected to deliver low- to mid-single-digit growth, while the Agility segment is projected to grow at a mid- to high-single-digit rate [4] Competitive Landscape - Flex faces intense competition from EMS peers like Jabil Inc. and Sanmina Corporation, which may impact contract wins and revenue growth [4] - Jabil is diversifying its business and expanding in healthcare and cloud sectors, while Sanmina's diverse market presence strengthens its resilience [5][6] Market Performance and Valuation - Flex shares have gained 78% over the past year, outperforming the Electronics - Miscellaneous Products industry, which grew by 24.7% [9] - The company trades at a forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 22.04, below the industry's 24.76 [10] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Flex's earnings for fiscal 2026 has been revised upward over the past 60 days [11]