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Akamai: Back on the Advance

By Tim Beyers – Updated Apr 5, 2017 at 11:35PM

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Better margins, big cash flow make for a better business.

Investors will tell you that Akamai (NASDAQ:AKAM) has the most descriptive logo of any stock trading today. The company's emblazoned tsunami wave is perfectly reflective of the tumult shareholders have endured over the past year, as the stock has teetered between $9.25 and $23.58 a share.

If the stock gets within spitting distance of $24 today, it'll be because of last night's report. Akamai blew away estimates in generating $206.5 million in third-quarter revenue and $0.38 in non-GAAP diluted per-share earnings. Analysts had been calling for $0.35 per share on $199.4 million in revenue.

Skeptics will rightly argue that Akamai has seen slowing growth. Revenue was up just 5% over last year's Q3, equal to last quarter's growth rate. Non-GAAP earnings were down $0.02 year over year.

So what's the good news? Margins. GAAP gross margin fell a percentage point over last year, but that's a good number when you consider how competitive the high-volume file delivery business has become. Limelight Networks (NASDAQ:LLNW), Level 3 (NASDAQ:LVLT), and others have been cutting prices, forcing Akamai to do the same or risk losing longtime customers such as Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT).

That's an issue, but it would be a bigger issue if not for Akamai's other higher-margin services. CEO Paul Sagan told me in an interview that his company's growing network -- now 56,000 servers strong -- is increasingly delivering data essential for cloud computing.

His most high-profile example: Force.com, a platform for creating Web-based software developed by salesforce.com (NYSE:CRM). Sagan told investors listening to last night's earnings conference call that the company presented at Akamai's customer conference, outlining a partnership whereby Akamai helps Force.com "deliver global performance and scale in the cloud."

That's good to hear. These are the sorts of deals we need to see more. Video and static file delivery is always going to be necessary, and Akamai will always play a role. But it isn't the future. High-performance, dynamic, browser-based cloud computing is the future. We need Akamai to deliver it.

Apple is a Motley Fool Stock Advisor selection. Microsoft is an Inside Value pick. Akamai and salesforce.com are Rule Breakers recommendations. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days.

Fool contributor Tim Beyers had stock and options positions in Apple and a stock position in Akamai at the time of publication. Check out Tim's portfolio holdings and Foolish writings, or connect with him on Twitter as @milehighfool. The Motley Fool is also on Twitter as @TheMotleyFool. The Fool's disclosure policy is sipping a nice cup of coffee on a cold day.

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Stocks Mentioned

Akamai Technologies, Inc. Stock Quote
Akamai Technologies, Inc.
AKAM
$81.11 (-1.19%) $0.98
Microsoft Corporation Stock Quote
Microsoft Corporation
MSFT
$237.92 (-1.27%) $-3.06
Apple Inc. Stock Quote
Apple Inc.
AAPL
$150.43 (-1.51%) $-2.31
Salesforce, Inc. Stock Quote
Salesforce, Inc.
CRM
$147.01 (-2.09%) $-3.14
Level 3 Communications, Inc. Stock Quote
Level 3 Communications, Inc.
LVLT
Edgio, Inc. Stock Quote
Edgio, Inc.
EGIO
$2.69 (-5.94%) $0.17

*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.

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