High research spending keeps Intel on top

Article Excerpt

INTEL CORP. $16 (Nasdaq symbol INTC; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 5.6 billion; Market cap: $89.6 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.6; WSSF Rating: Above Average) is the world’s largest maker of computer chips, with about 80% of the market. Computer makers Dell and Hewlett-Packard are Intel’s main customers, and accounted for 38% of its 2008 revenue. The recession has hurt computer sales. This, in turn, has lowered demand for Intel’s chips. Moreover, customers are switching to cheaper computers, including “netbooks,” which are smaller than traditional laptops and have less-powerful processors. Intel earns smaller profits on chips for netbook computers than from regular desktops and laptops. Sales, earnings still below 2005 highs Intel’s sales rose from $34.2 billion in 2004 to a record $38.8 billion in 2005. The company’s sales have yet to surpass that peak, but got as high as $38.3 billion in 2007. The recession cut its 2008 sales to $37.6 billion. Earnings rose from $1.16 a share (or…