List
Cash-rich fortresses
Companies with more cash than debt can survive recessions, keep investing when rivals cut back, and pick up bargains. They're the ones you worry about least in a crash.
7 companies
from 73 large US companies| Company | Why it's here | Size | Quality | Health | Return on capital | Growth | vs usual price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMZN Amazon | $54.6bn net cash · F-score 6 | $2.67tn | 4/7 | 6 | 17.6% | 21.0% | +1269% |
| MU Micron | $38.3bn net cash · F-score 8 | $1.03tn | 3/6 | 8 | 21.7% | 26.8% | – |
| MSFT Microsoft | $36.5bn net cash · F-score 6 | $3.88tn | 6/7 | 6 | 44.0% | 13.8% | – |
| COST Costco | $15.1bn net cash · F-score 6 | $446bn | 7/7 | 6 | 38.7% | 9.8% | – |
| AMD AMD | $7.3bn net cash · F-score 8 | $870bn | 2/6 | 8 | 17.3% | 24.1% | – |
| AMAT Applied Materials | $2.1bn net cash · F-score 6 | $304bn | 6/7 | 6 | 43.4% | 11.4% | – |
| ADBE Adobe | $0.4bn net cash · F-score 7 | $103bn | 6/7 | 7 | 45.9% | 17.4% | – |
The rules
Cash and short-term investments above total debt, Altman Z-score in the safe zone, and a Piotroski F-score of 6+. Banks and insurers are excluded. Sorted by net cash.
Keep in mind: Too much idle cash can also mean management has run out of good ideas. Being on a list is not a recommendation.
Other lists: Dividend growers · Quality compounders · Cheaper than usual · Biggest cash returns