Framework Journal · one stock, one dated entry

Recorded 2026-07-19 · Permanent

MaxLinear, Inc. logoMaxLinear, Inc. MXL

Clears both ethical standards

An entry written while the outcome is still unknown. It will be scored by what the market does next, and it will never be edited to look cleverer than it was.

In plain words · MaxLinear, Inc.

The label
Distribution

read at $71.84

MaxLinear, Inc. holds its Distribution at $71.84.

PHINPOOPSC
  • PHPhase · the trend structure carries the Distribution label
  • INInsiders · no filings inside 60 days, left as found
  • POPositioning · no disclosures inside 60 days, left as found
  • OPOptions · no verdict drawn today, left as found
  • SCScreen · passes the values gate
  • edge confirmed
  • edge broken
  • edge forming

Each arm is one independent read. Conviction is not a single call, it is how many edges converge.

The investor read · the season, not the day

As held on the ledger · 2026-07-19
PhaseDistribution · caution
Quantitative stateThe statistical read favours the sellers, held for 3 days
Price$71.84
ValuationN/A trailing · 37.70 forward price to earnings
Values screenPASS · score 70.0
Beta3.93

The opportunity · what the numbers say it is worth

Read at
$71.84
N/A P/E · 37.70 fwd
Our fair value
$38.05
47% premium
Analyst target (avg)
$60.00
-16% to current
Target low $40.00Analyst target rangeTarget high $125.00
▲ current $71.84 · | average target

Price history & projections · where it has been, where the models see it going

$134$69$4TODAY5y agoPROJECTIONAnalyst high$125.00 +73%Analyst avg$60.00 -17%Our fair value$38.05 -47%Conservative$36.00 -50%

The valuation journey · where the price sits against fair value and the Street

Current
$71.84
you are here
Conservative
$36.00
-50%
Analyst avg
$60.00
-16%
Our fair value
$38.05
-47%
Analyst high
$125.00
+74%

Green marks levels above today's price, red below; the shaded band is the gap between the price and our fair value.

Reading the gap · Both our model and the Street see limited upside at this price.

Revenue growth43.00%
Profit margin-25.96%
Debt to equity33.29
Analyst consensusBuy · 11 covering

Fair value and rating are our own model estimates; target range reflects third-party analyst estimates. Analysis, not advice.

The values screen, explained · five checks, plain English

This company clears both standards. There are two widely recognised ways to check whether a company is suitable for a Muslim investor. Here is how it did on each:

The common standard · AAOIFI
Used by most halal investing apps
✓ PASSES
Our stricter standard · asset-based
The one Titan applies
✓ PASSES

What these two standards are, and how they differ →

  • Business activity Its core business isn't built on prohibited lines — no gambling, alcohol, tobacco, weapons, or interest-based lending. Pass
  • Debt load Interest-bearing debt is of its assets, above the one-third ceiling the screen allows. Fail
  • Interest-bearing cash Interest-bearing cash and securities are of assets, above the one-third limit. Fail
  • Receivables Money owed to the company is of assets, above the 49% limit. Fail
  • Revenue purity Only 0.0% of revenue comes from non-compliant sources — under the 5% line. Pass

Every security is read against two recognised standards: our stricter asset-based screen (ratios measured against total assets) and the more widely used market-value standard (measured against market capitalisation). Where they agree we say so plainly; where they part ways — almost always on the debt check — we show both readings and mark it, because that disagreement is the finding, not a fault. We report the score; you and your scholar make the call.

The business, in plain words · what the numbers mean

Chip maker priced for growth it cannot keep

Picture a factory running flat out on one big order. When the order stops, the machines keep costing money. MaxLinear sits in that spot right now. Revenue is up 43 percent, yet the company reports a 26 percent profit margin and negative 28 percent return on equity. At 37.7 times forward earnings the shares trade well above our fair value of 38.05 dollars against a current price of 71.84 dollars, a 47 percent gap that leaves no margin of safety.

We pass because the numbers do not support the price. This is a cyclical semiconductor business where peak earnings often arrive just before demand falls away. A low multiple can signal a bargain, yet a high multiple on still-loss-making results simply signals hope. Analyst targets sit at 60 dollars, but history shows these cycles reset faster than forecasts adjust.

The ethical screen clears, which removes one usual objection. Currency swings, customer concentration and sudden inventory corrections remain live threats that could widen the gap between price and value further. Analysis, not advice.

The fundamentals · plain-English read
Forward P/E37.7x
fairly priced for its growth rate
Revenue growth43.0%
growing very fast
Profit margin-26.0%
currently unprofitable
Return on equity-27.9%
not currently earning a positive return on equity
Debt to equity0.33
minimal debt — a conservative balance sheet
Current ratio1.70
healthy short-term liquidity
Beta3.93
much more volatile than the market
Market cap$6.4B
Employees1,115

The risks · The things to watch: it already moves more than the market on an average day.

Plain-English interpretation of our own screen data. Analysis, not advice.

Related securities · others in MXL's space worth a look

Screened names in the same industry · explore each on its own page.

Where & how to trade · wherever in the world you are

MXL trades on Nasdaq. As a US-listed security it is accessible through almost any international broker offering US markets. New to this, or investing from outside the US? Our guide to accessing global markets covers brokers, currencies and the practical steps.

The trader read · the latest dated commentary

The framework reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen. The risk-adjusted return profile shows excellent risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B. Technically it is holding around 282% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading bullish. Over the past year the shares are up 474%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 44%. The street (11 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $58. Entered 2026-07-18 · Markup

The dated journal · newest first, never edited

2026-07-18 Markup $84.46 +0.0% Entry 3

The framework reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen. The risk-adjusted return profile shows excellent risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B. Technically it is holding around 282% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading bullish. Over the past year the shares are up 474%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 44%. The street (11 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $58.

2026-07-03 Markup $84.46 +0.0% Entry 2

The framework reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen (70). The risk-adjusted return profile shows excellent risk-adjusted returns.

2026-07-02 Markup $84.46 Entry 1

The framework reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen (70). The risk-adjusted return profile shows excellent risk-adjusted returns.

Each entry above was written on its date, before the outcome. A journal you can prune is not a journal.

What holding actually paid · price plus dividends

If $1,000 had been placed · historical, not a promise
PeriodPrice thenPrice returnDivs per share$1,000 becameTotal return
1 month $102.27 -29.4% · $706 -29.4%
2 months $20.69 +248.9% · $3,489 +248.9%
3 months $16.50 +337.6% · $4,376 +337.6%
6 months $18.57 +288.8% · $3,888 +288.8%
1 year $12.57 +474.3% · $5,743 +474.3%
2 years $17.02 +324.2% · $4,242 +324.2%
3 years $29.13 +147.8% · $2,478 +147.8%
5 years $39.85 +81.2% · $1,812 +81.2%

Historical returns from market close data. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

This entry now belongs to the ledger. Whatever MXL does next, these words stay.

MaxLinear, Inc. · MXL · Distribution · $71.84
Recorded 2026-07-19 · before the outcome · scored mechanically

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