"Twilio went public in June 2016 as a developer-focused cloud communications platform. It rode the COVID-era software boom to stratospheric heights before crashing back. Today it has reinvented itself as artificial intelligence infrastructure for autonomous customer engagement agents, with FY2025 free cash flow of $945.4 million and over 400,000 active customer accounts."
"US Foods has been the quiet compounder. The second-largest broadline food distributor in the United States had its initial public offer in May 2016 and has spent a decade grinding out margin expansion, posting record adjusted EBITDA of $1.9 billion in FY2025."
"The S&P 500 returned 228.92% over its standard 10-year window. Twilio and Red Rock both cleared that bar. US Foods came close. Nutanix and Valvoline fell well short."
Five companies that went public in 2016 followed distinctly different trajectories over the subsequent decade. Twilio transformed from a developer communications platform into an AI infrastructure company, achieving $945.4 million in free cash flow despite volatile stock performance. US Foods quietly compounded returns through consistent margin expansion and record EBITDA. Nutanix struggled through a painful transition from hardware appliances to software subscriptions. Valvoline repositioned as a pure-play quick-lube operator with 2,400 locations but failed to reward investors substantially. Red Rock Resorts capitalized on Las Vegas growth, opening new properties and distributing special dividends. Twilio and Red Rock exceeded the S&P 500's 228.92% return, US Foods approached it, while Nutanix and Valvoline significantly lagged.
Read at 24/7 Wall St.
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