Is Autodesk a Stock for the Long Haul?

Autodesk (NASDAQ: ADSK) offers high-margin software that designers and architects depend on. The market recognizes Autodesk's long history of stellar performance: It trades at 42 times trailing-12-month operating cash flow and 17 times trailing-12-month sales, roughly triple its multiples from five years ago. While this valuation seems alarming at first glance, it's rarely the wrong time to buy the right business -- and Autodesk is just that.

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Though Autodesk doesn't look cheap, it offers a service that is core to its customers' day-to-day operations. Architects, engineers, construction workers, interior designers, and many more rely on Autodesk's systems to get their daily work done. Autodesk provides the industry standard for computer-aided design (CAD) programs, essential for AEC businesses to virtually design and test the real-world applications of their own projects. It offers a comprehensive yet easy-to-use suite of software programs to enable these industries to function efficiently.

Source Fool.com