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How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank is a proprietary stock-rating model that harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to help investors build a successful portfolio.
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With more than 800 top-rated stocks to choose from, it can certainly feel overwhelming to pick the ones that are right for you and your investing journey.
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You want to make sure you're buying stocks with the highest likelihood of success, and to do that, you'll need to pick stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you like a stock that only has a #3 (Hold) rank, it should also have Scores of A or B to guarantee as much upside potential as possible.
Since the Scores were created to work together with the Zacks Rank, the direction of a stock's earnings estimate revisions should be a key factor when choosing which stocks to buy.
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Stock to Watch: Microsoft (MSFT - Free Report) Redmond, WA-based Microsoft Corporation is one of the largest broad-based technology providers in the world. The company holds the leading position in the PC software market with its Windows operating system.
MSFT is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.
Momentum investors should take note of this Computer and Technology stock. MSFT has a Momentum Style Score of A, and shares are up 7.1% over the past four weeks.
For fiscal 2027, three analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.04 to $19.65 per share. MSFT boasts an average earnings surprise of +9.3%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Momentum and VGM Style Scores, MSFT should be on investors' short list.
Microsoft reportedly ended its agreement for an Nscale data center in Essex. Summary
Nscale says its broader relationship with Microsoft remains intact.
Microsoft Corp. (MSFT, Financials), the software and cloud giant, has allegedly withdrawn from a U.K. data center project, as power delays rendered the facility increasingly difficult to construct.
British cloud provider Nscale was developing the project in Loughton, Essex. The problem stated wasn't a demand. It felt electrifying.
National grid experts warned nscale the facility might not be powered until the 2030s, the timeframe no longer worked for Microsoft, the article said.
The issue is part of a larger grid fault in the London area and does not impact our other contracts with Microsoft, Nscale added. That makes a difference.
The article is as much about the difficulty of securing the physical infrastructure that such investment requires as it is about Microsoft cutting AI spending.
Power, land and grid connection are rapidly becoming restrictions, beyond chips and money.
Timing is especially crucial for Nscale, which has Microsoft and Anthropic as significant clients and filed for a U.S. IPO last month with backing from Nvidia.
Next to monitor will be whether Nscale finds an alternate power supply or substitutes another U.K. location for the project.
Disclosures I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and have no plans to buy any new positions in the stocks mentioned within the next 72 hours.
Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
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Microsoft Corp. NASDAQ: MSFT wants to stop renting its AI future from NVIDIA Corp. NASDAQ: NVDA. Its new Maia 300 chip is a clear sign and a potential catalyst ahead of earnings.
Microsoft plans to deploy Maia chips at a multi-gigawatt scale starting in 2027. It expects Maia 300 to deliver 40% more tokens per megawatt than leading GPU-based systems.
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More importantly, Microsoft says Maia will become the primary inference hardware for Microsoft’s own products. That speaks to the question hanging over every AI stock: Is this a bubble?
The bear case is simple. Generative AI is becoming a commodity. Chatbots are interchangeable, and token prices keep falling. Agentic AI may follow the same path. If the product is a commodity, why spend hundreds of billions on data centers?
Falling token prices don't necessarily mean weaker demand. Cheaper tokens can encourage more AI use, especially as agents take on increasingly complex tasks. Commodity markets don’t punish everyone equally, though. They reward the low-cost producer. Maia 300 is Microsoft’s attempt to become that producer.
Investors will get a fresh read on the strategy soon. Microsoft is estimated to report first-quarter fiscal year 2027 (FY2027) results after the close on Wednesday, Oct. 28.
Maia 300 Targets the Real Constraint: PowerElectricity availability is becoming a major constraint on data center growth, even as demand increases. That makes tokens per megawatt an important measure of efficiency.
Maia 300's compute chiplets are built on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company’s NYSE: TSM N2P process, and the chip includes eight stacks of HBM4 memory. A full rack holds 96 chips. Microsoft says that a full rack delivers up to seven times the token throughput of a Maia 200 rack.
The chip targets long-context reasoning and multi-step agentic tasks. In other words, it was built for the workloads driving demand today.
Greater efficiency could allow Microsoft to process more AI workloads without a proportional increase in power consumption, potentially improving margins as usage grows.
The scale is meaningful, too. Reuters, citing The Information, reported that Microsoft ultimately aimed to secure manufacturing capacity for more than one million Maia 300 chips, although the company has not confirmed production targets. Microsoft plans to discuss its broader AI strategy at its Ignite conference in November.
Beyond Maia: Physical AI Is a Future CatalystPhysical AI, especially humanoid robots, is a later catalyst. Counterpoint expects global humanoid shipments to top 50,000 units in 2026. That’s small next to agentic demand. But as adoption grows, robotics could create another source of demand for cloud-based AI services.
Microsoft won’t build robots. Instead, it’s positioning itself as the platform that trains, hosts and manages them. In January, Microsoft Research unveiled Rho-alpha, a robotics model that translates natural-language commands into robotic movements and incorporates tactile sensing. Microsoft plans to offer it through its Foundry platform.
The company also partnered with Hexagon Robotics in January to develop industrial humanoid applications, targeting automotive, aerospace, manufacturing, and logistics customers. Azure supports the cloud infrastructure behind that effort.
Here’s the link to Maia. Robot training and simulation already use cloud computing, while some inference happens on the robot itself. However, Microsoft is also exploring ways to shift inference workloads to edge and cloud infrastructure. If that approach gains traction, Maia's efficiency improvements could eventually help Microsoft serve those workloads at a lower cost.
Microsoft has not announced plans to use Maia for robotics, so the connection remains a possibility rather than an established use case. None of this will show up in the upcoming results. It’s optionality. But it gives Microsoft a potential second demand curve after AI agents.
Microsoft Stock Nears Highs as Analysts See More UpsideMicrosoft’s chart shows MSFT in recovery mode. Shares rebounded from a midyear low and moved higher following the company's fiscal fourth-quarter earnings beat. After a strong rally in recent months, MSFT is trading near its 52-week high.
Momentum is constructive but not stretched. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) remains below overbought territory, while the MACD line remains above its signal line. Volume on the recent climb is lighter than during the August breakout. That’s worth watching into earnings.
Analysts remain supportive. MarketBeat-tracked analysts give MSFT a Moderate Buy consensus rating and an average price target of approximately $590, suggesting additional upside from recent levels.
What Investors Should Watch in Microsoft's Upcoming EarningsAnalysts expect earnings per share (EPS) of about $4.72 on revenue of $90.6 billion. Last quarter, Microsoft posted adjusted EPS of $4.74, beating the $4.24 estimate.
Azure growth will get most of the attention. Listen closely to the capital expenditure commentary, too. While Maia 300 won't begin deployment until 2027, it could eventually help Microsoft manage the costs of its expanding AI infrastructure. For now, investors will be looking for signs that Azure growth and profitability can justify the company's substantial spending.
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Cetera Trust Company N.A bought a new position in shares of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report) during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund bought 13,170 shares of the software giant’s stock, valued at approximately $4,913,000. Microsoft accounts for about 2.5% of Cetera Trust Company N.A’s portfolio, making the stock its 5th biggest holding.
Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Auto Owners Insurance Co lifted its position in Microsoft by 56,160.8% in the fourth quarter. Auto Owners Insurance Co now owns 60,116,384 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $29,073,486,000 after purchasing an additional 60,009,531 shares during the period. Amundi raised its stake in shares of Microsoft by 30.8% in the 1st quarter. Amundi now owns 41,675,076 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $15,426,862,000 after buying an additional 9,814,598 shares in the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its stake in shares of Microsoft by 10.5% in the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 29,323,744 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $10,852,884,000 after buying an additional 2,784,809 shares in the last quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership raised its stake in shares of Microsoft by 64.3% in the 1st quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 24,264,779 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $8,982,083,000 after buying an additional 9,493,778 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Hsbc Holdings PLC lifted its holdings in shares of Microsoft by 7.8% during the 4th quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 22,138,798 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $10,715,379,000 after acquiring an additional 1,599,412 shares during the period. 71.13% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several brokerages have recently weighed in on MSFT. Guggenheim reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $586.00 target price on shares of Microsoft in a research report on Monday, July 27th. BMO Capital Markets started coverage on shares of Microsoft in a research note on Monday, October 5th. They issued an “outperform” rating on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Microsoft in a research report on Monday, September 28th. Cantor Fitzgerald raised their price target on shares of Microsoft from $522.00 to $608.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, September 21st. Finally, DA Davidson restated a “buy” rating and set a $550.00 price target on shares of Microsoft in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. Forty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Microsoft presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $589.71.
Get Our Latest Research Report on MSFT Insider Activity In other Microsoft news, EVP Takeshi Numoto sold 4,810 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $496.48, for a total value of $2,388,068.80. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 42,677 shares in the company, valued at $21,188,276.96. The trade was a 10.13% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CEO Satya Nadella sold 86,525 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $501.46, for a total transaction of $43,388,826.50. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 486,763 shares in the company, valued at $244,092,173.98. This represents a 15.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold 150,314 shares of company stock valued at $75,404,992 in the last ninety days. 0.03% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.
Key Stories Impacting Microsoft Here are the key news stories impacting Microsoft this week:
Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect Microsoft to remain the only major hyperscaler with positive free cash flow over the next year despite heavy AI investment. This reinforces confidence that the company can fund data-center expansion without substantial external financing. Microsoft Free Cash Flow Expected to Remain Positive Positive Sentiment: Microsoft signed a 20-year agreement with NiSource for approximately 1,100 megawatts of power for an Indiana data-center campus beginning in 2028. Securing electricity supports future Azure capacity as grid constraints become a bottleneck for AI expansion. Microsoft Signs Power Deal With NiSource Positive Sentiment: Microsoft’s custom Maia AI chips and reports that a new model achieved comparable or better performance than OpenAI’s system using a fraction of the computing power could eventually reduce reliance on expensive third-party GPUs and improve AI economics. Microsoft Wants to Make AI Cheaper Neutral Sentiment: Investors are focused on Azure growth, Copilot adoption, AI monetization and capital expenditures ahead of earnings. Strong demand could support the shares, but the market wants evidence that revenue growth is translating into sustainable margins. Negative Sentiment: The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority is investigating Microsoft’s grip on business software and says Microsoft and Amazon Web Services may need to do more to address cloud-service barriers. Potential remedies could increase compliance costs or weaken customer-lock-in advantages. UK Regulator Targets Microsoft’s Business Software Grip Negative Sentiment: Questions remain over whether custom chips will deliver meaningful savings: AI infrastructure, power and data-center commitments are rising rapidly, while Microsoft is reportedly seeking substantial cost reductions in Azure. That creates concern about near-term free-cash-flow and margin pressure. Microsoft Price Performance Shares of NASDAQ MSFT opened at $529.05 on Monday. The stock has a market cap of $3.93 trillion, a PE ratio of 29.46, a PEG ratio of 1.70 and a beta of 1.10. The business has a fifty day moving average of $505.53 and a two-hundred day moving average of $441.16. Microsoft Corporation has a 52-week low of $349.20 and a 52-week high of $553.72. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07, a quick ratio of 1.22 and a current ratio of 1.23.
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT – Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The software giant reported $4.74 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.24 by $0.50. Microsoft had a net margin of 40.31% and a return on equity of 31.98%. The company had revenue of $90.01 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $87.62 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $3.65 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 17.7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Microsoft Corporation will post 19.65 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Microsoft Increases Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Investors of record on Thursday, November 19th will be issued a dividend of $0.98 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, November 19th. This represents a $3.92 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.7%. This is an increase from Microsoft’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.91. Microsoft’s payout ratio is 20.27%.
Microsoft Profile (Free Report)
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is a global technology company that develops software, cloud services, devices and digital platforms. Its products and services are used by consumers, businesses, governments and educational institutions worldwide.
The company’s principal offerings include the Windows operating system; Microsoft 365 productivity applications such as Word, Excel, Teams and Outlook; Azure cloud computing and infrastructure services; Dynamics business applications; and enterprise security solutions.
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Volatility gripped the stock market last week amid concerns about the sustainability of the artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure spending boom. The S&P 500 experienced a modest decline, but it continues to trade at a historically expensive valuation, so strong corporate earnings will be necessary to keep this bull market going.
As a result, all eyes are on the current reporting season. Microsoft (MSFT -1.93%) will release its operating results for its fiscal 2027 first quarter (ended Sept. 30) on Oct. 28, and Wall Street will be squarely focused on the Azure cloud platform and Copilot virtual assistant, which are central to the company's AI strategy.
Microsoft stock is attractively valued heading into the report, so here's why I predict it will climb in the weeks and months that follow.
Image source: Getty Images.
Positioned to lead the enterprise AI race
AI is a powerful tool in an enterprise because it can dramatically improve productivity by automating tasks, analyzing large volumes of data, and even generating content like images and computer code. Microsoft is helping businesses tap into the power of AI through Copilot and Azure, and both represent enormous opportunities for the company.
The Copilot assistant is embedded in Microsoft's legacy software products like Windows and Edge for free. But enterprises can also add it to the 365 productivity suite (which includes Word and Excel) for an additional monthly subscription fee. As of June 30, organizations worldwide were paying for 30 million Copilot licenses for 365, a staggering 50% increase from just three months earlier.
However, organizations pay for more than 400 million 365 licenses for their employees, so Copilot adoption is still in the very early stages. Investors should keep an eye out for some updated numbers on Oct. 28.
MSFT Microsoft$529.05-$10.39 (-1.93%)
NASDAQ · As of 4:00 PM ET 10/16/26
Then there is the Azure cloud platform, which provides every tool enterprises need to deploy AI software applications. That includes computing capacity from specialized data centers, more than 11,000 ready-made foundation models, and a platform called Foundry where they can design and manage custom AI agents.
Microsoft built 88 new data centers during fiscal 2026 as part of a two-year plan to double its global infrastructure footprint. This will help Azure convert its enormous $678 billion in remaining performance obligations (RPO) into revenue, which effectively represents the platform's order backlog from customers who are waiting for more infrastructure to come online.
Azure's revenue growth accelerated to 43% in the final quarter of fiscal 2026, so the platform was carrying significant momentum into the fiscal 2027 first-quarter earnings report. A further acceleration will be very bullish for Microsoft stock, but so will growth in the company's RPO, because it can be a good indicator of future revenue.
Microsoft stock could soar after Oct. 28, but there is one caveat
Based on Microsoft's fiscal 2026 earnings of $17.95 per share, its stock is trading at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 30.1, which is a discount to its five-year average of 32. Plus, the stock has a forward P/E of 27.3 based on Wall Street's average fiscal 2027 earnings estimate of $19.78 per share (provided by Yahoo! Finance), leaving even more room for potential upside.
MSFT PE Ratio data by YCharts
Nevertheless, the AI industry faces increasing doubts right now that could jeopardize Microsoft's ability to actually deliver on Wall Street's fiscal 2027 earnings estimate. Labs like OpenAI and Anthropic are facing questions about their valuations and growth rates, which could reduce their ability to raise more money from investors. Moreover, neocloud companies like CoreWeave are dealing with a surge in borrowing costs on concerns they won't be able to deliver on their lofty future projections, which could weigh on the stock market overall.
OpenAI has committed to spend more than $300 billion on Microsoft Azure's cloud services during the next few years, but it doesn't actually have that money today. OpenAI will have to increase its revenue significantly and also raise more money to meet all of its commitments, so if it fails on either front, Microsoft's RPO could take a hit.
For all of those reasons, the first-quarter earnings report is likely to set the tone for Microsoft stock for at least the next few months. I think there could be upside ahead based on its attractive valuation, and the sheer size of its RPO –- even if we exclude OpenAI's contribution entirely, Azure is still likely to be backlogged for the next couple of years. However, investors might want to manage their risk by using a small position size given the uncertain environment.
Microsoft has pulled out of a major data centre agreement with Australian-founded AI infrastructure company Nscale, highlighting growing concerns that the global artificial intelligence boom is running ahead of the electricity networks needed to support it.
Nscale confirmed Microsoft had withdrawn as anchor customer from its planned Loughton data centre in Essex, where the technology giant had been expected to rent computing infrastructure built around about 23,000 Nvidia processors.
The project had been positioned as one of the UK’s largest new AI computing developments, with initial capacity of around 50 megawatts and plans to expand further.
The setback comes at a sensitive time for Nscale, which was founded by Australian entrepreneur and former coal miner Josh Payne and is preparing for a potential New York listing reportedly targeting a valuation of around US$35 billion.
Grid connection becomes major obstacle The immediate problem appears to be electricity. The Loughton site has faced uncertainty over when sufficient grid capacity will become available, with reports suggesting a full connection may not be possible until the 2030s.
Nscale says its wider relationship with Microsoft remains strong and that other agreements between the companies are unaffected.
The company is now exploring alternative sources of power for the Loughton site as well as other potential development locations.
The episode illustrates one of the biggest constraints emerging across the global AI industry.
Data centre developers can secure land, finance and expensive Nvidia chips, but none of those assets are useful without enormous quantities of reliable electricity.
IPO comes under pressure The Microsoft withdrawal could also complicate Nscale’s proposed US initial public offering.
Microsoft and Anthropic represent the majority of Nscale’s contracted business, leaving investors closely focused on customer concentration and the company’s ability to deliver infrastructure on schedule.
Nscale has grown rapidly, with contracted value rising above US$100 billion in little more than two years, but much of that revenue depends on large data centres still being built.
The market has recently become more cautious towards that model.
Firmus abandoned its proposed Australian IPO this month after investors pushed back against its valuation, while shares and bonds linked to other AI infrastructure companies have also come under pressure.
AI infrastructure hits physical limits The broader concern is increasingly relevant to Australia.
Australian governments are trying to attract billions of dollars of AI data centre investment, but similar constraints are already emerging around electricity transmission, water and connection timelines.
Sydney’s grid is approaching capacity in some areas, while governments are increasingly requiring developers to fund their own power connections and new generation.
The Nscale setback therefore provides a warning for the wider industry.
The next phase of the AI race may not be decided by which company can buy the most advanced chips, but by which markets can provide enough electricity to switch them on.
Artificial intelligence (AI) stocks are having a rough time lately as some investors question the high costs of building data center infrastructure. And it likely won't slow down any time soon. Estimates from S&P Global show that AI infrastructure spending could surpass $1.3 trillion globally next year.
And investors are increasingly concerned that spending all of this spending may not turn into significant sales or earnings for the leading AI companies.
But Microsoft (MSFT -1.93%) is bucking the downward trend. Its shares have gained around 8% over the past month on optimism about its Azure cloud computing growth and its latest Copilot AI update.
Here's why investors are right to be optimistic about Microsoft's long-term AI prospects.
Image source: The Motley Fool.
Azure growth proves Microsoft's AI investments are working Microsoft reported its Q4 fiscal 2026 results in July and said at the time that "Customer demand continues to exceed available capacity" for its Azure cloud services.
The surge in demand for Azure services was driven by customers needing more AI capacity, resulting in Azure cloud revenue surpassing $100 billion for the first time -- a 41% increase from the previous year.
Microsoft's Intelligent Cloud revenue, which includes Azure, accounts for about 44% of the company's total revenue. So a significant increase in Azure sales is an important indicator that the company is making the right moves to tap into the rising demand for AI cloud services.
That's important for two reasons. The first is that the AI cloud market will accelerate, reaching an estimated $2 trillion globally by 2030. Microsoft's Azure is already a leading player, holding the second-largest global cloud market share at 21%.
Second, it shows that Microsoft's big AI investments are paying off. The company will spend about $175 billion this year on capital expenditures, most of it on AI infrastructure.
That's a huge sum of money, but Azure's rising sales and the $100 billion in annual revenue show that, at least so far, it's been money well spent. And management estimates that Azure revenue will increase by 45% in fiscal 2027, which should put to rest any worries investors have about Microsoft's ability to continue converting AI investment into sales.
MSFT Microsoft$529.05-$10.39 (-1.93%)
NASDAQ · As of 4:00 PM ET 10/16/26
Copilot proves Microsoft can still adapt to new software trends Azure may make the headlines for Microsoft these days, but the company's software moves are also a big part of its AI strategy.
Microsoft's new Copilot app can run on a desktop, similar to Anthropic's Claude, and help users code, has more workplace integrations, and completes some tasks autonomously. Microsoft wants it to be the new "OS for work," and its long-standing appeal to enterprise users means it has a good chance of benefiting from this space for years to come.
Even before the new Copilot version launched, the app had 30 million paid subscribers, a 50% jump from just a few months prior.
All of this matters because enterprise companies are increasingly shifting their focus from traditional software to AI capabilities. Research firm Gartner said recently that companies no longer want new features; they want "better outcomes" from AI. With Microsoft's new Copilot, the company is leaning into that sentiment by putting AI at the core of its products.
With its current trajectory, Microsoft could likely double its paid Copilot seats by the end of fiscal 2027.
A great long-term AI play With Microsoft's emphasis on AI enterprise software and its expanding Azure sales, the company is well-positioned to continue tapping into AI over the long term.
And considering that its shares have a trailing price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of just 27 -- compared to the tech sector average P/E ratio of 33 -- Microsoft stock also looks like a relatively good deal right now.
Ames National Corp bought a new position in shares of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report) in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm bought 15,736 shares of the software giant’s stock, valued at approximately $5,870,000. Microsoft accounts for 3.2% of Ames National Corp’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 7th biggest position.
A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in MSFT. Strategic Wealth Advisors LLC grew its stake in Microsoft by 1.7% in the 2nd quarter. Strategic Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,473 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $549,000 after buying an additional 24 shares in the last quarter. Friedenthal Financial grew its position in shares of Microsoft by 6.2% in the first quarter. Friedenthal Financial now owns 431 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $160,000 after purchasing an additional 25 shares in the last quarter. Sequent Planning LLC raised its stake in shares of Microsoft by 0.7% during the 1st quarter. Sequent Planning LLC now owns 3,733 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $1,382,000 after purchasing an additional 25 shares during the period. Lee Johnson Capital Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Microsoft by 3.8% during the 2nd quarter. Lee Johnson Capital Management LLC now owns 687 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $256,000 after purchasing an additional 25 shares during the period. Finally, Riverpoint Wealth Management Holdings LLC raised its stake in shares of Microsoft by 0.5% during the 1st quarter. Riverpoint Wealth Management Holdings LLC now owns 5,543 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $2,052,000 after purchasing an additional 26 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 71.13% of the company’s stock.
Key Stories Impacting Microsoft Here are the key news stories impacting Microsoft this week:
Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect Microsoft to remain the only major hyperscaler with positive free cash flow over the next year despite heavy AI investment. This reinforces confidence that the company can fund data-center expansion without substantial external financing. Microsoft Free Cash Flow Expected to Remain Positive Positive Sentiment: Microsoft signed a 20-year agreement with NiSource for approximately 1,100 megawatts of power for an Indiana data-center campus beginning in 2028. Securing electricity supports future Azure capacity as grid constraints become a bottleneck for AI expansion. Microsoft Signs Power Deal With NiSource Positive Sentiment: Microsoft’s custom Maia AI chips and reports that a new model achieved comparable or better performance than OpenAI’s system using a fraction of the computing power could eventually reduce reliance on expensive third-party GPUs and improve AI economics. Microsoft Wants to Make AI Cheaper Neutral Sentiment: Investors are focused on Azure growth, Copilot adoption, AI monetization and capital expenditures ahead of earnings. Strong demand could support the shares, but the market wants evidence that revenue growth is translating into sustainable margins. Negative Sentiment: The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority is investigating Microsoft’s grip on business software and says Microsoft and Amazon Web Services may need to do more to address cloud-service barriers. Potential remedies could increase compliance costs or weaken customer-lock-in advantages. UK Regulator Targets Microsoft’s Business Software Grip Negative Sentiment: Questions remain over whether custom chips will deliver meaningful savings: AI infrastructure, power and data-center commitments are rising rapidly, while Microsoft is reportedly seeking substantial cost reductions in Azure. That creates concern about near-term free-cash-flow and margin pressure. Microsoft Price Performance NASDAQ:MSFT opened at $529.05 on Friday. Microsoft Corporation has a 52-week low of $349.20 and a 52-week high of $553.72. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $505.53 and a 200 day moving average of $440.59. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07, a quick ratio of 1.22 and a current ratio of 1.23. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.93 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.46, a P/E/G ratio of 1.70 and a beta of 1.10. Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT – Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The software giant reported $4.74 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.24 by $0.50. Microsoft had a return on equity of 31.98% and a net margin of 40.31%. The business had revenue of $90.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $87.62 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $3.65 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 17.7% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts expect that Microsoft Corporation will post 19.65 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Microsoft Increases Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Investors of record on Thursday, November 19th will be given a $0.98 dividend. This represents a $3.92 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.7%. This is a positive change from Microsoft’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.91. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, November 19th. Microsoft’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 20.27%.
Analyst Ratings Changes A number of analysts recently issued reports on MSFT shares. Melius Research set a $665.00 price objective on Microsoft and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, October 5th. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their target price on Microsoft from $575.00 to $650.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday. William Blair started coverage on Microsoft in a report on Monday, October 5th. They set an “outperform” rating for the company. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on Microsoft from $700.00 to $725.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 1st. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus raised shares of Microsoft from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and increased their price target for the stock from $530.00 to $575.00 in a report on Tuesday, September 22nd. Forty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $589.71.
View Our Latest Analysis on Microsoft
Insider Activity at Microsoft In related news, EVP Amy Hood sold 41,674 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, September 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $498.27, for a total value of $20,764,903.98. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 533,624 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $265,888,830.48. This trade represents a 7.24% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO Judson Althoff sold 10,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $487.89, for a total transaction of $4,878,900.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 100,447 shares in the company, valued at $49,007,086.83. This represents a 9.05% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold a total of 150,314 shares of company stock valued at $75,404,992 in the last ninety days. 0.03% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.
Microsoft Company Profile (Free Report)
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is a global technology company that develops software, cloud services, devices and digital platforms. Its products and services are used by consumers, businesses, governments and educational institutions worldwide.
The company’s principal offerings include the Windows operating system; Microsoft 365 productivity applications such as Word, Excel, Teams and Outlook; Azure cloud computing and infrastructure services; Dynamics business applications; and enterprise security solutions.
Read More Five stocks we like better than Microsoft Rocket Lab’s Neutron Delay Leaves Wall Street Bullish But Raises the Stakes for 2027 ManpowerGroup Stock Sinks on Q3 Results, But Fundamentals Stay Solid Does the AI Selloff Put Alphabet’s Breakout in Doubt? Bank Earnings Are Mixed—These 2 ETFs Offer Very Different Paths to a Recovery Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MSFT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report).
Receive News & Ratings for Microsoft Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Microsoft and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
Asset One Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report) in the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund bought 96,016 shares of the software giant’s stock, valued at approximately $37,987,000. Microsoft comprises about 4.0% of Asset One Wealth Management LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 3rd largest position.
Other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Auto Owners Insurance Co grew its holdings in Microsoft by 56,160.8% during the 4th quarter. Auto Owners Insurance Co now owns 60,116,384 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $29,073,486,000 after acquiring an additional 60,009,531 shares during the period. Amundi raised its position in shares of Microsoft by 30.8% during the first quarter. Amundi now owns 41,675,076 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $15,426,862,000 after purchasing an additional 9,814,598 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its holdings in Microsoft by 10.5% during the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 29,323,744 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $10,852,884,000 after buying an additional 2,784,809 shares during the period. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership lifted its position in Microsoft by 64.3% in the 1st quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 24,264,779 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $8,982,083,000 after acquiring an additional 9,493,778 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Hsbc Holdings PLC boosted its position in shares of Microsoft by 7.8% during the fourth quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 22,138,798 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $10,715,379,000 after buying an additional 1,599,412 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 71.13% of the company’s stock.
Insider Activity In other news, EVP Amy Hood sold 41,674 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, September 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $498.27, for a total value of $20,764,903.98. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 533,624 shares in the company, valued at approximately $265,888,830.48. The trade was a 7.24% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO Satya Nadella sold 86,525 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $501.46, for a total transaction of $43,388,826.50. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 486,763 shares in the company, valued at $244,092,173.98. This trade represents a 15.09% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold a total of 150,314 shares of company stock worth $75,404,992 in the last 90 days. 0.03% of the stock is owned by company insiders.
Analyst Ratings Changes MSFT has been the subject of several recent research reports. BMO Capital Markets assumed coverage on shares of Microsoft in a report on Monday, October 5th. They set an “outperform” rating for the company. Bank of America raised their price target on Microsoft from $500.00 to $600.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, September 1st. Weiss Ratings upgraded Microsoft from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 8th. Benchmark restated a “buy” rating on shares of Microsoft in a research note on Friday, July 24th. Finally, Oppenheimer increased their price target on Microsoft from $515.00 to $570.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 22nd. Forty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $589.71. Get Our Latest Analysis on MSFT
Microsoft News Roundup Here are the key news stories impacting Microsoft this week:
Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect Microsoft to remain the only major hyperscaler with positive free cash flow over the next year despite heavy AI investment. This reinforces confidence that the company can fund data-center expansion without substantial external financing. Microsoft Free Cash Flow Expected to Remain Positive Positive Sentiment: Microsoft signed a 20-year agreement with NiSource for approximately 1,100 megawatts of power for an Indiana data-center campus beginning in 2028. Securing electricity supports future Azure capacity as grid constraints become a bottleneck for AI expansion. Microsoft Signs Power Deal With NiSource Positive Sentiment: Microsoft’s custom Maia AI chips and reports that a new model achieved comparable or better performance than OpenAI’s system using a fraction of the computing power could eventually reduce reliance on expensive third-party GPUs and improve AI economics. Microsoft Wants to Make AI Cheaper Neutral Sentiment: Investors are focused on Azure growth, Copilot adoption, AI monetization and capital expenditures ahead of earnings. Strong demand could support the shares, but the market wants evidence that revenue growth is translating into sustainable margins. Negative Sentiment: The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority is investigating Microsoft’s grip on business software and says Microsoft and Amazon Web Services may need to do more to address cloud-service barriers. Potential remedies could increase compliance costs or weaken customer-lock-in advantages. UK Regulator Targets Microsoft’s Business Software Grip Negative Sentiment: Questions remain over whether custom chips will deliver meaningful savings: AI infrastructure, power and data-center commitments are rising rapidly, while Microsoft is reportedly seeking substantial cost reductions in Azure. That creates concern about near-term free-cash-flow and margin pressure. Microsoft Stock Down 1.9% Shares of MSFT opened at $529.05 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07, a quick ratio of 1.22 and a current ratio of 1.23. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.93 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.46, a PEG ratio of 1.70 and a beta of 1.10. Microsoft Corporation has a 52 week low of $349.20 and a 52 week high of $553.72. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $505.53 and a 200-day moving average of $440.59.
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The software giant reported $4.74 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.24 by $0.50. Microsoft had a return on equity of 31.98% and a net margin of 40.31%. The company had revenue of $90.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $87.62 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $3.65 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 17.7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Microsoft Corporation will post 19.65 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Microsoft Increases Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, November 19th will be paid a $0.98 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, November 19th. This is a positive change from Microsoft’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.91. This represents a $3.92 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.7%. Microsoft’s payout ratio is currently 20.27%.
About Microsoft (Free Report)
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is a global technology company that develops software, cloud services, devices and digital platforms. Its products and services are used by consumers, businesses, governments and educational institutions worldwide.
The company’s principal offerings include the Windows operating system; Microsoft 365 productivity applications such as Word, Excel, Teams and Outlook; Azure cloud computing and infrastructure services; Dynamics business applications; and enterprise security solutions.
See Also Five stocks we like better than Microsoft Rocket Lab’s Neutron Delay Leaves Wall Street Bullish But Raises the Stakes for 2027 ManpowerGroup Stock Sinks on Q3 Results, But Fundamentals Stay Solid Does the AI Selloff Put Alphabet’s Breakout in Doubt? Bank Earnings Are Mixed—These 2 ETFs Offer Very Different Paths to a Recovery
Receive News & Ratings for Microsoft Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Microsoft and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
D.B. Root & Company LLC purchased a new position in shares of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report) in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 9,790 shares of the software giant’s stock, valued at approximately $3,652,000. Microsoft makes up 0.8% of D.B. Root & Company LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 21st biggest position.
A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in MSFT. Empirical Financial Services LLC d.b.a. Empirical Wealth Management raised its holdings in Microsoft by 4.0% during the second quarter. Empirical Financial Services LLC d.b.a. Empirical Wealth Management now owns 229,490 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $85,604,000 after acquiring an additional 8,773 shares in the last quarter. Markel Group Inc. boosted its position in Microsoft by 0.4% during the first quarter. Markel Group Inc. now owns 537,630 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $199,014,000 after purchasing an additional 1,950 shares during the last quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. grew its stake in Microsoft by 8.4% in the first quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 6,921,677 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $2,562,197,000 after purchasing an additional 537,634 shares in the last quarter. Taylor Securities Services Inc. bought a new position in Microsoft in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $2,616,000. Finally, Harel Insurance Investments & Financial Services Ltd. grew its stake in Microsoft by 138.8% in the first quarter. Harel Insurance Investments & Financial Services Ltd. now owns 1,356,359 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $502,077,000 after purchasing an additional 788,297 shares in the last quarter. 71.13% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Analysts Set New Price Targets MSFT has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Morgan Stanley cut Microsoft from an “overweight” rating to a “negative” rating in a research note on Monday, October 5th. Cantor Fitzgerald increased their price objective on Microsoft from $522.00 to $608.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, September 21st. Wolfe Research cut shares of Microsoft from an “outperform” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 23rd. BMO Capital Markets began coverage on shares of Microsoft in a report on Monday, October 5th. They set an “outperform” rating on the stock. Finally, Phillip Securities downgraded shares of Microsoft from a “moderate buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, October 12th. Forty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $589.71.
Read Our Latest Report on Microsoft Key Headlines Impacting Microsoft Here are the key news stories impacting Microsoft this week:
Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect Microsoft to remain the only major hyperscaler with positive free cash flow over the next year despite heavy AI investment. This reinforces confidence that the company can fund data-center expansion without substantial external financing. Microsoft Free Cash Flow Expected to Remain Positive Positive Sentiment: Microsoft signed a 20-year agreement with NiSource for approximately 1,100 megawatts of power for an Indiana data-center campus beginning in 2028. Securing electricity supports future Azure capacity as grid constraints become a bottleneck for AI expansion. Microsoft Signs Power Deal With NiSource Positive Sentiment: Microsoft’s custom Maia AI chips and reports that a new model achieved comparable or better performance than OpenAI’s system using a fraction of the computing power could eventually reduce reliance on expensive third-party GPUs and improve AI economics. Microsoft Wants to Make AI Cheaper Neutral Sentiment: Investors are focused on Azure growth, Copilot adoption, AI monetization and capital expenditures ahead of earnings. Strong demand could support the shares, but the market wants evidence that revenue growth is translating into sustainable margins. Negative Sentiment: The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority is investigating Microsoft’s grip on business software and says Microsoft and Amazon Web Services may need to do more to address cloud-service barriers. Potential remedies could increase compliance costs or weaken customer-lock-in advantages. UK Regulator Targets Microsoft’s Business Software Grip Negative Sentiment: Questions remain over whether custom chips will deliver meaningful savings: AI infrastructure, power and data-center commitments are rising rapidly, while Microsoft is reportedly seeking substantial cost reductions in Azure. That creates concern about near-term free-cash-flow and margin pressure. Insiders Place Their Bets In related news, EVP Amy Hood sold 7,305 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, October 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $545.42, for a total value of $3,984,293.10. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 555,396 shares in the company, valued at approximately $302,924,086.32. This represents a 1.30% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO Judson Althoff sold 10,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $487.89, for a total value of $4,878,900.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 100,447 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $49,007,086.83. This represents a 9.05% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold a total of 150,314 shares of company stock worth $75,404,992 in the last quarter. Insiders own 0.03% of the company’s stock.
Microsoft Price Performance NASDAQ:MSFT opened at $529.05 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.22, a current ratio of 1.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $505.53 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $440.59. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.93 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.46, a P/E/G ratio of 1.70 and a beta of 1.10. Microsoft Corporation has a 12-month low of $349.20 and a 12-month high of $553.72.
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 29th. The software giant reported $4.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.24 by $0.50. Microsoft had a return on equity of 31.98% and a net margin of 40.31%. The company had revenue of $90.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $87.62 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $3.65 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 17.7% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts anticipate that Microsoft Corporation will post 19.65 earnings per share for the current year.
Microsoft Increases Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Investors of record on Thursday, November 19th will be paid a $0.98 dividend. This is a boost from Microsoft’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.91. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, November 19th. This represents a $3.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.7%. Microsoft’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 20.27%.
About Microsoft (Free Report)
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is a global technology company that develops software, cloud services, devices and digital platforms. Its products and services are used by consumers, businesses, governments and educational institutions worldwide.
The company’s principal offerings include the Windows operating system; Microsoft 365 productivity applications such as Word, Excel, Teams and Outlook; Azure cloud computing and infrastructure services; Dynamics business applications; and enterprise security solutions.
Further Reading Five stocks we like better than Microsoft Rocket Lab’s Neutron Delay Leaves Wall Street Bullish But Raises the Stakes for 2027 ManpowerGroup Stock Sinks on Q3 Results, But Fundamentals Stay Solid Does the AI Selloff Put Alphabet’s Breakout in Doubt? Bank Earnings Are Mixed—These 2 ETFs Offer Very Different Paths to a Recovery Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MSFT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report).
Receive News & Ratings for Microsoft Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Microsoft and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
Dearborn Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report) in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 190,461 shares of the software giant’s stock, valued at approximately $70,503,000. Microsoft accounts for 3.8% of Dearborn Partners LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 2nd biggest holding.
Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of MSFT. Strategic Wealth Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Microsoft by 1.7% in the second quarter. Strategic Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,473 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $549,000 after purchasing an additional 24 shares during the last quarter. Friedenthal Financial increased its stake in shares of Microsoft by 6.2% in the first quarter. Friedenthal Financial now owns 431 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $160,000 after buying an additional 25 shares during the period. Sequent Planning LLC increased its stake in shares of Microsoft by 0.7% in the first quarter. Sequent Planning LLC now owns 3,733 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $1,382,000 after buying an additional 25 shares during the period. Lee Johnson Capital Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Microsoft by 3.8% in the second quarter. Lee Johnson Capital Management LLC now owns 687 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $256,000 after buying an additional 25 shares during the period. Finally, Riverpoint Wealth Management Holdings LLC increased its stake in shares of Microsoft by 0.5% in the first quarter. Riverpoint Wealth Management Holdings LLC now owns 5,543 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $2,052,000 after buying an additional 26 shares during the period. 71.13% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
Insider Activity at Microsoft In other Microsoft news, CEO Judson Althoff sold 10,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $487.89, for a total transaction of $4,878,900.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 100,447 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $49,007,086.83. The trade was a 9.05% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Amy Hood sold 7,305 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, October 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $545.42, for a total transaction of $3,984,293.10. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 555,396 shares in the company, valued at approximately $302,924,086.32. The trade was a 1.30% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 150,314 shares of company stock worth $75,404,992. 0.03% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.
Microsoft Price Performance Shares of MSFT stock opened at $529.05 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $3.93 trillion, a P/E ratio of 29.46, a P/E/G ratio of 1.70 and a beta of 1.10. Microsoft Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $349.20 and a fifty-two week high of $553.72. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $505.53 and its 200-day moving average price is $440.59. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07, a quick ratio of 1.22 and a current ratio of 1.23. Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT – Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The software giant reported $4.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.24 by $0.50. The firm had revenue of $90.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $87.62 billion. Microsoft had a return on equity of 31.98% and a net margin of 40.31%. The business’s revenue was up 17.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $3.65 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Microsoft Corporation will post 19.65 earnings per share for the current year.
Microsoft Increases Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Investors of record on Thursday, November 19th will be issued a $0.98 dividend. This represents a $3.92 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.7%. This is an increase from Microsoft’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.91. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, November 19th. Microsoft’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 20.27%.
Microsoft News Roundup Here are the key news stories impacting Microsoft this week:
Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect Microsoft to remain the only major hyperscaler with positive free cash flow over the next year despite heavy AI investment. This reinforces confidence that the company can fund data-center expansion without substantial external financing. Microsoft Free Cash Flow Expected to Remain Positive Positive Sentiment: Microsoft signed a 20-year agreement with NiSource for approximately 1,100 megawatts of power for an Indiana data-center campus beginning in 2028. Securing electricity supports future Azure capacity as grid constraints become a bottleneck for AI expansion. Microsoft Signs Power Deal With NiSource Positive Sentiment: Microsoft’s custom Maia AI chips and reports that a new model achieved comparable or better performance than OpenAI’s system using a fraction of the computing power could eventually reduce reliance on expensive third-party GPUs and improve AI economics. Microsoft Wants to Make AI Cheaper Neutral Sentiment: Investors are focused on Azure growth, Copilot adoption, AI monetization and capital expenditures ahead of earnings. Strong demand could support the shares, but the market wants evidence that revenue growth is translating into sustainable margins. Negative Sentiment: The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority is investigating Microsoft’s grip on business software and says Microsoft and Amazon Web Services may need to do more to address cloud-service barriers. Potential remedies could increase compliance costs or weaken customer-lock-in advantages. UK Regulator Targets Microsoft’s Business Software Grip Negative Sentiment: Questions remain over whether custom chips will deliver meaningful savings: AI infrastructure, power and data-center commitments are rising rapidly, while Microsoft is reportedly seeking substantial cost reductions in Azure. That creates concern about near-term free-cash-flow and margin pressure. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of research firms recently commented on MSFT. BNP Paribas Exane lowered shares of Microsoft from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, October 5th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $600.00 price target on shares of Microsoft in a report on Monday, October 12th. Morgan Stanley lowered shares of Microsoft from an “overweight” rating to a “negative” rating in a report on Monday, October 5th. TD Cowen boosted their price objective on shares of Microsoft from $540.00 to $625.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein set a $660.00 price objective on shares of Microsoft in a research note on Monday, August 10th. Forty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Microsoft currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $589.71.
View Our Latest Analysis on MSFT
Microsoft Profile (Free Report)
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is a global technology company that develops software, cloud services, devices and digital platforms. Its products and services are used by consumers, businesses, governments and educational institutions worldwide.
The company’s principal offerings include the Windows operating system; Microsoft 365 productivity applications such as Word, Excel, Teams and Outlook; Azure cloud computing and infrastructure services; Dynamics business applications; and enterprise security solutions.
Further Reading Five stocks we like better than Microsoft Rocket Lab’s Neutron Delay Leaves Wall Street Bullish But Raises the Stakes for 2027 ManpowerGroup Stock Sinks on Q3 Results, But Fundamentals Stay Solid Does the AI Selloff Put Alphabet’s Breakout in Doubt? Bank Earnings Are Mixed—These 2 ETFs Offer Very Different Paths to a Recovery Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MSFT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report).
Receive News & Ratings for Microsoft Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Microsoft and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
Cibc World Market Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund purchased 1,920,498 shares of the software giant’s stock, valued at approximately $716,384,000. Microsoft accounts for approximately 1.1% of Cibc World Market Inc.’s holdings, making the stock its 18th biggest holding.
A number of other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Empirical Financial Services LLC d.b.a. Empirical Wealth Management boosted its stake in Microsoft by 4.0% during the second quarter. Empirical Financial Services LLC d.b.a. Empirical Wealth Management now owns 229,490 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $85,604,000 after buying an additional 8,773 shares during the period. Markel Group Inc. increased its position in shares of Microsoft by 0.4% during the first quarter. Markel Group Inc. now owns 537,630 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $199,014,000 after acquiring an additional 1,950 shares during the last quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of Microsoft by 8.4% in the 1st quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 6,921,677 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $2,562,197,000 after acquiring an additional 537,634 shares during the period. Taylor Securities Services Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Microsoft in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $2,616,000. Finally, Harel Insurance Investments & Financial Services Ltd. raised its stake in shares of Microsoft by 138.8% in the 1st quarter. Harel Insurance Investments & Financial Services Ltd. now owns 1,356,359 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $502,077,000 after acquiring an additional 788,297 shares during the period. 71.13% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Oppenheimer increased their price objective on shares of Microsoft from $515.00 to $570.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 22nd. KeyCorp reiterated an “overweight” rating on shares of Microsoft in a report on Thursday, September 3rd. Sanford C. Bernstein set a $660.00 target price on Microsoft in a research report on Monday, August 10th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. restated a “buy” rating on shares of Microsoft in a research note on Monday, September 28th. Finally, CLSA restated an “outperform” rating on shares of Microsoft in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. Forty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $589.71.
Read Our Latest Report on Microsoft Microsoft News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Microsoft this week:
Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect Microsoft to remain the only major hyperscaler with positive free cash flow over the next year despite heavy AI investment. This reinforces confidence that the company can fund data-center expansion without substantial external financing. Microsoft Free Cash Flow Expected to Remain Positive Positive Sentiment: Microsoft signed a 20-year agreement with NiSource for approximately 1,100 megawatts of power for an Indiana data-center campus beginning in 2028. Securing electricity supports future Azure capacity as grid constraints become a bottleneck for AI expansion. Microsoft Signs Power Deal With NiSource Positive Sentiment: Microsoft’s custom Maia AI chips and reports that a new model achieved comparable or better performance than OpenAI’s system using a fraction of the computing power could eventually reduce reliance on expensive third-party GPUs and improve AI economics. Microsoft Wants to Make AI Cheaper Neutral Sentiment: Investors are focused on Azure growth, Copilot adoption, AI monetization and capital expenditures ahead of earnings. Strong demand could support the shares, but the market wants evidence that revenue growth is translating into sustainable margins. Negative Sentiment: The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority is investigating Microsoft’s grip on business software and says Microsoft and Amazon Web Services may need to do more to address cloud-service barriers. Potential remedies could increase compliance costs or weaken customer-lock-in advantages. UK Regulator Targets Microsoft’s Business Software Grip Negative Sentiment: Questions remain over whether custom chips will deliver meaningful savings: AI infrastructure, power and data-center commitments are rising rapidly, while Microsoft is reportedly seeking substantial cost reductions in Azure. That creates concern about near-term free-cash-flow and margin pressure. Insider Buying and Selling at Microsoft In other Microsoft news, EVP Takeshi Numoto sold 4,810 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $496.48, for a total transaction of $2,388,068.80. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 42,677 shares in the company, valued at $21,188,276.96. This represents a 10.13% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, EVP Amy Hood sold 7,305 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, October 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $545.42, for a total transaction of $3,984,293.10. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 555,396 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $302,924,086.32. This represents a 1.30% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold 150,314 shares of company stock valued at $75,404,992 in the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 0.03% of the company’s stock.
Microsoft Stock Down 1.9% Shares of NASDAQ:MSFT opened at $529.05 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.93 trillion, a PE ratio of 29.46, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.70 and a beta of 1.10. Microsoft Corporation has a 1 year low of $349.20 and a 1 year high of $553.72. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07, a current ratio of 1.23 and a quick ratio of 1.22. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $505.53 and its two-hundred day moving average is $440.59.
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 29th. The software giant reported $4.74 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.24 by $0.50. Microsoft had a net margin of 40.31% and a return on equity of 31.98%. The business had revenue of $90.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $87.62 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $3.65 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 17.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts predict that Microsoft Corporation will post 19.65 EPS for the current year.
Microsoft Increases Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Investors of record on Thursday, November 19th will be paid a dividend of $0.98 per share. This represents a $3.92 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, November 19th. This is an increase from Microsoft’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.91. Microsoft’s payout ratio is currently 20.27%.
About Microsoft (Free Report)
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is a global technology company that develops software, cloud services, devices and digital platforms. Its products and services are used by consumers, businesses, governments and educational institutions worldwide.
The company’s principal offerings include the Windows operating system; Microsoft 365 productivity applications such as Word, Excel, Teams and Outlook; Azure cloud computing and infrastructure services; Dynamics business applications; and enterprise security solutions.
See Also Five stocks we like better than Microsoft Rocket Lab’s Neutron Delay Leaves Wall Street Bullish But Raises the Stakes for 2027 ManpowerGroup Stock Sinks on Q3 Results, But Fundamentals Stay Solid Does the AI Selloff Put Alphabet’s Breakout in Doubt? Bank Earnings Are Mixed—These 2 ETFs Offer Very Different Paths to a Recovery Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MSFT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report).
Receive News & Ratings for Microsoft Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Microsoft and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
Castlefield Investment Partners LLP purchased a new position in Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report) in the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor purchased 19,139 shares of the software giant’s stock, valued at approximately $7,139,000. Microsoft makes up about 4.8% of Castlefield Investment Partners LLP’s holdings, making the stock its 5th largest position.
A number of other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of MSFT. Empirical Financial Services LLC d.b.a. Empirical Wealth Management lifted its position in Microsoft by 4.0% during the second quarter. Empirical Financial Services LLC d.b.a. Empirical Wealth Management now owns 229,490 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $85,604,000 after buying an additional 8,773 shares during the period. Markel Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Microsoft by 0.4% during the 1st quarter. Markel Group Inc. now owns 537,630 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $199,014,000 after buying an additional 1,950 shares in the last quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. grew its position in shares of Microsoft by 8.4% in the 1st quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 6,921,677 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $2,562,197,000 after buying an additional 537,634 shares during the period. Taylor Securities Services Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Microsoft in the 4th quarter worth about $2,616,000. Finally, Harel Insurance Investments & Financial Services Ltd. grew its position in shares of Microsoft by 138.8% in the 1st quarter. Harel Insurance Investments & Financial Services Ltd. now owns 1,356,359 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $502,077,000 after buying an additional 788,297 shares during the period. 71.13% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
Insider Activity In related news, CEO Satya Nadella sold 86,525 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $501.46, for a total value of $43,388,826.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 486,763 shares in the company, valued at $244,092,173.98. The trade was a 15.09% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Takeshi Numoto sold 4,810 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $496.48, for a total value of $2,388,068.80. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 42,677 shares in the company, valued at $21,188,276.96. This trade represents a 10.13% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold 150,314 shares of company stock valued at $75,404,992 in the last quarter. Insiders own 0.03% of the company’s stock.
Microsoft News Roundup Here are the key news stories impacting Microsoft this week: Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect Microsoft to remain the only major hyperscaler with positive free cash flow over the next year despite heavy AI investment. This reinforces confidence that the company can fund data-center expansion without substantial external financing. Microsoft Free Cash Flow Expected to Remain Positive Positive Sentiment: Microsoft signed a 20-year agreement with NiSource for approximately 1,100 megawatts of power for an Indiana data-center campus beginning in 2028. Securing electricity supports future Azure capacity as grid constraints become a bottleneck for AI expansion. Microsoft Signs Power Deal With NiSource Positive Sentiment: Microsoft’s custom Maia AI chips and reports that a new model achieved comparable or better performance than OpenAI’s system using a fraction of the computing power could eventually reduce reliance on expensive third-party GPUs and improve AI economics. Microsoft Wants to Make AI Cheaper Neutral Sentiment: Investors are focused on Azure growth, Copilot adoption, AI monetization and capital expenditures ahead of earnings. Strong demand could support the shares, but the market wants evidence that revenue growth is translating into sustainable margins. Negative Sentiment: The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority is investigating Microsoft’s grip on business software and says Microsoft and Amazon Web Services may need to do more to address cloud-service barriers. Potential remedies could increase compliance costs or weaken customer-lock-in advantages. UK Regulator Targets Microsoft’s Business Software Grip Negative Sentiment: Questions remain over whether custom chips will deliver meaningful savings: AI infrastructure, power and data-center commitments are rising rapidly, while Microsoft is reportedly seeking substantial cost reductions in Azure. That creates concern about near-term free-cash-flow and margin pressure. Microsoft Stock Down 1.9% NASDAQ:MSFT opened at $529.05 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07, a quick ratio of 1.22 and a current ratio of 1.23. The firm has a market cap of $3.93 trillion, a P/E ratio of 29.46, a P/E/G ratio of 1.70 and a beta of 1.10. Microsoft Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $349.20 and a fifty-two week high of $553.72. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $505.53 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $440.59.
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT – Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The software giant reported $4.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.24 by $0.50. The firm had revenue of $90.01 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $87.62 billion. Microsoft had a net margin of 40.31% and a return on equity of 31.98%. The business’s revenue was up 17.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $3.65 earnings per share. Analysts predict that Microsoft Corporation will post 19.65 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Microsoft Increases Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Investors of record on Thursday, November 19th will be given a dividend of $0.98 per share. This represents a $3.92 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.7%. This is an increase from Microsoft’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.91. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, November 19th. Microsoft’s payout ratio is 20.27%.
Analysts Set New Price Targets Several research analysts recently issued reports on MSFT shares. The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $640.00 price target on shares of Microsoft in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. BMO Capital Markets assumed coverage on shares of Microsoft in a research note on Monday, October 5th. They set an “outperform” rating on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a “buy” rating and issued a $600.00 price objective on shares of Microsoft in a report on Monday, October 12th. Argus cut their price objective on shares of Microsoft from $620.00 to $510.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, July 10th. Finally, Guggenheim reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $586.00 target price on shares of Microsoft in a research note on Monday, July 27th. Forty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $589.71.
Read Our Latest Report on Microsoft
Microsoft Profile (Free Report)
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is a global technology company that develops software, cloud services, devices and digital platforms. Its products and services are used by consumers, businesses, governments and educational institutions worldwide.
The company’s principal offerings include the Windows operating system; Microsoft 365 productivity applications such as Word, Excel, Teams and Outlook; Azure cloud computing and infrastructure services; Dynamics business applications; and enterprise security solutions.
See Also Five stocks we like better than Microsoft Rocket Lab’s Neutron Delay Leaves Wall Street Bullish But Raises the Stakes for 2027 ManpowerGroup Stock Sinks on Q3 Results, But Fundamentals Stay Solid Does the AI Selloff Put Alphabet’s Breakout in Doubt? Bank Earnings Are Mixed—These 2 ETFs Offer Very Different Paths to a Recovery Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MSFT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report).
Receive News & Ratings for Microsoft Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Microsoft and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
Cullen Capital Management LLC bought a new position in Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report) during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm bought 292,959 shares of the software giant’s stock, valued at approximately $109,280,000.
Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in MSFT. Whalen Wealth Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Microsoft in the 2nd quarter valued at about $3,863,000. Dearborn Partners LLC bought a new position in Microsoft in the 2nd quarter worth about $70,503,000. Trail Ridge Investment Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Microsoft during the second quarter worth approximately $7,024,000. Algert Global LLC increased its position in shares of Microsoft by 2.5% during the second quarter. Algert Global LLC now owns 89,428 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $33,358,000 after acquiring an additional 2,193 shares during the period. Finally, Ames National Corp purchased a new position in shares of Microsoft during the second quarter worth approximately $5,870,000. 71.13% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
Analyst Ratings Changes Several research firms have recently weighed in on MSFT. Bank of America lifted their price target on shares of Microsoft from $500.00 to $600.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 1st. Tigress Financial increased their price objective on Microsoft from $680.00 to $690.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 5th. UBS Group raised their price objective on Microsoft from $525.00 to $675.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday. Phillip Securities lowered Microsoft from a “moderate buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, October 12th. Finally, Evercore raised Microsoft from an “underperform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, October 5th. Forty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $589.71.
Get Our Latest Stock Report on Microsoft Microsoft Trading Down 1.9% NASDAQ MSFT opened at $529.05 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07, a quick ratio of 1.22 and a current ratio of 1.23. The company has a market capitalization of $3.93 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.46, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.70 and a beta of 1.10. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $505.53 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $440.59. Microsoft Corporation has a one year low of $349.20 and a one year high of $553.72.
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The software giant reported $4.74 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.24 by $0.50. Microsoft had a net margin of 40.31% and a return on equity of 31.98%. The firm had revenue of $90.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $87.62 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $3.65 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 17.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts forecast that Microsoft Corporation will post 19.65 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Microsoft Increases Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Investors of record on Thursday, November 19th will be issued a dividend of $0.98 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, November 19th. This is a positive change from Microsoft’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.91. This represents a $3.92 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.7%. Microsoft’s dividend payout ratio is 20.27%.
Insider Buying and Selling at Microsoft In related news, CEO Satya Nadella sold 86,525 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $501.46, for a total value of $43,388,826.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 486,763 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $244,092,173.98. The trade was a 15.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Amy Hood sold 41,674 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, September 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $498.27, for a total value of $20,764,903.98. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 533,624 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $265,888,830.48. This represents a 7.24% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 150,314 shares of company stock worth $75,404,992. 0.03% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.
More Microsoft News Here are the key news stories impacting Microsoft this week:
Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect Microsoft to remain the only major hyperscaler with positive free cash flow over the next year despite heavy AI investment. This reinforces confidence that the company can fund data-center expansion without substantial external financing. Microsoft Free Cash Flow Expected to Remain Positive Positive Sentiment: Microsoft signed a 20-year agreement with NiSource for approximately 1,100 megawatts of power for an Indiana data-center campus beginning in 2028. Securing electricity supports future Azure capacity as grid constraints become a bottleneck for AI expansion. Microsoft Signs Power Deal With NiSource Positive Sentiment: Microsoft’s custom Maia AI chips and reports that a new model achieved comparable or better performance than OpenAI’s system using a fraction of the computing power could eventually reduce reliance on expensive third-party GPUs and improve AI economics. Microsoft Wants to Make AI Cheaper Neutral Sentiment: Investors are focused on Azure growth, Copilot adoption, AI monetization and capital expenditures ahead of earnings. Strong demand could support the shares, but the market wants evidence that revenue growth is translating into sustainable margins. Negative Sentiment: The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority is investigating Microsoft’s grip on business software and says Microsoft and Amazon Web Services may need to do more to address cloud-service barriers. Potential remedies could increase compliance costs or weaken customer-lock-in advantages. UK Regulator Targets Microsoft’s Business Software Grip Negative Sentiment: Questions remain over whether custom chips will deliver meaningful savings: AI infrastructure, power and data-center commitments are rising rapidly, while Microsoft is reportedly seeking substantial cost reductions in Azure. That creates concern about near-term free-cash-flow and margin pressure. Microsoft Company Profile (Free Report)
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is a global technology company that develops software, cloud services, devices and digital platforms. Its products and services are used by consumers, businesses, governments and educational institutions worldwide.
The company’s principal offerings include the Windows operating system; Microsoft 365 productivity applications such as Word, Excel, Teams and Outlook; Azure cloud computing and infrastructure services; Dynamics business applications; and enterprise security solutions.
Further Reading Five stocks we like better than Microsoft Rocket Lab’s Neutron Delay Leaves Wall Street Bullish But Raises the Stakes for 2027 ManpowerGroup Stock Sinks on Q3 Results, But Fundamentals Stay Solid Does the AI Selloff Put Alphabet’s Breakout in Doubt? Bank Earnings Are Mixed—These 2 ETFs Offer Very Different Paths to a Recovery Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MSFT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report).
Receive News & Ratings for Microsoft Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Microsoft and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
Flavin Financial Services Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report) during the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 17,912 shares of the software giant’s stock, valued at approximately $6,681,000. Microsoft comprises about 3.8% of Flavin Financial Services Inc.’s portfolio, making the stock its 7th biggest holding.
Several other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Empirical Financial Services LLC d.b.a. Empirical Wealth Management lifted its stake in Microsoft by 4.0% during the second quarter. Empirical Financial Services LLC d.b.a. Empirical Wealth Management now owns 229,490 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $85,604,000 after purchasing an additional 8,773 shares during the last quarter. Markel Group Inc. boosted its holdings in Microsoft by 0.4% in the first quarter. Markel Group Inc. now owns 537,630 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $199,014,000 after purchasing an additional 1,950 shares during the period. Bessemer Group Inc. increased its stake in Microsoft by 8.4% during the first quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 6,921,677 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $2,562,197,000 after purchasing an additional 537,634 shares during the last quarter. Taylor Securities Services Inc. bought a new stake in Microsoft during the fourth quarter valued at $2,616,000. Finally, Harel Insurance Investments & Financial Services Ltd. increased its stake in Microsoft by 138.8% during the first quarter. Harel Insurance Investments & Financial Services Ltd. now owns 1,356,359 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $502,077,000 after purchasing an additional 788,297 shares during the last quarter. 71.13% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Insiders Place Their Bets In related news, CEO Satya Nadella sold 86,525 shares of Microsoft stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $501.46, for a total transaction of $43,388,826.50. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 486,763 shares in the company, valued at $244,092,173.98. The trade was a 15.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Takeshi Numoto sold 4,810 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $496.48, for a total transaction of $2,388,068.80. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 42,677 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $21,188,276.96. The trade was a 10.13% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 150,314 shares of company stock worth $75,404,992. 0.03% of the stock is owned by company insiders.
Analyst Ratings Changes A number of research firms have recently issued reports on MSFT. Stifel Nicolaus upgraded shares of Microsoft from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and raised their price target for the stock from $530.00 to $575.00 in a research report on Tuesday, September 22nd. Argus lowered their price objective on shares of Microsoft from $620.00 to $510.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, July 10th. CLSA reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of Microsoft in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. Sanford C. Bernstein set a $660.00 price objective on shares of Microsoft in a research note on Monday, August 10th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald raised their target price on shares of Microsoft from $522.00 to $608.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, September 21st. Forty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $589.71. Check Out Our Latest Research Report on MSFT
Key Microsoft News Here are the key news stories impacting Microsoft this week:
Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect Microsoft to remain the only major hyperscaler with positive free cash flow over the next year despite heavy AI investment. This reinforces confidence that the company can fund data-center expansion without substantial external financing. Microsoft Free Cash Flow Expected to Remain Positive Positive Sentiment: Microsoft signed a 20-year agreement with NiSource for approximately 1,100 megawatts of power for an Indiana data-center campus beginning in 2028. Securing electricity supports future Azure capacity as grid constraints become a bottleneck for AI expansion. Microsoft Signs Power Deal With NiSource Positive Sentiment: Microsoft’s custom Maia AI chips and reports that a new model achieved comparable or better performance than OpenAI’s system using a fraction of the computing power could eventually reduce reliance on expensive third-party GPUs and improve AI economics. Microsoft Wants to Make AI Cheaper Neutral Sentiment: Investors are focused on Azure growth, Copilot adoption, AI monetization and capital expenditures ahead of earnings. Strong demand could support the shares, but the market wants evidence that revenue growth is translating into sustainable margins. Negative Sentiment: The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority is investigating Microsoft’s grip on business software and says Microsoft and Amazon Web Services may need to do more to address cloud-service barriers. Potential remedies could increase compliance costs or weaken customer-lock-in advantages. UK Regulator Targets Microsoft’s Business Software Grip Negative Sentiment: Questions remain over whether custom chips will deliver meaningful savings: AI infrastructure, power and data-center commitments are rising rapidly, while Microsoft is reportedly seeking substantial cost reductions in Azure. That creates concern about near-term free-cash-flow and margin pressure. Microsoft Stock Performance Shares of NASDAQ MSFT opened at $529.05 on Friday. Microsoft Corporation has a 12-month low of $349.20 and a 12-month high of $553.72. The company has a market cap of $3.93 trillion, a PE ratio of 29.46, a P/E/G ratio of 1.70 and a beta of 1.10. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $505.53 and a 200-day simple moving average of $440.59. The company has a current ratio of 1.23, a quick ratio of 1.22 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07.
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT – Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The software giant reported $4.74 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.24 by $0.50. The firm had revenue of $90.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $87.62 billion. Microsoft had a return on equity of 31.98% and a net margin of 40.31%. The firm’s revenue was up 17.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm earned $3.65 EPS. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Microsoft Corporation will post 19.65 EPS for the current year.
Microsoft Increases Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, November 19th will be paid a $0.98 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, November 19th. This is a positive change from Microsoft’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.91. This represents a $3.92 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.7%. Microsoft’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 20.27%.
Microsoft Company Profile (Free Report)
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is a global technology company that develops software, cloud services, devices and digital platforms. Its products and services are used by consumers, businesses, governments and educational institutions worldwide.
The company’s principal offerings include the Windows operating system; Microsoft 365 productivity applications such as Word, Excel, Teams and Outlook; Azure cloud computing and infrastructure services; Dynamics business applications; and enterprise security solutions.
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Microsoft (MSFT.O) has pulled out of a data center deal with British cloud provider Nscale, Britain's Telegraph newspaper reported on Sunday.
The US tech giant, one of Nscale's two largest customers, recently terminated its agreement for the data center in Loughton, Essex, according to the report.
The newspaper did not specify why Microsoft withdrew from the project, and Microsoft did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment outside regular business hours.
The Telegraph report said Nscale had faced repeated delays with the project. National power grid officials, it reported, had told Nscale they did not expect a power supply for the data center until the 2030s.
"Our relationship with Microsoft remains strong and long-term, and this unfortunate London-wide grid issue has no impact on our other contracts," an Nscale spokesperson told Reuters.
"We remain committed to both the Loughton project and the UK, and we are exploring alternative power sources for the site, in addition to other expansion sites in the UK."
Nscale filed for an initial public offering in the US last month, with Microsoft and Anthropic expected to be its major customers, according to its prospectus.
Nscale provides infrastructure, including compute, power and data centers, as well as software for training and running AI models.
The Nvidia-backed (NVDA.O) AI group, which competes against CoreWeave (CRWV.O), Nebius (NBIS.O), Crusoe and Lambda, has grown rapidly since its launch, scaling from $100 million to more than $103 billion in total contracted value in just two-and-a-half years.
Shares of Microsoft (MSFT -1.93%) closed at a record $543.45 on Oct. 13 and slipped about 2% a day later, finishing Oct. 14 at $533.69. The software giant's next earnings report, for its fiscal 2027 first quarter, is due Oct. 28.
My prediction is that Microsoft stock will trade near $730 by the middle of 2030. Specifically, it's my estimate of the price on June 30, 2030, when Microsoft's fiscal 2030 ends. It assumes non-GAAP (adjusted) earnings per share rise about 13% a year from here, and that investors pay about 26 times those earnings then.
That price would be around 37% over the stock's Oct. 14 close, or about 9% a year before dividends. And it needs Microsoft's earnings to rise at just a bit over half the rate they managed last fiscal year.
Image source: Getty Images.
A solid starting pointFor the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2026, Microsoft boosted adjusted earnings per share 22% to $17.28. The adjusted number strips out gains and losses on the company's investment in OpenAI.
Notably, growth didn't slow as the year went on. Against the year-ago periods, adjusted earnings per share rose 24% in the fiscal second quarter of 2026 (the period ended Dec. 31, 2025), then 21% in fiscal Q3 and 23% in fiscal Q4. Full-year revenue was $331.8 billion, up 18%, and operating income climbed 21%.
The full-year number also includes a $3.2 billion gain on Microsoft's investment in Anthropic, booked in fiscal Q4. If anything, then, the $17.28 starting point might be a bit generous.
Spending may slow earnings growthBut I don't expect 22% growth to hold. The biggest reason is the cost of building data centers for artificial intelligence.
Microsoft's spending on property and equipment totaled around $116 billion in fiscal 2026, up about 80% from about $65 billion the year before. That spending hits the income statement over time as depreciation, and the charge is already climbing faster than sales. The line on Microsoft's cash flow statement for depreciation, amortization, and other items rose 31% to $38.5 billion last fiscal year, well above 18% revenue growth. And the spending keeps rising. Fiscal Q4's additions to property and equipment were $35.8 billion, over double the year-ago quarter's $17.1 billion.
True, Microsoft is extending the estimated useful lives of its data centers and office buildings from 15 years to 25 years, which spreads out some of that cost. But management said the change should have just a minimal benefit to fiscal 2027 operating income.
"Even as we invest to meet growing demand, full fiscal year operating margins should be down less than a point," CFO Amy Hood said of fiscal 2027 on the company's July earnings call.
Buybacks likely won't help much, either. Microsoft bought back around $22 billion of its stock in fiscal 2026, but its diluted share count hardly moved, at about 7.45 billion against 7.47 billion the year before.
Given all that, I'm assuming adjusted earnings per share grow around 13% a year. Compounded over four years, that could bring the number from $17.28 to around $28 in fiscal 2030.
What will investors pay in 2030?At $533.69, the stock's price-to-earnings ratio is around 31, using fiscal 2026's adjusted earnings per share of $17.28.
Investors paid far less earlier this year. When shares closed at $352.83 on June 25, their lowest close of the past year, the price-to-earnings ratio was around 21 using the $16.40 in adjusted earnings per share over the previous four quarters.
MSFT Microsoft$529.05-$10.39 (-1.93%)
NASDAQ · As of 4:00 PM ET 10/16/26
I'm splitting the difference at 26 times earnings. It's still a healthy price for every dollar of profit, but it lets the price-to-earnings multiple drop as growth cools. Multiply around $28 in adjusted earnings per share for fiscal 2030 by 26, and you get about $730 a share.
Sure, the valuation multiple is the shakier half of this math. If investors pay only the 21 times earnings they paid in June, those same earnings would support a price of around $590, just 11% over the stock's Oct. 14 close.
In the end, I think around $730 is a reasonable target for Microsoft stock by mid-2030, even with earnings growth slowing. The company is in great shape. But at a price-to-earnings ratio of around 31, investors are already paying for much of that growth. And if the spending hurts margins more than management expects, even a 9% yearly return could prove optimistic.
I'd be fine owning shares at this price. But I wouldn't call them a bargain.
Microsoft (MSFT -1.93%) is among the big three cloud computing infrastructure providers and is always included in any list of AI hyperscalers. It's heavily pursuing a massive amount of AI computing power for its internal service, Copilot, while also powering other products like OpenAI's ChatGPT through its cloud computing platform, Azure.
To support this growth, Microsoft is investing heavily in data centers. This year alone, it expects its capital expenditures to hit $175 billion, with most of that going toward constructing and equipping data centers. That is leading to strong growth, but what if this growth is actually hurting its business?
While it may sound odd, Microsoft's business is actually being harmed by the heavy pursuit of its cloud computing empire. Here's why.
Image source: Getty Images.
Microsoft is spending big
At first, you may imagine that the reason that these capital expenditures are hurting Microsoft is that it could be spending that $175 billion in ways that generate a more direct return for shareholders, such as on share buybacks or dividends. But that's not what I'm talking about. In fact, I'm OK with Microsoft spending big on AI because it needs to evolve its business to adapt to the AI age or risk being left behind.
MSFT Microsoft$529.05-$10.39 (-1.93%)
NASDAQ · As of 4:00 PM ET 10/16/26
Moreover, Microsoft's spending is resulting in strong growth. Azure saw its revenue rise 43% during its latest quarter, passing a $100 billion annual run rate. Additionally, Copilot reached 30 million paid seats, indicating strong adoption of the proprietary AI platform. Overall, Microsoft's revenue rose 18% last quarter.
While that's impressive for a company that's as large as Microsoft, there's a major caveat.
Azure's operating margin likely isn't as good as the rest of Microsoft's business
Unfortunately for investors, Microsoft doesn't publicly break out detailed statistics for its individual segments, such as Azure's operating margins. However, Azure's chief competitors, Amazon Web Services (AWS) (AMZN -1.87%) and Google Cloud from Alphabet (GOOG -2.32%) (GOOGL -2.47%), freely share that information. It's unlikely that Microsoft Azure's margins are much different from theirs, since they operate using essentially the same business model. During the most recent quarter, Google Cloud's operating margin was 36% while AWS' was 39%. So, I think it's highly likely that Azure's operating margins are in the high-30% range.
The problem? Microsoft's operating margin as a whole is well above that range.
MSFT Operating Margin (TTM) data by YCharts.
So, what does this mean? The more Microsoft invests in its Azure cloud computing business, the more downward pressure this business unit will apply to Microsoft's overall operating margin picture. Investing $175 billion into AI computing capacity may sound like a smart idea, but it will fundamentally shift how Microsoft's operating picture looks five years from now.
Not all growth is created equal, and this lower-margin growth may cause its profits to grow more slowly than revenue.
However, all of this assumes that Azure's operating margins are in line with those of its industry peers, rather than a higher figure like 45%, which would be on par with its overall business. If this is the case, then all of this spending on data centers makes a lot of sense. But if its margins are similar to those of its peers, then it's hurting Microsoft's business.
Regardless, Microsoft needs to spend this money to keep up; otherwise, its cloud business could lose substantial ground to AWS, Google Cloud, and the other players investing heavily in new compute capacity. This puts Microsoft in a bit of a pickle, and it's why I prefer investing in Amazon and Alphabet instead. This could also help explain why No. 2 cloud player Microsoft is a bit more reserved in its spending, with $175 billion budgeted for capital expenditures this year versus No. 3 Alphabet's $200 billion or No. 1 Amazon's $220 billion.
While Microsoft is still a solid AI pick, AI won't have nearly as much of a positive impact on its business as it will on Alphabet and Amazon. I'd rather own those two.
Benchmark Investment Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report) during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor acquired 11,600 shares of the software giant’s stock, valued at approximately $4,327,000. Microsoft comprises approximately 1.9% of Benchmark Investment Advisors LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 17th largest position.
Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Strategic Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Microsoft by 1.7% in the 2nd quarter. Strategic Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,473 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $549,000 after purchasing an additional 24 shares during the last quarter. Friedenthal Financial boosted its holdings in Microsoft by 6.2% in the first quarter. Friedenthal Financial now owns 431 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $160,000 after purchasing an additional 25 shares in the last quarter. Sequent Planning LLC increased its position in Microsoft by 0.7% during the first quarter. Sequent Planning LLC now owns 3,733 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $1,382,000 after buying an additional 25 shares during the last quarter. Lee Johnson Capital Management LLC increased its position in Microsoft by 3.8% during the second quarter. Lee Johnson Capital Management LLC now owns 687 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $256,000 after buying an additional 25 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Riverpoint Wealth Management Holdings LLC increased its position in Microsoft by 0.5% during the first quarter. Riverpoint Wealth Management Holdings LLC now owns 5,543 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $2,052,000 after buying an additional 26 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 71.13% of the company’s stock.
Key Microsoft News Here are the key news stories impacting Microsoft this week:
Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect Microsoft to remain the only major hyperscaler with positive free cash flow over the next year despite heavy AI investment. This reinforces confidence that the company can fund data-center expansion without substantial external financing. Microsoft Free Cash Flow Expected to Remain Positive Positive Sentiment: Microsoft signed a 20-year agreement with NiSource for approximately 1,100 megawatts of power for an Indiana data-center campus beginning in 2028. Securing electricity supports future Azure capacity as grid constraints become a bottleneck for AI expansion. Microsoft Signs Power Deal With NiSource Positive Sentiment: Microsoft’s custom Maia AI chips and reports that a new model achieved comparable or better performance than OpenAI’s system using a fraction of the computing power could eventually reduce reliance on expensive third-party GPUs and improve AI economics. Microsoft Wants to Make AI Cheaper Neutral Sentiment: Investors are focused on Azure growth, Copilot adoption, AI monetization and capital expenditures ahead of earnings. Strong demand could support the shares, but the market wants evidence that revenue growth is translating into sustainable margins. Negative Sentiment: The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority is investigating Microsoft’s grip on business software and says Microsoft and Amazon Web Services may need to do more to address cloud-service barriers. Potential remedies could increase compliance costs or weaken customer-lock-in advantages. UK Regulator Targets Microsoft’s Business Software Grip Negative Sentiment: Questions remain over whether custom chips will deliver meaningful savings: AI infrastructure, power and data-center commitments are rising rapidly, while Microsoft is reportedly seeking substantial cost reductions in Azure. That creates concern about near-term free-cash-flow and margin pressure. Insider Buying and Selling In related news, EVP Amy Hood sold 41,674 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, September 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $498.27, for a total value of $20,764,903.98. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 533,624 shares in the company, valued at approximately $265,888,830.48. This represents a 7.24% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO Satya Nadella sold 86,525 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $501.46, for a total value of $43,388,826.50. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 486,763 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $244,092,173.98. This represents a 15.09% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold 150,314 shares of company stock valued at $75,404,992 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 0.03% of the company’s stock. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of analysts have weighed in on the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $600.00 price target on shares of Microsoft in a research report on Monday. Benchmark reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Microsoft in a report on Friday, July 24th. Guggenheim reissued a “buy” rating and set a $586.00 price objective on shares of Microsoft in a report on Monday, July 27th. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of Microsoft in a research note on Thursday, September 10th. Finally, Raymond James Financial downgraded Microsoft from a “moderate buy” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 23rd. Forty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $589.71.
Check Out Our Latest Analysis on Microsoft
Microsoft Trading Down 1.9% Shares of NASDAQ MSFT opened at $529.05 on Friday. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $505.53 and its 200 day simple moving average is $440.59. Microsoft Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $349.20 and a fifty-two week high of $553.72. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.93 trillion, a P/E ratio of 29.46, a P/E/G ratio of 1.73 and a beta of 1.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07, a current ratio of 1.23 and a quick ratio of 1.22.
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 29th. The software giant reported $4.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.24 by $0.50. Microsoft had a net margin of 40.31% and a return on equity of 31.98%. The firm had revenue of $90.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $87.62 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $3.65 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 17.7% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts predict that Microsoft Corporation will post 19.65 EPS for the current year.
Microsoft Increases Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, November 19th will be paid a $0.98 dividend. This is an increase from Microsoft’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.91. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, November 19th. This represents a $3.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.7%. Microsoft’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 20.27%.
Microsoft Company Profile (Free Report)
Microsoft Corporation is a global technology company that develops software, cloud services, devices, gaming products and business solutions. Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, the company is best known for the Windows operating system and Microsoft Office productivity software. Microsoft is headquartered in Redmond, Washington, and serves consumers, businesses, governments and educational institutions worldwide.
Microsoft’s productivity and business offerings include Microsoft 365 applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, along with collaboration tools including Teams.
Read More Five stocks we like better than Microsoft Bank of America Stock Sell-Off Looks Like a Buying Opportunity AST SpaceMobile Is Down 67%—Could SpaceX’s Mobile Push Deepen the Selloff? GlobalFoundries’ $21 Billion Deal Could Change the Economics of Chipmaking Fundamental and Technicals Signals Align for Costco: Is the Stock Finally Breaking Out? Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MSFT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report).
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Clear Harbor Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report) in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund purchased 63,164 shares of the software giant’s stock, valued at approximately $23,561,000. Microsoft makes up 1.5% of Clear Harbor Asset Management LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 17th largest position.
Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Frankly Finances LLC purchased a new position in Microsoft in the second quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Bard Associates Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Microsoft during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $37,000. Fiduciary Advisors Inc. lifted its position in shares of Microsoft by 37.4% during the 2nd quarter. Fiduciary Advisors Inc. now owns 125 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $47,000 after buying an additional 34 shares during the last quarter. Persistent Asset Partners Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of Microsoft during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $60,000. Finally, Glynn Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Microsoft by 34.2% in the 2nd quarter. Glynn Capital Management LLC now owns 255 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $95,000 after buying an additional 65 shares in the last quarter. 71.13% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Microsoft Stock Down 1.9% MSFT stock opened at $529.05 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.93 trillion, a P/E ratio of 29.46, a PEG ratio of 1.73 and a beta of 1.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07, a quick ratio of 1.22 and a current ratio of 1.23. Microsoft Corporation has a one year low of $349.20 and a one year high of $553.72. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $505.53 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $440.59.
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT – Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The software giant reported $4.74 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.24 by $0.50. Microsoft had a return on equity of 31.98% and a net margin of 40.31%. The firm had revenue of $90.01 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $87.62 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $3.65 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 17.7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Microsoft Corporation will post 19.65 EPS for the current year. Microsoft Increases Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, November 19th will be given a dividend of $0.98 per share. This represents a $3.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.7%. This is a positive change from Microsoft’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.91. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, November 19th. Microsoft’s dividend payout ratio is presently 20.27%.
Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research firms recently issued reports on MSFT. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on Microsoft from $700.00 to $725.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 1st. Sanford C. Bernstein set a $660.00 price target on Microsoft in a research report on Monday, August 10th. UBS Group boosted their price objective on Microsoft from $525.00 to $675.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday. Barclays increased their price objective on Microsoft from $512.00 to $600.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday. Finally, Scotiabank raised their target price on shares of Microsoft from $510.00 to $615.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, October 5th. Forty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $589.71.
Read Our Latest Research Report on Microsoft
More Microsoft News Here are the key news stories impacting Microsoft this week:
Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect Microsoft to remain the only major hyperscaler with positive free cash flow over the next year despite heavy AI investment. This reinforces confidence that the company can fund data-center expansion without substantial external financing. Microsoft Free Cash Flow Expected to Remain Positive Positive Sentiment: Microsoft signed a 20-year agreement with NiSource for approximately 1,100 megawatts of power for an Indiana data-center campus beginning in 2028. Securing electricity supports future Azure capacity as grid constraints become a bottleneck for AI expansion. Microsoft Signs Power Deal With NiSource Positive Sentiment: Microsoft’s custom Maia AI chips and reports that a new model achieved comparable or better performance than OpenAI’s system using a fraction of the computing power could eventually reduce reliance on expensive third-party GPUs and improve AI economics. Microsoft Wants to Make AI Cheaper Neutral Sentiment: Investors are focused on Azure growth, Copilot adoption, AI monetization and capital expenditures ahead of earnings. Strong demand could support the shares, but the market wants evidence that revenue growth is translating into sustainable margins. Negative Sentiment: The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority is investigating Microsoft’s grip on business software and says Microsoft and Amazon Web Services may need to do more to address cloud-service barriers. Potential remedies could increase compliance costs or weaken customer-lock-in advantages. UK Regulator Targets Microsoft’s Business Software Grip Negative Sentiment: Questions remain over whether custom chips will deliver meaningful savings: AI infrastructure, power and data-center commitments are rising rapidly, while Microsoft is reportedly seeking substantial cost reductions in Azure. That creates concern about near-term free-cash-flow and margin pressure. Insider Buying and Selling at Microsoft In other news, CEO Satya Nadella sold 86,525 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $501.46, for a total value of $43,388,826.50. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 486,763 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $244,092,173.98. This represents a 15.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Amy Hood sold 7,305 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, October 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $545.42, for a total value of $3,984,293.10. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 555,396 shares in the company, valued at $302,924,086.32. This trade represents a 1.30% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold 150,314 shares of company stock valued at $75,404,992 in the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 0.03% of the company’s stock.
Microsoft Company Profile (Free Report)
Microsoft Corporation is a global technology company that develops software, cloud services, devices, gaming products and business solutions. Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, the company is best known for the Windows operating system and Microsoft Office productivity software. Microsoft is headquartered in Redmond, Washington, and serves consumers, businesses, governments and educational institutions worldwide.
Microsoft’s productivity and business offerings include Microsoft 365 applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, along with collaboration tools including Teams.
Featured Stories Five stocks we like better than Microsoft Bank of America Stock Sell-Off Looks Like a Buying Opportunity AST SpaceMobile Is Down 67%—Could SpaceX’s Mobile Push Deepen the Selloff? GlobalFoundries’ $21 Billion Deal Could Change the Economics of Chipmaking Fundamental and Technicals Signals Align for Costco: Is the Stock Finally Breaking Out? Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MSFT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report).
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Barbara Oil Co. bought a new stake in shares of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm bought 23,220 shares of the software giant’s stock, valued at approximately $8,702,000. Microsoft comprises about 2.9% of Barbara Oil Co.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 8th largest holding.
A number of other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in MSFT. Frankly Finances LLC bought a new position in Microsoft in the 2nd quarter worth $35,000. Bard Associates Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Microsoft in the 2nd quarter worth about $37,000. Fiduciary Advisors Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Microsoft by 37.4% during the 2nd quarter. Fiduciary Advisors Inc. now owns 125 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $47,000 after purchasing an additional 34 shares in the last quarter. Persistent Asset Partners Ltd bought a new stake in shares of Microsoft during the 2nd quarter valued at about $60,000. Finally, Glynn Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Microsoft by 34.2% during the 2nd quarter. Glynn Capital Management LLC now owns 255 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $95,000 after purchasing an additional 65 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 71.13% of the company’s stock.
More Microsoft News Here are the key news stories impacting Microsoft this week:
Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect Microsoft to remain the only major hyperscaler with positive free cash flow over the next year despite heavy AI investment. This reinforces confidence that the company can fund data-center expansion without substantial external financing. Microsoft Free Cash Flow Expected to Remain Positive Positive Sentiment: Microsoft signed a 20-year agreement with NiSource for approximately 1,100 megawatts of power for an Indiana data-center campus beginning in 2028. Securing electricity supports future Azure capacity as grid constraints become a bottleneck for AI expansion. Microsoft Signs Power Deal With NiSource Positive Sentiment: Microsoft’s custom Maia AI chips and reports that a new model achieved comparable or better performance than OpenAI’s system using a fraction of the computing power could eventually reduce reliance on expensive third-party GPUs and improve AI economics. Microsoft Wants to Make AI Cheaper Neutral Sentiment: Investors are focused on Azure growth, Copilot adoption, AI monetization and capital expenditures ahead of earnings. Strong demand could support the shares, but the market wants evidence that revenue growth is translating into sustainable margins. Negative Sentiment: The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority is investigating Microsoft’s grip on business software and says Microsoft and Amazon Web Services may need to do more to address cloud-service barriers. Potential remedies could increase compliance costs or weaken customer-lock-in advantages. UK Regulator Targets Microsoft’s Business Software Grip Negative Sentiment: Questions remain over whether custom chips will deliver meaningful savings: AI infrastructure, power and data-center commitments are rising rapidly, while Microsoft is reportedly seeking substantial cost reductions in Azure. That creates concern about near-term free-cash-flow and margin pressure. Insider Activity at Microsoft In related news, CEO Judson Althoff sold 10,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $487.89, for a total transaction of $4,878,900.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 100,447 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $49,007,086.83. This trade represents a 9.05% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, CEO Satya Nadella sold 86,525 shares of Microsoft stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $501.46, for a total transaction of $43,388,826.50. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 486,763 shares in the company, valued at approximately $244,092,173.98. This represents a 15.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 150,314 shares of company stock valued at $75,404,992. Insiders own 0.03% of the company’s stock. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research analysts have weighed in on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Microsoft in a report on Monday, September 28th. UBS Group raised their target price on Microsoft from $525.00 to $675.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday. Morgan Stanley lowered Microsoft from an “overweight” rating to a “negative” rating in a research report on Monday, October 5th. William Blair began coverage on Microsoft in a research note on Monday, October 5th. They issued an “outperform” rating on the stock. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group upped their price target on Microsoft from $575.00 to $650.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Forty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $589.71.
Read Our Latest Stock Report on MSFT
Microsoft Stock Performance NASDAQ:MSFT opened at $529.05 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.23, a quick ratio of 1.22 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07. Microsoft Corporation has a 12-month low of $349.20 and a 12-month high of $553.72. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $505.53 and a 200 day moving average price of $440.59. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.93 trillion, a P/E ratio of 29.46, a P/E/G ratio of 1.73 and a beta of 1.10.
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The software giant reported $4.74 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.24 by $0.50. The company had revenue of $90.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $87.62 billion. Microsoft had a return on equity of 31.98% and a net margin of 40.31%. The firm’s revenue was up 17.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $3.65 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that Microsoft Corporation will post 19.65 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Microsoft Increases Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Investors of record on Thursday, November 19th will be given a dividend of $0.98 per share. This is a positive change from Microsoft’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.91. This represents a $3.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, November 19th. Microsoft’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 20.27%.
About Microsoft (Free Report)
Microsoft Corporation is a global technology company that develops software, cloud services, devices, gaming products and business solutions. Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, the company is best known for the Windows operating system and Microsoft Office productivity software. Microsoft is headquartered in Redmond, Washington, and serves consumers, businesses, governments and educational institutions worldwide.
Microsoft’s productivity and business offerings include Microsoft 365 applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, along with collaboration tools including Teams.
Further Reading Five stocks we like better than Microsoft Bank of America Stock Sell-Off Looks Like a Buying Opportunity AST SpaceMobile Is Down 67%—Could SpaceX’s Mobile Push Deepen the Selloff? GlobalFoundries’ $21 Billion Deal Could Change the Economics of Chipmaking Fundamental and Technicals Signals Align for Costco: Is the Stock Finally Breaking Out? Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MSFT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report).
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Berry Wealth Group LP bought a new position in shares of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report) during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 4,686 shares of the software giant’s stock, valued at approximately $1,748,000. Microsoft accounts for about 5.6% of Berry Wealth Group LP’s portfolio, making the stock its 6th largest position.
Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Haverford Trust Co purchased a new stake in shares of Microsoft during the 2nd quarter valued at $432,346,000. Clear Harbor Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Microsoft during the 2nd quarter worth $23,561,000. First Nebraska Trust Co purchased a new position in Microsoft in the second quarter worth $35,339,000. Kendall Capital Management purchased a new position in Microsoft in the second quarter worth $1,250,000. Finally, Kirtland Hills Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in Microsoft in the second quarter worth $5,427,000. 71.13% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Microsoft Stock Performance
MSFT stock opened at $529.05 on Friday. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $505.53 and its 200 day simple moving average is $440.59. The company has a current ratio of 1.23, a quick ratio of 1.22 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07. Microsoft Corporation has a 12-month low of $349.20 and a 12-month high of $553.72. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.93 trillion, a PE ratio of 29.46, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.73 and a beta of 1.10.
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The software giant reported $4.74 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.24 by $0.50. The firm had revenue of $90.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $87.62 billion. Microsoft had a return on equity of 31.98% and a net margin of 40.31%. The company’s revenue was up 17.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $3.65 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts forecast that Microsoft Corporation will post 19.65 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Microsoft Increases Dividend
The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, November 19th will be given a $0.98 dividend. This is a positive change from Microsoft’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.91. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, November 19th. This represents a $3.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.7%. Microsoft’s payout ratio is presently 20.27%.
Insiders Place Their Bets
In other Microsoft news, EVP Takeshi Numoto sold 4,810 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $496.48, for a total transaction of $2,388,068.80. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 42,677 shares in the company, valued at approximately $21,188,276.96. This represents a 10.13% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Satya Nadella sold 86,525 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $501.46, for a total transaction of $43,388,826.50. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 486,763 shares in the company, valued at approximately $244,092,173.98. The trade was a 15.09% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold a total of 150,314 shares of company stock worth $75,404,992 in the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 0.03% of the company’s stock.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
A number of research analysts recently commented on MSFT shares. BNP Paribas Exane cut Microsoft from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, October 5th. Scotiabank upped their price objective on Microsoft from $510.00 to $615.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, October 5th. Evercore upgraded Microsoft from an “underperform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, October 5th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on Microsoft from $700.00 to $725.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 1st. Finally, TD Cowen raised their price objective on Microsoft from $540.00 to $625.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday. Forty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Microsoft presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $589.71.
Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Microsoft
Key Headlines Impacting Microsoft
Here are the key news stories impacting Microsoft this week:
Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect Microsoft to remain the only major hyperscaler with positive free cash flow over the next year despite heavy AI investment. This reinforces confidence that the company can fund data-center expansion without substantial external financing. Microsoft Free Cash Flow Expected to Remain Positive
Positive Sentiment: Microsoft signed a 20-year agreement with NiSource for approximately 1,100 megawatts of power for an Indiana data-center campus beginning in 2028. Securing electricity supports future Azure capacity as grid constraints become a bottleneck for AI expansion. Microsoft Signs Power Deal With NiSource
Positive Sentiment: Microsoft’s custom Maia AI chips and reports that a new model achieved comparable or better performance than OpenAI’s system using a fraction of the computing power could eventually reduce reliance on expensive third-party GPUs and improve AI economics. Microsoft Wants to Make AI Cheaper
Neutral Sentiment: Investors are focused on Azure growth, Copilot adoption, AI monetization and capital expenditures ahead of earnings. Strong demand could support the shares, but the market wants evidence that revenue growth is translating into sustainable margins.
Negative Sentiment: The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority is investigating Microsoft’s grip on business software and says Microsoft and Amazon Web Services may need to do more to address cloud-service barriers. Potential remedies could increase compliance costs or weaken customer-lock-in advantages. UK Regulator Targets Microsoft’s Business Software Grip
Negative Sentiment: Questions remain over whether custom chips will deliver meaningful savings: AI infrastructure, power and data-center commitments are rising rapidly, while Microsoft is reportedly seeking substantial cost reductions in Azure. That creates concern about near-term free-cash-flow and margin pressure.
Microsoft Profile
(Free Report)
Microsoft Corporation is a global technology company that develops software, cloud services, devices, gaming products and business solutions. Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, the company is best known for the Windows operating system and Microsoft Office productivity software. Microsoft is headquartered in Redmond, Washington, and serves consumers, businesses, governments and educational institutions worldwide.
Microsoft’s productivity and business offerings include Microsoft 365 applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, along with collaboration tools including Teams.
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Receive News & Ratings for Microsoft Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Microsoft and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
Clarion Wealth Managment Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report) during the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund acquired 4,249 shares of the software giant’s stock, valued at approximately $1,585,000. Microsoft comprises about 1.3% of Clarion Wealth Managment Partners LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 16th biggest holding.
Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Auto Owners Insurance Co grew its position in Microsoft by 56,160.8% in the 4th quarter. Auto Owners Insurance Co now owns 60,116,384 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $29,073,486,000 after purchasing an additional 60,009,531 shares in the last quarter. Amundi increased its stake in Microsoft by 30.8% in the 1st quarter. Amundi now owns 41,675,076 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $15,426,862,000 after buying an additional 9,814,598 shares during the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its stake in Microsoft by 10.5% in the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 29,323,744 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $10,852,884,000 after buying an additional 2,784,809 shares during the last quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC lifted its position in shares of Microsoft by 7.8% during the 4th quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 22,138,798 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $10,715,379,000 after buying an additional 1,599,412 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership lifted its position in shares of Microsoft by 64.3% during the 1st quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 24,264,779 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $8,982,083,000 after buying an additional 9,493,778 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 71.13% of the company’s stock.
Microsoft News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Microsoft this week:
Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect Microsoft to remain the only major hyperscaler with positive free cash flow over the next year despite heavy AI investment. This reinforces confidence that the company can fund data-center expansion without substantial external financing. Microsoft Free Cash Flow Expected to Remain Positive Positive Sentiment: Microsoft signed a 20-year agreement with NiSource for approximately 1,100 megawatts of power for an Indiana data-center campus beginning in 2028. Securing electricity supports future Azure capacity as grid constraints become a bottleneck for AI expansion. Microsoft Signs Power Deal With NiSource Positive Sentiment: Microsoft’s custom Maia AI chips and reports that a new model achieved comparable or better performance than OpenAI’s system using a fraction of the computing power could eventually reduce reliance on expensive third-party GPUs and improve AI economics. Microsoft Wants to Make AI Cheaper Neutral Sentiment: Investors are focused on Azure growth, Copilot adoption, AI monetization and capital expenditures ahead of earnings. Strong demand could support the shares, but the market wants evidence that revenue growth is translating into sustainable margins. Negative Sentiment: The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority is investigating Microsoft’s grip on business software and says Microsoft and Amazon Web Services may need to do more to address cloud-service barriers. Potential remedies could increase compliance costs or weaken customer-lock-in advantages. UK Regulator Targets Microsoft’s Business Software Grip Negative Sentiment: Questions remain over whether custom chips will deliver meaningful savings: AI infrastructure, power and data-center commitments are rising rapidly, while Microsoft is reportedly seeking substantial cost reductions in Azure. That creates concern about near-term free-cash-flow and margin pressure. Insider Buying and Selling In related news, EVP Takeshi Numoto sold 4,810 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $496.48, for a total transaction of $2,388,068.80. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 42,677 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $21,188,276.96. This represents a 10.13% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Satya Nadella sold 86,525 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $501.46, for a total transaction of $43,388,826.50. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 486,763 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $244,092,173.98. This represents a 15.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold 150,314 shares of company stock valued at $75,404,992 over the last ninety days. Insiders own 0.03% of the company’s stock. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Citigroup boosted their target price on Microsoft from $600.00 to $636.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday. Stifel Nicolaus raised Microsoft from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and increased their price target for the company from $530.00 to $575.00 in a research report on Tuesday, September 22nd. BMO Capital Markets began coverage on Microsoft in a report on Monday, October 5th. They set an “outperform” rating on the stock. Truist Financial reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $575.00 price objective on shares of Microsoft in a research report on Wednesday, July 22nd. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group upped their price objective on Microsoft from $575.00 to $650.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Forty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $589.71.
Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on MSFT
Microsoft Stock Performance Shares of MSFT stock opened at $529.05 on Friday. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $505.53 and its 200-day moving average price is $440.59. The stock has a market cap of $3.93 trillion, a PE ratio of 29.46, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.73 and a beta of 1.10. The company has a current ratio of 1.23, a quick ratio of 1.22 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07. Microsoft Corporation has a 12 month low of $349.20 and a 12 month high of $553.72.
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The software giant reported $4.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.24 by $0.50. Microsoft had a net margin of 40.31% and a return on equity of 31.98%. The company had revenue of $90.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $87.62 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $3.65 EPS. Microsoft’s quarterly revenue was up 17.7% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts expect that Microsoft Corporation will post 19.65 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Microsoft Increases Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, November 19th will be issued a $0.98 dividend. This represents a $3.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.7%. This is a boost from Microsoft’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.91. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, November 19th. Microsoft’s dividend payout ratio is currently 20.27%.
About Microsoft (Free Report)
Microsoft Corporation is a global technology company that develops software, cloud services, devices, gaming products and business solutions. Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, the company is best known for the Windows operating system and Microsoft Office productivity software. Microsoft is headquartered in Redmond, Washington, and serves consumers, businesses, governments and educational institutions worldwide.
Microsoft’s productivity and business offerings include Microsoft 365 applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, along with collaboration tools including Teams.
Featured Articles Five stocks we like better than Microsoft Bank of America Stock Sell-Off Looks Like a Buying Opportunity AST SpaceMobile Is Down 67%—Could SpaceX’s Mobile Push Deepen the Selloff? GlobalFoundries’ $21 Billion Deal Could Change the Economics of Chipmaking Fundamental and Technicals Signals Align for Costco: Is the Stock Finally Breaking Out?
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Haverford Financial Services Inc. purchased a new stake in Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report) in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 50,246 shares of the software giant’s stock, valued at approximately $18,743,000. Microsoft makes up 5.5% of Haverford Financial Services Inc.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 4th largest holding.
Several other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Auto Owners Insurance Co raised its holdings in Microsoft by 56,160.8% during the 4th quarter. Auto Owners Insurance Co now owns 60,116,384 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $29,073,486,000 after purchasing an additional 60,009,531 shares during the last quarter. Amundi lifted its position in Microsoft by 30.8% during the 1st quarter. Amundi now owns 41,675,076 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $15,426,862,000 after purchasing an additional 9,814,598 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lifted its position in Microsoft by 10.5% during the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 29,323,744 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $10,852,884,000 after purchasing an additional 2,784,809 shares during the period. Hsbc Holdings PLC boosted its stake in shares of Microsoft by 7.8% in the 4th quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 22,138,798 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $10,715,379,000 after purchasing an additional 1,599,412 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership boosted its stake in shares of Microsoft by 64.3% in the 1st quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 24,264,779 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $8,982,083,000 after purchasing an additional 9,493,778 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 71.13% of the company’s stock.
Analyst Ratings Changes A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on MSFT shares. BMO Capital Markets began coverage on shares of Microsoft in a research note on Monday, October 5th. They set an “outperform” rating for the company. Truist Financial reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $575.00 price objective on shares of Microsoft in a research note on Wednesday, July 22nd. Wolfe Research lowered shares of Microsoft from an “outperform” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, September 23rd. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Microsoft from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 8th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus upgraded shares of Microsoft from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their target price for the company from $530.00 to $575.00 in a research report on Tuesday, September 22nd. Forty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $589.71.
View Our Latest Stock Analysis on Microsoft Microsoft Trading Down 1.9% Shares of MSFT stock opened at $529.05 on Friday. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $505.53 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $440.59. The company has a quick ratio of 1.22, a current ratio of 1.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07. The company has a market capitalization of $3.93 trillion, a PE ratio of 29.46, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.73 and a beta of 1.10. Microsoft Corporation has a 12-month low of $349.20 and a 12-month high of $553.72.
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The software giant reported $4.74 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.24 by $0.50. Microsoft had a net margin of 40.31% and a return on equity of 31.98%. The business had revenue of $90.01 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $87.62 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $3.65 earnings per share. Microsoft’s revenue was up 17.7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts predict that Microsoft Corporation will post 19.65 earnings per share for the current year.
Microsoft Increases Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, November 19th will be paid a dividend of $0.98 per share. This is a boost from Microsoft’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.91. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, November 19th. This represents a $3.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.7%. Microsoft’s dividend payout ratio is 20.27%.
Insider Buying and Selling In other Microsoft news, EVP Amy Hood sold 41,674 shares of Microsoft stock in a transaction on Monday, September 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $498.27, for a total value of $20,764,903.98. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 533,624 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $265,888,830.48. The trade was a 7.24% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO Judson Althoff sold 10,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $487.89, for a total value of $4,878,900.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 100,447 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $49,007,086.83. The trade was a 9.05% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold 150,314 shares of company stock valued at $75,404,992 over the last 90 days. 0.03% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.
Microsoft News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Microsoft this week:
Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect Microsoft to remain the only major hyperscaler with positive free cash flow over the next year despite heavy AI investment. This reinforces confidence that the company can fund data-center expansion without substantial external financing. Microsoft Free Cash Flow Expected to Remain Positive Positive Sentiment: Microsoft signed a 20-year agreement with NiSource for approximately 1,100 megawatts of power for an Indiana data-center campus beginning in 2028. Securing electricity supports future Azure capacity as grid constraints become a bottleneck for AI expansion. Microsoft Signs Power Deal With NiSource Positive Sentiment: Microsoft’s custom Maia AI chips and reports that a new model achieved comparable or better performance than OpenAI’s system using a fraction of the computing power could eventually reduce reliance on expensive third-party GPUs and improve AI economics. Microsoft Wants to Make AI Cheaper Neutral Sentiment: Investors are focused on Azure growth, Copilot adoption, AI monetization and capital expenditures ahead of earnings. Strong demand could support the shares, but the market wants evidence that revenue growth is translating into sustainable margins. Negative Sentiment: The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority is investigating Microsoft’s grip on business software and says Microsoft and Amazon Web Services may need to do more to address cloud-service barriers. Potential remedies could increase compliance costs or weaken customer-lock-in advantages. UK Regulator Targets Microsoft’s Business Software Grip Negative Sentiment: Questions remain over whether custom chips will deliver meaningful savings: AI infrastructure, power and data-center commitments are rising rapidly, while Microsoft is reportedly seeking substantial cost reductions in Azure. That creates concern about near-term free-cash-flow and margin pressure. Microsoft Profile (Free Report)
Microsoft Corporation is a global technology company that develops software, cloud services, devices, gaming products and business solutions. Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, the company is best known for the Windows operating system and Microsoft Office productivity software. Microsoft is headquartered in Redmond, Washington, and serves consumers, businesses, governments and educational institutions worldwide.
Microsoft’s productivity and business offerings include Microsoft 365 applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, along with collaboration tools including Teams.
See Also Five stocks we like better than Microsoft Bank of America Stock Sell-Off Looks Like a Buying Opportunity AST SpaceMobile Is Down 67%—Could SpaceX’s Mobile Push Deepen the Selloff? GlobalFoundries’ $21 Billion Deal Could Change the Economics of Chipmaking Fundamental and Technicals Signals Align for Costco: Is the Stock Finally Breaking Out? Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MSFT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report).
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Clal Insurance Enterprises Holdings Ltd purchased a new stake in Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report) in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor purchased 665,910 shares of the software giant’s stock, valued at approximately $248,398,000. Microsoft comprises about 1.1% of Clal Insurance Enterprises Holdings Ltd’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 19th biggest position.
Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of MSFT. Strategic Wealth Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Microsoft by 1.7% during the second quarter. Strategic Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,473 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $549,000 after buying an additional 24 shares during the last quarter. Friedenthal Financial raised its stake in Microsoft by 6.2% during the 1st quarter. Friedenthal Financial now owns 431 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $160,000 after acquiring an additional 25 shares during the last quarter. Sequent Planning LLC raised its stake in Microsoft by 0.7% during the 1st quarter. Sequent Planning LLC now owns 3,733 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $1,382,000 after acquiring an additional 25 shares during the last quarter. Lee Johnson Capital Management LLC lifted its position in Microsoft by 3.8% during the 2nd quarter. Lee Johnson Capital Management LLC now owns 687 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $256,000 after acquiring an additional 25 shares during the period. Finally, Riverpoint Wealth Management Holdings LLC lifted its position in Microsoft by 0.5% during the 1st quarter. Riverpoint Wealth Management Holdings LLC now owns 5,543 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $2,052,000 after acquiring an additional 26 shares during the period. 71.13% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several research analysts have weighed in on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Microsoft in a research note on Monday, September 28th. BNP Paribas Exane downgraded Microsoft from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, October 5th. BMO Capital Markets began coverage on shares of Microsoft in a research report on Monday, October 5th. They issued an “outperform” rating on the stock. Melius Research set a $665.00 price objective on shares of Microsoft and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, October 5th. Finally, Tigress Financial upped their price objective on shares of Microsoft from $680.00 to $690.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 5th. Forty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Microsoft has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $589.71.
Check Out Our Latest Report on MSFT Microsoft Stock Performance Shares of MSFT opened at $529.05 on Friday. Microsoft Corporation has a 1 year low of $349.20 and a 1 year high of $553.72. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $505.53 and its 200 day simple moving average is $440.59. The company has a market capitalization of $3.93 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.46, a PEG ratio of 1.73 and a beta of 1.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07, a quick ratio of 1.22 and a current ratio of 1.23.
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The software giant reported $4.74 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.24 by $0.50. The company had revenue of $90.01 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $87.62 billion. Microsoft had a return on equity of 31.98% and a net margin of 40.31%. Microsoft’s revenue was up 17.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $3.65 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Microsoft Corporation will post 19.65 EPS for the current year.
Microsoft Increases Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, November 19th will be given a $0.98 dividend. This is an increase from Microsoft’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.91. This represents a $3.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, November 19th. Microsoft’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 20.27%.
Key Microsoft News Here are the key news stories impacting Microsoft this week:
Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect Microsoft to remain the only major hyperscaler with positive free cash flow over the next year despite heavy AI investment. This reinforces confidence that the company can fund data-center expansion without substantial external financing. Microsoft Free Cash Flow Expected to Remain Positive Positive Sentiment: Microsoft signed a 20-year agreement with NiSource for approximately 1,100 megawatts of power for an Indiana data-center campus beginning in 2028. Securing electricity supports future Azure capacity as grid constraints become a bottleneck for AI expansion. Microsoft Signs Power Deal With NiSource Positive Sentiment: Microsoft’s custom Maia AI chips and reports that a new model achieved comparable or better performance than OpenAI’s system using a fraction of the computing power could eventually reduce reliance on expensive third-party GPUs and improve AI economics. Microsoft Wants to Make AI Cheaper Neutral Sentiment: Investors are focused on Azure growth, Copilot adoption, AI monetization and capital expenditures ahead of earnings. Strong demand could support the shares, but the market wants evidence that revenue growth is translating into sustainable margins. Negative Sentiment: The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority is investigating Microsoft’s grip on business software and says Microsoft and Amazon Web Services may need to do more to address cloud-service barriers. Potential remedies could increase compliance costs or weaken customer-lock-in advantages. UK Regulator Targets Microsoft’s Business Software Grip Negative Sentiment: Questions remain over whether custom chips will deliver meaningful savings: AI infrastructure, power and data-center commitments are rising rapidly, while Microsoft is reportedly seeking substantial cost reductions in Azure. That creates concern about near-term free-cash-flow and margin pressure. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Microsoft news, CEO Judson Althoff sold 10,000 shares of Microsoft stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $487.89, for a total value of $4,878,900.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 100,447 shares in the company, valued at $49,007,086.83. The trade was a 9.05% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, EVP Takeshi Numoto sold 4,810 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $496.48, for a total transaction of $2,388,068.80. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 42,677 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $21,188,276.96. This represents a 10.13% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 150,314 shares of company stock valued at $75,404,992. 0.03% of the stock is owned by company insiders.
Microsoft Profile (Free Report)
Microsoft Corporation is a global technology company that develops software, cloud services, devices, gaming products and business solutions. Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, the company is best known for the Windows operating system and Microsoft Office productivity software. Microsoft is headquartered in Redmond, Washington, and serves consumers, businesses, governments and educational institutions worldwide.
Microsoft’s productivity and business offerings include Microsoft 365 applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, along with collaboration tools including Teams.
Further Reading Five stocks we like better than Microsoft Bank of America Stock Sell-Off Looks Like a Buying Opportunity AST SpaceMobile Is Down 67%—Could SpaceX’s Mobile Push Deepen the Selloff? GlobalFoundries’ $21 Billion Deal Could Change the Economics of Chipmaking Fundamental and Technicals Signals Align for Costco: Is the Stock Finally Breaking Out?
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First Nebraska Trust Co bought a new position in shares of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report) during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm bought 94,738 shares of the software giant’s stock, valued at approximately $35,339,000. Microsoft comprises 2.9% of First Nebraska Trust Co’s holdings, making the stock its 8th largest holding.
Several other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Kendall Capital Management bought a new stake in shares of Microsoft during the second quarter worth $1,250,000. Kirtland Hills Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in Microsoft in the 2nd quarter valued at $5,427,000. Vista Investment Management bought a new stake in Microsoft in the 2nd quarter valued at $1,658,000. Welch Capital Partners LLC NY bought a new stake in Microsoft in the 2nd quarter valued at $1,170,000. Finally, Hudson Portfolio Management LLC acquired a new position in Microsoft in the 2nd quarter worth $1,413,000. 71.13% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Microsoft Stock Performance Shares of NASDAQ:MSFT opened at $529.05 on Friday. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $505.53 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $440.59. Microsoft Corporation has a 12-month low of $349.20 and a 12-month high of $553.72. The company has a quick ratio of 1.22, a current ratio of 1.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07. The firm has a market cap of $3.93 trillion, a PE ratio of 29.46, a PEG ratio of 1.73 and a beta of 1.10.
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 29th. The software giant reported $4.74 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.24 by $0.50. The firm had revenue of $90.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $87.62 billion. Microsoft had a return on equity of 31.98% and a net margin of 40.31%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 17.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $3.65 EPS. Equities research analysts predict that Microsoft Corporation will post 19.65 earnings per share for the current year. Microsoft Increases Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, November 19th will be given a $0.98 dividend. This represents a $3.92 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, November 19th. This is a boost from Microsoft’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.91. Microsoft’s dividend payout ratio is presently 20.27%.
Insider Activity In other news, CEO Judson Althoff sold 10,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $487.89, for a total transaction of $4,878,900.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 100,447 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $49,007,086.83. This represents a 9.05% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Amy Hood sold 7,305 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, October 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $545.42, for a total transaction of $3,984,293.10. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 555,396 shares in the company, valued at $302,924,086.32. This represents a 1.30% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 150,314 shares of company stock worth $75,404,992. Insiders own 0.03% of the company’s stock.
Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of equities analysts have issued reports on the company. DA Davidson reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $550.00 target price on shares of Microsoft in a report on Thursday, July 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Microsoft in a research note on Monday, September 28th. CLSA restated an “outperform” rating on shares of Microsoft in a report on Thursday, July 30th. TD Cowen upped their price objective on Microsoft from $540.00 to $625.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $640.00 price objective on shares of Microsoft in a research report on Thursday, July 30th. Forty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $589.71.
Get Our Latest Report on MSFT
Trending Headlines about Microsoft Here are the key news stories impacting Microsoft this week:
Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect Microsoft to remain the only major hyperscaler with positive free cash flow over the next year despite heavy AI investment. This reinforces confidence that the company can fund data-center expansion without substantial external financing. Microsoft Free Cash Flow Expected to Remain Positive Positive Sentiment: Microsoft signed a 20-year agreement with NiSource for approximately 1,100 megawatts of power for an Indiana data-center campus beginning in 2028. Securing electricity supports future Azure capacity as grid constraints become a bottleneck for AI expansion. Microsoft Signs Power Deal With NiSource Positive Sentiment: Microsoft’s custom Maia AI chips and reports that a new model achieved comparable or better performance than OpenAI’s system using a fraction of the computing power could eventually reduce reliance on expensive third-party GPUs and improve AI economics. Microsoft Wants to Make AI Cheaper Neutral Sentiment: Investors are focused on Azure growth, Copilot adoption, AI monetization and capital expenditures ahead of earnings. Strong demand could support the shares, but the market wants evidence that revenue growth is translating into sustainable margins. Negative Sentiment: The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority is investigating Microsoft’s grip on business software and says Microsoft and Amazon Web Services may need to do more to address cloud-service barriers. Potential remedies could increase compliance costs or weaken customer-lock-in advantages. UK Regulator Targets Microsoft’s Business Software Grip Negative Sentiment: Questions remain over whether custom chips will deliver meaningful savings: AI infrastructure, power and data-center commitments are rising rapidly, while Microsoft is reportedly seeking substantial cost reductions in Azure. That creates concern about near-term free-cash-flow and margin pressure. Microsoft Company Profile (Free Report)
Microsoft Corporation is a global technology company that develops software, cloud services, devices, gaming products and business solutions. Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, the company is best known for the Windows operating system and Microsoft Office productivity software. Microsoft is headquartered in Redmond, Washington, and serves consumers, businesses, governments and educational institutions worldwide.
Microsoft’s productivity and business offerings include Microsoft 365 applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, along with collaboration tools including Teams.
Featured Stories Five stocks we like better than Microsoft Bank of America Stock Sell-Off Looks Like a Buying Opportunity AST SpaceMobile Is Down 67%—Could SpaceX’s Mobile Push Deepen the Selloff? GlobalFoundries’ $21 Billion Deal Could Change the Economics of Chipmaking Fundamental and Technicals Signals Align for Costco: Is the Stock Finally Breaking Out?
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Elefante Mark B purchased a new stake in shares of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report) in the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm purchased 21,836 shares of the software giant’s stock, valued at approximately $8,145,000. Microsoft accounts for about 3.5% of Elefante Mark B’s portfolio, making the stock its 9th largest position.
A number of other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in MSFT. Frankly Finances LLC purchased a new position in Microsoft during the second quarter worth $35,000. Bard Associates Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Microsoft in the second quarter worth $37,000. Fiduciary Advisors Inc. lifted its position in shares of Microsoft by 37.4% in the second quarter. Fiduciary Advisors Inc. now owns 125 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $47,000 after acquiring an additional 34 shares in the last quarter. Persistent Asset Partners Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of Microsoft in the second quarter valued at $60,000. Finally, Glynn Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Microsoft by 34.2% during the second quarter. Glynn Capital Management LLC now owns 255 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $95,000 after acquiring an additional 65 shares during the last quarter. 71.13% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Microsoft Stock Down 1.9%
Shares of NASDAQ:MSFT opened at $529.05 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07, a quick ratio of 1.22 and a current ratio of 1.23. The company’s fifty day moving average is $505.53 and its two-hundred day moving average is $440.59. Microsoft Corporation has a 1-year low of $349.20 and a 1-year high of $553.72. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.93 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.46, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.73 and a beta of 1.10.
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 29th. The software giant reported $4.74 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.24 by $0.50. Microsoft had a return on equity of 31.98% and a net margin of 40.31%. The firm had revenue of $90.01 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $87.62 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $3.65 EPS. The firm’s revenue was up 17.7% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts anticipate that Microsoft Corporation will post 19.65 EPS for the current year.
Microsoft Increases Dividend
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, November 19th will be issued a dividend of $0.98 per share. This represents a $3.92 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.7%. This is a positive change from Microsoft’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.91. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, November 19th. Microsoft’s dividend payout ratio is presently 20.27%.
More Microsoft News
Here are the key news stories impacting Microsoft this week:
Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect Microsoft to remain the only major hyperscaler with positive free cash flow over the next year despite heavy AI investment. This reinforces confidence that the company can fund data-center expansion without substantial external financing. Microsoft Free Cash Flow Expected to Remain Positive
Positive Sentiment: Microsoft signed a 20-year agreement with NiSource for approximately 1,100 megawatts of power for an Indiana data-center campus beginning in 2028. Securing electricity supports future Azure capacity as grid constraints become a bottleneck for AI expansion. Microsoft Signs Power Deal With NiSource
Positive Sentiment: Microsoft’s custom Maia AI chips and reports that a new model achieved comparable or better performance than OpenAI’s system using a fraction of the computing power could eventually reduce reliance on expensive third-party GPUs and improve AI economics. Microsoft Wants to Make AI Cheaper
Neutral Sentiment: Investors are focused on Azure growth, Copilot adoption, AI monetization and capital expenditures ahead of earnings. Strong demand could support the shares, but the market wants evidence that revenue growth is translating into sustainable margins.
Negative Sentiment: The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority is investigating Microsoft’s grip on business software and says Microsoft and Amazon Web Services may need to do more to address cloud-service barriers. Potential remedies could increase compliance costs or weaken customer-lock-in advantages. UK Regulator Targets Microsoft’s Business Software Grip
Negative Sentiment: Questions remain over whether custom chips will deliver meaningful savings: AI infrastructure, power and data-center commitments are rising rapidly, while Microsoft is reportedly seeking substantial cost reductions in Azure. That creates concern about near-term free-cash-flow and margin pressure.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
MSFT has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. UBS Group lifted their price objective on Microsoft from $525.00 to $675.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a “buy” rating and issued a $600.00 target price on shares of Microsoft in a report on Monday. Bank of America raised their price target on shares of Microsoft from $500.00 to $600.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 1st. Evercore upgraded shares of Microsoft from an “underperform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, October 5th. Finally, Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Microsoft from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Thursday, October 8th. Forty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Microsoft has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $589.71.
Read Our Latest Report on MSFT
Insider Activity
In other Microsoft news, CEO Satya Nadella sold 86,525 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $501.46, for a total transaction of $43,388,826.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 486,763 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $244,092,173.98. The trade was a 15.09% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Takeshi Numoto sold 4,810 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $496.48, for a total transaction of $2,388,068.80. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 42,677 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $21,188,276.96. The trade was a 10.13% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last three months, insiders sold 150,314 shares of company stock worth $75,404,992. 0.03% of the stock is owned by insiders.
Microsoft Profile
(Free Report)
Microsoft Corporation is a global technology company that develops software, cloud services, devices, gaming products and business solutions. Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, the company is best known for the Windows operating system and Microsoft Office productivity software. Microsoft is headquartered in Redmond, Washington, and serves consumers, businesses, governments and educational institutions worldwide.
Microsoft’s productivity and business offerings include Microsoft 365 applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, along with collaboration tools including Teams.
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AST SpaceMobile Is Down 67%—Could SpaceX’s Mobile Push Deepen the Selloff?
GlobalFoundries’ $21 Billion Deal Could Change the Economics of Chipmaking
Fundamental and Technicals Signals Align for Costco: Is the Stock Finally Breaking Out?
Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MSFT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report).
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Burk Holdings LLC purchased a new position in shares of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report) in the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 2,532 shares of the software giant’s stock, valued at approximately $944,000. Microsoft comprises approximately 0.3% of Burk Holdings LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 15th largest holding.
Several other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Elefante Mark B purchased a new stake in shares of Microsoft in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $8,145,000. Pinnacle Holdings LLC purchased a new position in Microsoft during the second quarter valued at approximately $4,310,000. Haverford Financial Services Inc. purchased a new position in Microsoft during the second quarter valued at approximately $18,743,000. Benchmark Investment Advisors LLC bought a new position in Microsoft in the second quarter worth approximately $4,327,000. Finally, True Freedom Investing LLC bought a new position in Microsoft in the second quarter worth approximately $8,032,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 71.13% of the company’s stock.
Microsoft Stock Down 1.9% Shares of MSFT opened at $529.05 on Friday. Microsoft Corporation has a 52-week low of $349.20 and a 52-week high of $553.72. The company has a quick ratio of 1.22, a current ratio of 1.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $505.53 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $440.59. The company has a market capitalization of $3.93 trillion, a PE ratio of 29.46, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.73 and a beta of 1.10.
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT – Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The software giant reported $4.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.24 by $0.50. Microsoft had a return on equity of 31.98% and a net margin of 40.31%. The company had revenue of $90.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $87.62 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $3.65 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 17.7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Microsoft Corporation will post 19.65 EPS for the current year. Microsoft Increases Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Investors of record on Thursday, November 19th will be paid a dividend of $0.98 per share. This represents a $3.92 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, November 19th. This is a positive change from Microsoft’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.91. Microsoft’s dividend payout ratio is currently 20.27%.
Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research firms have weighed in on MSFT. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a “buy” rating and set a $600.00 target price on shares of Microsoft in a report on Monday. Weiss Ratings upgraded Microsoft from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 8th. Barclays increased their price target on shares of Microsoft from $512.00 to $600.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday. Oppenheimer raised their price target on shares of Microsoft from $515.00 to $570.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, September 22nd. Finally, DA Davidson reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $550.00 price objective on shares of Microsoft in a research report on Thursday, July 30th. Forty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $589.71.
Read Our Latest Research Report on MSFT
Key Stories Impacting Microsoft Here are the key news stories impacting Microsoft this week:
Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect Microsoft to remain the only major hyperscaler with positive free cash flow over the next year despite heavy AI investment. This reinforces confidence that the company can fund data-center expansion without substantial external financing. Microsoft Free Cash Flow Expected to Remain Positive Positive Sentiment: Microsoft signed a 20-year agreement with NiSource for approximately 1,100 megawatts of power for an Indiana data-center campus beginning in 2028. Securing electricity supports future Azure capacity as grid constraints become a bottleneck for AI expansion. Microsoft Signs Power Deal With NiSource Positive Sentiment: Microsoft’s custom Maia AI chips and reports that a new model achieved comparable or better performance than OpenAI’s system using a fraction of the computing power could eventually reduce reliance on expensive third-party GPUs and improve AI economics. Microsoft Wants to Make AI Cheaper Neutral Sentiment: Investors are focused on Azure growth, Copilot adoption, AI monetization and capital expenditures ahead of earnings. Strong demand could support the shares, but the market wants evidence that revenue growth is translating into sustainable margins. Negative Sentiment: The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority is investigating Microsoft’s grip on business software and says Microsoft and Amazon Web Services may need to do more to address cloud-service barriers. Potential remedies could increase compliance costs or weaken customer-lock-in advantages. UK Regulator Targets Microsoft’s Business Software Grip Negative Sentiment: Questions remain over whether custom chips will deliver meaningful savings: AI infrastructure, power and data-center commitments are rising rapidly, while Microsoft is reportedly seeking substantial cost reductions in Azure. That creates concern about near-term free-cash-flow and margin pressure. Insider Transactions at Microsoft In other Microsoft news, CEO Satya Nadella sold 86,525 shares of Microsoft stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $501.46, for a total value of $43,388,826.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 486,763 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $244,092,173.98. The trade was a 15.09% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO Judson Althoff sold 10,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $487.89, for a total transaction of $4,878,900.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 100,447 shares in the company, valued at $49,007,086.83. This trade represents a 9.05% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold a total of 150,314 shares of company stock worth $75,404,992 in the last 90 days. Insiders own 0.03% of the company’s stock.
Microsoft Profile (Free Report)
Microsoft Corporation is a global technology company that develops software, cloud services, devices, gaming products and business solutions. Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, the company is best known for the Windows operating system and Microsoft Office productivity software. Microsoft is headquartered in Redmond, Washington, and serves consumers, businesses, governments and educational institutions worldwide.
Microsoft’s productivity and business offerings include Microsoft 365 applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, along with collaboration tools including Teams.
Further Reading Five stocks we like better than Microsoft Bank of America Stock Sell-Off Looks Like a Buying Opportunity AST SpaceMobile Is Down 67%—Could SpaceX’s Mobile Push Deepen the Selloff? GlobalFoundries’ $21 Billion Deal Could Change the Economics of Chipmaking Fundamental and Technicals Signals Align for Costco: Is the Stock Finally Breaking Out? Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MSFT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report).
Receive News & Ratings for Microsoft Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Microsoft and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
Biondo Investment Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report) in the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 45,559 shares of the software giant’s stock, valued at approximately $16,994,000. Microsoft accounts for about 2.1% of Biondo Investment Advisors LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 15th biggest holding.
Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Auto Owners Insurance Co increased its holdings in Microsoft by 56,160.8% during the fourth quarter. Auto Owners Insurance Co now owns 60,116,384 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $29,073,486,000 after buying an additional 60,009,531 shares during the period. Amundi lifted its holdings in Microsoft by 30.8% during the first quarter. Amundi now owns 41,675,076 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $15,426,862,000 after buying an additional 9,814,598 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lifted its holdings in Microsoft by 10.5% during the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 29,323,744 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $10,852,884,000 after buying an additional 2,784,809 shares during the period. Hsbc Holdings PLC boosted its position in Microsoft by 7.8% during the 4th quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 22,138,798 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $10,715,379,000 after acquiring an additional 1,599,412 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership boosted its position in Microsoft by 64.3% during the 1st quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 24,264,779 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $8,982,083,000 after acquiring an additional 9,493,778 shares in the last quarter. 71.13% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several research analysts have recently commented on the company. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $640.00 price target on shares of Microsoft in a research report on Thursday, July 30th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a “buy” rating and set a $600.00 price objective on shares of Microsoft in a research note on Monday. Phillip Securities downgraded Microsoft from a “moderate buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, October 12th. Barclays lifted their target price on Microsoft from $512.00 to $600.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday. Finally, Wolfe Research downgraded shares of Microsoft from an “outperform” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, September 23rd. Forty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Microsoft currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $589.71.
View Our Latest Stock Report on Microsoft Microsoft News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Microsoft this week:
Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect Microsoft to remain the only major hyperscaler with positive free cash flow over the next year despite heavy AI investment. This reinforces confidence that the company can fund data-center expansion without substantial external financing. Microsoft Free Cash Flow Expected to Remain Positive Positive Sentiment: Microsoft signed a 20-year agreement with NiSource for approximately 1,100 megawatts of power for an Indiana data-center campus beginning in 2028. Securing electricity supports future Azure capacity as grid constraints become a bottleneck for AI expansion. Microsoft Signs Power Deal With NiSource Positive Sentiment: Microsoft’s custom Maia AI chips and reports that a new model achieved comparable or better performance than OpenAI’s system using a fraction of the computing power could eventually reduce reliance on expensive third-party GPUs and improve AI economics. Microsoft Wants to Make AI Cheaper Neutral Sentiment: Investors are focused on Azure growth, Copilot adoption, AI monetization and capital expenditures ahead of earnings. Strong demand could support the shares, but the market wants evidence that revenue growth is translating into sustainable margins. Negative Sentiment: The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority is investigating Microsoft’s grip on business software and says Microsoft and Amazon Web Services may need to do more to address cloud-service barriers. Potential remedies could increase compliance costs or weaken customer-lock-in advantages. UK Regulator Targets Microsoft’s Business Software Grip Negative Sentiment: Questions remain over whether custom chips will deliver meaningful savings: AI infrastructure, power and data-center commitments are rising rapidly, while Microsoft is reportedly seeking substantial cost reductions in Azure. That creates concern about near-term free-cash-flow and margin pressure. Insider Activity at Microsoft In related news, CEO Satya Nadella sold 86,525 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $501.46, for a total value of $43,388,826.50. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 486,763 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $244,092,173.98. This trade represents a 15.09% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO Judson Althoff sold 10,000 shares of Microsoft stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $487.89, for a total value of $4,878,900.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 100,447 shares in the company, valued at approximately $49,007,086.83. The trade was a 9.05% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold 150,314 shares of company stock worth $75,404,992 over the last three months. Company insiders own 0.03% of the company’s stock.
Microsoft Price Performance Microsoft stock opened at $529.05 on Friday. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $505.53 and its 200 day moving average price is $440.59. Microsoft Corporation has a 1 year low of $349.20 and a 1 year high of $553.72. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.93 trillion, a P/E ratio of 29.46, a P/E/G ratio of 1.73 and a beta of 1.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07, a quick ratio of 1.22 and a current ratio of 1.23.
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 29th. The software giant reported $4.74 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.24 by $0.50. The company had revenue of $90.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $87.62 billion. Microsoft had a net margin of 40.31% and a return on equity of 31.98%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 17.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $3.65 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Microsoft Corporation will post 19.65 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Microsoft Increases Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, November 19th will be paid a dividend of $0.98 per share. This is an increase from Microsoft’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.91. This represents a $3.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, November 19th. Microsoft’s dividend payout ratio is presently 20.27%.
About Microsoft (Free Report)
Microsoft Corporation is a global technology company that develops software, cloud services, devices, gaming products and business solutions. Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, the company is best known for the Windows operating system and Microsoft Office productivity software. Microsoft is headquartered in Redmond, Washington, and serves consumers, businesses, governments and educational institutions worldwide.
Microsoft’s productivity and business offerings include Microsoft 365 applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, along with collaboration tools including Teams.
Further Reading Five stocks we like better than Microsoft Bank of America Stock Sell-Off Looks Like a Buying Opportunity AST SpaceMobile Is Down 67%—Could SpaceX’s Mobile Push Deepen the Selloff? GlobalFoundries’ $21 Billion Deal Could Change the Economics of Chipmaking Fundamental and Technicals Signals Align for Costco: Is the Stock Finally Breaking Out?
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Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. purchased a new position in shares of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 1,704,284 shares of the software giant’s stock, valued at approximately $635,732,000. Microsoft comprises approximately 1.2% of Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 17th largest holding.
Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Capital Square LLC purchased a new position in shares of Microsoft in the 2nd quarter worth $2,035,000. Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co Ltd. acquired a new stake in Microsoft during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $56,775,000. Clarion Wealth Managment Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of Microsoft during the second quarter worth about $1,585,000. Te Ahumairangi Investment Management Ltd bought a new position in Microsoft during the second quarter worth $58,385,000. Finally, Magellan Asset Management Ltd bought a new position in shares of Microsoft during the second quarter valued at approximately $169,977,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 71.13% of the company’s stock.
Key Microsoft News Here are the key news stories impacting Microsoft this week:
Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect Microsoft to remain the only major hyperscaler with positive free cash flow over the next year despite heavy AI investment. This reinforces confidence that the company can fund data-center expansion without substantial external financing. Microsoft Free Cash Flow Expected to Remain Positive Positive Sentiment: Microsoft signed a 20-year agreement with NiSource for approximately 1,100 megawatts of power for an Indiana data-center campus beginning in 2028. Securing electricity supports future Azure capacity as grid constraints become a bottleneck for AI expansion. Microsoft Signs Power Deal With NiSource Positive Sentiment: Microsoft’s custom Maia AI chips and reports that a new model achieved comparable or better performance than OpenAI’s system using a fraction of the computing power could eventually reduce reliance on expensive third-party GPUs and improve AI economics. Microsoft Wants to Make AI Cheaper Neutral Sentiment: Investors are focused on Azure growth, Copilot adoption, AI monetization and capital expenditures ahead of earnings. Strong demand could support the shares, but the market wants evidence that revenue growth is translating into sustainable margins. Negative Sentiment: The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority is investigating Microsoft’s grip on business software and says Microsoft and Amazon Web Services may need to do more to address cloud-service barriers. Potential remedies could increase compliance costs or weaken customer-lock-in advantages. UK Regulator Targets Microsoft’s Business Software Grip Negative Sentiment: Questions remain over whether custom chips will deliver meaningful savings: AI infrastructure, power and data-center commitments are rising rapidly, while Microsoft is reportedly seeking substantial cost reductions in Azure. That creates concern about near-term free-cash-flow and margin pressure. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several analysts recently weighed in on MSFT shares. Benchmark reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Microsoft in a research report on Friday, July 24th. William Blair assumed coverage on shares of Microsoft in a research note on Monday, October 5th. They issued an “outperform” rating on the stock. TD Cowen upped their target price on Microsoft from $540.00 to $625.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday. KeyCorp reissued an “overweight” rating on shares of Microsoft in a research note on Thursday, September 3rd. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group restated a “buy” rating and set a $640.00 price target on shares of Microsoft in a report on Thursday, July 30th. Forty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Microsoft currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $589.71. Read Our Latest Report on MSFT
Insider Transactions at Microsoft In other news, CEO Judson Althoff sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $487.89, for a total transaction of $4,878,900.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 100,447 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $49,007,086.83. This represents a 9.05% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Takeshi Numoto sold 4,810 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $496.48, for a total transaction of $2,388,068.80. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 42,677 shares in the company, valued at $21,188,276.96. The trade was a 10.13% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 150,314 shares of company stock valued at $75,404,992. 0.03% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.
Microsoft Stock Performance Shares of MSFT stock opened at $529.05 on Friday. Microsoft Corporation has a one year low of $349.20 and a one year high of $553.72. The stock has a market cap of $3.93 trillion, a PE ratio of 29.46, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.73 and a beta of 1.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07, a current ratio of 1.23 and a quick ratio of 1.22. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $505.53 and a 200-day moving average of $440.59.
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The software giant reported $4.74 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.24 by $0.50. The company had revenue of $90.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $87.62 billion. Microsoft had a return on equity of 31.98% and a net margin of 40.31%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 17.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $3.65 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Microsoft Corporation will post 19.65 earnings per share for the current year.
Microsoft Increases Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, November 19th will be paid a dividend of $0.98 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, November 19th. This represents a $3.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.7%. This is a boost from Microsoft’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.91. Microsoft’s dividend payout ratio is 20.27%.
Microsoft Profile (Free Report)
Microsoft Corporation is a global technology company that develops software, cloud services, devices, gaming products and business solutions. Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, the company is best known for the Windows operating system and Microsoft Office productivity software. Microsoft is headquartered in Redmond, Washington, and serves consumers, businesses, governments and educational institutions worldwide.
Microsoft’s productivity and business offerings include Microsoft 365 applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, along with collaboration tools including Teams.
Read More Five stocks we like better than Microsoft Bank of America Stock Sell-Off Looks Like a Buying Opportunity AST SpaceMobile Is Down 67%—Could SpaceX’s Mobile Push Deepen the Selloff? GlobalFoundries’ $21 Billion Deal Could Change the Economics of Chipmaking Fundamental and Technicals Signals Align for Costco: Is the Stock Finally Breaking Out? Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MSFT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report).
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Capital Square LLC purchased a new position in shares of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report) in the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund purchased 5,284 shares of the software giant’s stock, valued at approximately $2,035,000.
Other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Auto Owners Insurance Co lifted its stake in Microsoft by 56,160.8% in the fourth quarter. Auto Owners Insurance Co now owns 60,116,384 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $29,073,486,000 after buying an additional 60,009,531 shares during the period. Amundi grew its position in shares of Microsoft by 30.8% during the 1st quarter. Amundi now owns 41,675,076 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $15,426,862,000 after buying an additional 9,814,598 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its position in shares of Microsoft by 10.5% during the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 29,323,744 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $10,852,884,000 after buying an additional 2,784,809 shares during the period. Hsbc Holdings PLC increased its stake in shares of Microsoft by 7.8% in the 4th quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 22,138,798 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $10,715,379,000 after acquiring an additional 1,599,412 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership increased its stake in shares of Microsoft by 64.3% in the 1st quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 24,264,779 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $8,982,083,000 after acquiring an additional 9,493,778 shares during the last quarter. 71.13% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Insider Buying and Selling In other news, EVP Takeshi Numoto sold 4,810 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $496.48, for a total transaction of $2,388,068.80. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 42,677 shares in the company, valued at approximately $21,188,276.96. This represents a 10.13% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Judson Althoff sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $487.89, for a total value of $4,878,900.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 100,447 shares in the company, valued at approximately $49,007,086.83. This trade represents a 9.05% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold 150,314 shares of company stock worth $75,404,992 in the last quarter. Insiders own 0.03% of the company’s stock.
Microsoft News Roundup Here are the key news stories impacting Microsoft this week: Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect Microsoft to remain the only major hyperscaler with positive free cash flow over the next year despite heavy AI investment. This reinforces confidence that the company can fund data-center expansion without substantial external financing. Microsoft Free Cash Flow Expected to Remain Positive Positive Sentiment: Microsoft signed a 20-year agreement with NiSource for approximately 1,100 megawatts of power for an Indiana data-center campus beginning in 2028. Securing electricity supports future Azure capacity as grid constraints become a bottleneck for AI expansion. Microsoft Signs Power Deal With NiSource Positive Sentiment: Microsoft’s custom Maia AI chips and reports that a new model achieved comparable or better performance than OpenAI’s system using a fraction of the computing power could eventually reduce reliance on expensive third-party GPUs and improve AI economics. Microsoft Wants to Make AI Cheaper Neutral Sentiment: Investors are focused on Azure growth, Copilot adoption, AI monetization and capital expenditures ahead of earnings. Strong demand could support the shares, but the market wants evidence that revenue growth is translating into sustainable margins. Negative Sentiment: The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority is investigating Microsoft’s grip on business software and says Microsoft and Amazon Web Services may need to do more to address cloud-service barriers. Potential remedies could increase compliance costs or weaken customer-lock-in advantages. UK Regulator Targets Microsoft’s Business Software Grip Negative Sentiment: Questions remain over whether custom chips will deliver meaningful savings: AI infrastructure, power and data-center commitments are rising rapidly, while Microsoft is reportedly seeking substantial cost reductions in Azure. That creates concern about near-term free-cash-flow and margin pressure. Microsoft Stock Down 1.9% MSFT opened at $529.05 on Friday. Microsoft Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $349.20 and a fifty-two week high of $553.72. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07, a quick ratio of 1.22 and a current ratio of 1.23. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $505.53 and a 200-day moving average of $440.59. The company has a market capitalization of $3.93 trillion, a P/E ratio of 29.46, a P/E/G ratio of 1.73 and a beta of 1.10.
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT – Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The software giant reported $4.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.24 by $0.50. Microsoft had a net margin of 40.31% and a return on equity of 31.98%. The firm had revenue of $90.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $87.62 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $3.65 EPS. The business’s revenue was up 17.7% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts expect that Microsoft Corporation will post 19.65 EPS for the current year.
Microsoft Increases Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, November 19th will be paid a dividend of $0.98 per share. This is a boost from Microsoft’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.91. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, November 19th. This represents a $3.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.7%. Microsoft’s dividend payout ratio is 20.27%.
Analyst Ratings Changes A number of brokerages recently weighed in on MSFT. Argus cut their price target on shares of Microsoft from $620.00 to $510.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, July 10th. BNP Paribas Exane lowered shares of Microsoft from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, October 5th. Rothschild & Co Redburn set a $440.00 price target on shares of Microsoft in a research report on Monday, September 21st. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Microsoft from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Thursday, October 8th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus raised shares of Microsoft from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and boosted their price target for the company from $530.00 to $575.00 in a report on Tuesday, September 22nd. Forty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $589.71.
View Our Latest Research Report on MSFT
Microsoft Company Profile (Free Report)
Microsoft Corporation is a global technology company that develops software, cloud services, devices, gaming products and business solutions. Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, the company is best known for the Windows operating system and Microsoft Office productivity software. Microsoft is headquartered in Redmond, Washington, and serves consumers, businesses, governments and educational institutions worldwide.
Microsoft’s productivity and business offerings include Microsoft 365 applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, along with collaboration tools including Teams.
Featured Articles Five stocks we like better than Microsoft Bank of America Stock Sell-Off Looks Like a Buying Opportunity AST SpaceMobile Is Down 67%—Could SpaceX’s Mobile Push Deepen the Selloff? GlobalFoundries’ $21 Billion Deal Could Change the Economics of Chipmaking Fundamental and Technicals Signals Align for Costco: Is the Stock Finally Breaking Out?
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Haverford Trust Co acquired a new position in Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report) during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund acquired 1,159,042 shares of the software giant’s stock, valued at approximately $432,346,000. Microsoft comprises about 3.7% of Haverford Trust Co’s holdings, making the stock its 4th largest holding.
Several other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of MSFT. Clear Harbor Asset Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Microsoft during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $23,561,000. First Nebraska Trust Co acquired a new stake in Microsoft in the second quarter valued at approximately $35,339,000. Kendall Capital Management acquired a new stake in Microsoft in the second quarter valued at approximately $1,250,000. Kirtland Hills Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in Microsoft in the second quarter worth $5,427,000. Finally, Vista Investment Management purchased a new position in Microsoft in the second quarter worth $1,658,000. Institutional investors own 71.13% of the company’s stock.
Microsoft News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Microsoft this week:
Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect Microsoft to remain the only major hyperscaler with positive free cash flow over the next year despite heavy AI investment. This reinforces confidence that the company can fund data-center expansion without substantial external financing. Microsoft Free Cash Flow Expected to Remain Positive Positive Sentiment: Microsoft signed a 20-year agreement with NiSource for approximately 1,100 megawatts of power for an Indiana data-center campus beginning in 2028. Securing electricity supports future Azure capacity as grid constraints become a bottleneck for AI expansion. Microsoft Signs Power Deal With NiSource Positive Sentiment: Microsoft’s custom Maia AI chips and reports that a new model achieved comparable or better performance than OpenAI’s system using a fraction of the computing power could eventually reduce reliance on expensive third-party GPUs and improve AI economics. Microsoft Wants to Make AI Cheaper Neutral Sentiment: Investors are focused on Azure growth, Copilot adoption, AI monetization and capital expenditures ahead of earnings. Strong demand could support the shares, but the market wants evidence that revenue growth is translating into sustainable margins. Negative Sentiment: The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority is investigating Microsoft’s grip on business software and says Microsoft and Amazon Web Services may need to do more to address cloud-service barriers. Potential remedies could increase compliance costs or weaken customer-lock-in advantages. UK Regulator Targets Microsoft’s Business Software Grip Negative Sentiment: Questions remain over whether custom chips will deliver meaningful savings: AI infrastructure, power and data-center commitments are rising rapidly, while Microsoft is reportedly seeking substantial cost reductions in Azure. That creates concern about near-term free-cash-flow and margin pressure. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several brokerages have recently commented on MSFT. Barclays increased their price objective on Microsoft from $512.00 to $600.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday. Oppenheimer boosted their target price on Microsoft from $515.00 to $570.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 22nd. Morgan Stanley downgraded Microsoft from an “overweight” rating to a “negative” rating in a research note on Monday, October 5th. Jefferies Financial Group upped their target price on Microsoft from $575.00 to $650.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, CLSA reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of Microsoft in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. Forty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $589.71. Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Microsoft
Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, EVP Takeshi Numoto sold 4,810 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $496.48, for a total value of $2,388,068.80. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 42,677 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $21,188,276.96. This represents a 10.13% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CEO Satya Nadella sold 86,525 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $501.46, for a total value of $43,388,826.50. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 486,763 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $244,092,173.98. The trade was a 15.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 150,314 shares of company stock worth $75,404,992. Company insiders own 0.03% of the company’s stock.
Microsoft Stock Down 1.9% MSFT stock opened at $529.05 on Friday. Microsoft Corporation has a 12 month low of $349.20 and a 12 month high of $553.72. The company has a market cap of $3.93 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.46, a PEG ratio of 1.73 and a beta of 1.10. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $505.53 and a two-hundred day moving average of $440.59. The company has a current ratio of 1.23, a quick ratio of 1.22 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07.
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The software giant reported $4.74 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.24 by $0.50. Microsoft had a net margin of 40.31% and a return on equity of 31.98%. The firm had revenue of $90.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $87.62 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $3.65 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 17.7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts forecast that Microsoft Corporation will post 19.65 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Microsoft Increases Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, November 19th will be given a $0.98 dividend. This is an increase from Microsoft’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.91. This represents a $3.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, November 19th. Microsoft’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 20.27%.
Microsoft Company Profile (Free Report)
Microsoft Corporation is a global technology company that develops software, cloud services, devices, gaming products and business solutions. Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, the company is best known for the Windows operating system and Microsoft Office productivity software. Microsoft is headquartered in Redmond, Washington, and serves consumers, businesses, governments and educational institutions worldwide.
Microsoft’s productivity and business offerings include Microsoft 365 applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, along with collaboration tools including Teams.
See Also Five stocks we like better than Microsoft Bank of America Stock Sell-Off Looks Like a Buying Opportunity AST SpaceMobile Is Down 67%—Could SpaceX’s Mobile Push Deepen the Selloff? GlobalFoundries’ $21 Billion Deal Could Change the Economics of Chipmaking Fundamental and Technicals Signals Align for Costco: Is the Stock Finally Breaking Out? Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MSFT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report).
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Covington Investment Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report) in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor acquired 85,141 shares of the software giant’s stock, valued at approximately $31,759,000. Microsoft makes up about 4.1% of Covington Investment Advisors Inc.’s portfolio, making the stock its 6th largest holding.
Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Biondo Investment Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Microsoft in the 2nd quarter valued at $16,994,000. Palidye Holdings Caymans Ltd bought a new position in Microsoft during the 2nd quarter worth about $115,071,000. Clal Insurance Enterprises Holdings Ltd bought a new position in Microsoft during the 2nd quarter worth about $248,398,000. Barbara Oil Co. bought a new position in Microsoft during the 2nd quarter worth about $8,702,000. Finally, Saranac Partners Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of Microsoft in the 2nd quarter valued at about $12,339,000. 71.13% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Insider Buying and Selling In other Microsoft news, CEO Judson Althoff sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $487.89, for a total transaction of $4,878,900.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 100,447 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $49,007,086.83. This represents a 9.05% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Amy Hood sold 7,305 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, October 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $545.42, for a total transaction of $3,984,293.10. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 555,396 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $302,924,086.32. This represents a 1.30% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 150,314 shares of company stock valued at $75,404,992. Insiders own 0.03% of the company’s stock.
Microsoft Stock Down 1.9% Shares of MSFT opened at $529.05 on Friday. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $505.53 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $440.59. Microsoft Corporation has a 12 month low of $349.20 and a 12 month high of $553.72. The company has a market capitalization of $3.93 trillion, a PE ratio of 29.46, a PEG ratio of 1.73 and a beta of 1.10. The company has a current ratio of 1.23, a quick ratio of 1.22 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07. Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The software giant reported $4.74 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.24 by $0.50. Microsoft had a return on equity of 31.98% and a net margin of 40.31%. The company had revenue of $90.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $87.62 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $3.65 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 17.7% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts anticipate that Microsoft Corporation will post 19.65 EPS for the current year.
Microsoft Increases Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Investors of record on Thursday, November 19th will be issued a $0.98 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, November 19th. This is a boost from Microsoft’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.91. This represents a $3.92 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.7%. Microsoft’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 20.27%.
Key Stories Impacting Microsoft Here are the key news stories impacting Microsoft this week:
Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect Microsoft to remain the only major hyperscaler with positive free cash flow over the next year despite heavy AI investment. This reinforces confidence that the company can fund data-center expansion without substantial external financing. Microsoft Free Cash Flow Expected to Remain Positive Positive Sentiment: Microsoft signed a 20-year agreement with NiSource for approximately 1,100 megawatts of power for an Indiana data-center campus beginning in 2028. Securing electricity supports future Azure capacity as grid constraints become a bottleneck for AI expansion. Microsoft Signs Power Deal With NiSource Positive Sentiment: Microsoft’s custom Maia AI chips and reports that a new model achieved comparable or better performance than OpenAI’s system using a fraction of the computing power could eventually reduce reliance on expensive third-party GPUs and improve AI economics. Microsoft Wants to Make AI Cheaper Neutral Sentiment: Investors are focused on Azure growth, Copilot adoption, AI monetization and capital expenditures ahead of earnings. Strong demand could support the shares, but the market wants evidence that revenue growth is translating into sustainable margins. Negative Sentiment: The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority is investigating Microsoft’s grip on business software and says Microsoft and Amazon Web Services may need to do more to address cloud-service barriers. Potential remedies could increase compliance costs or weaken customer-lock-in advantages. UK Regulator Targets Microsoft’s Business Software Grip Negative Sentiment: Questions remain over whether custom chips will deliver meaningful savings: AI infrastructure, power and data-center commitments are rising rapidly, while Microsoft is reportedly seeking substantial cost reductions in Azure. That creates concern about near-term free-cash-flow and margin pressure. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of research analysts recently issued reports on the company. Phillip Securities downgraded Microsoft from a “moderate buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, October 12th. Tigress Financial lifted their price objective on shares of Microsoft from $680.00 to $690.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 5th. UBS Group boosted their price target on shares of Microsoft from $525.00 to $675.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a “buy” rating and set a $640.00 price objective on shares of Microsoft in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. Finally, Barclays raised their price objective on Microsoft from $512.00 to $600.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday. Forty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $589.71.
Get Our Latest Research Report on Microsoft
Microsoft Company Profile (Free Report)
Microsoft Corporation is a global technology company that develops software, cloud services, devices, gaming products and business solutions. Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, the company is best known for the Windows operating system and Microsoft Office productivity software. Microsoft is headquartered in Redmond, Washington, and serves consumers, businesses, governments and educational institutions worldwide.
Microsoft’s productivity and business offerings include Microsoft 365 applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, along with collaboration tools including Teams.
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Microsoft, a holding in several ClearBridge portfolios, offers a good example of how hyperscalers are responding. A recent engagement with Equinix, another ClearBridge portfolio holding, provides the perspective of a data-center owner and operator. ClearBridge's recent engagement with Johnson Controls highlighted how equipment suppliers can help address the physical constraints on data centers.
Microsoft is rated a Buy, with a preference for gradual position building due to current record highs and potential AI-driven volatility. MSFT's robust free cash flow and diversified AI revenue streams position it to benefit from an AI downturn, unlike more leveraged peers. MSFT trades at a premium to the sector but below its own five-year averages, offering strong margins and predictable earnings relative to peers.
Emerald Investment Advisers LLC bought a new position in Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report) in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 114,206 shares of the software giant’s stock, valued at approximately $42,601,000. Microsoft makes up about 2.8% of Emerald Investment Advisers LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 4th biggest holding.
Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Auto Owners Insurance Co grew its stake in Microsoft by 56,160.8% in the fourth quarter. Auto Owners Insurance Co now owns 60,116,384 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $29,073,486,000 after purchasing an additional 60,009,531 shares in the last quarter. Amundi increased its position in Microsoft by 30.8% in the 1st quarter. Amundi now owns 41,675,076 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $15,426,862,000 after purchasing an additional 9,814,598 shares during the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its stake in shares of Microsoft by 10.5% during the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 29,323,744 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $10,852,884,000 after purchasing an additional 2,784,809 shares in the last quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC raised its stake in shares of Microsoft by 7.8% during the 4th quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 22,138,798 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $10,715,379,000 after purchasing an additional 1,599,412 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership lifted its holdings in shares of Microsoft by 64.3% during the 1st quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 24,264,779 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $8,982,083,000 after buying an additional 9,493,778 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 71.13% of the company’s stock.
Microsoft Stock Up 1.1% Microsoft stock opened at $539.44 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $4.01 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.04, a P/E/G ratio of 1.71 and a beta of 1.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07, a current ratio of 1.23 and a quick ratio of 1.22. Microsoft Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $349.20 and a fifty-two week high of $553.72. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $504.95 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $439.96.
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The software giant reported $4.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.24 by $0.50. The company had revenue of $90.01 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $87.62 billion. Microsoft had a return on equity of 31.98% and a net margin of 40.31%. The firm’s revenue was up 17.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $3.65 earnings per share. As a group, analysts forecast that Microsoft Corporation will post 19.65 earnings per share for the current year. Microsoft Increases Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, November 19th will be issued a $0.98 dividend. This is an increase from Microsoft’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.91. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, November 19th. This represents a $3.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.7%. Microsoft’s payout ratio is 20.27%.
Analyst Ratings Changes Several equities research analysts recently commented on the company. BNP Paribas Exane cut Microsoft from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, October 5th. BMO Capital Markets began coverage on Microsoft in a report on Monday, October 5th. They issued an “outperform” rating on the stock. Citizens Jmp reaffirmed a “market outperform” rating and set a $550.00 price objective on shares of Microsoft in a research report on Tuesday, September 15th. Morgan Stanley cut shares of Microsoft from an “overweight” rating to a “negative” rating in a research note on Monday, October 5th. Finally, Phillip Securities cut shares of Microsoft from a “moderate buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday. Forty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $589.71.
Get Our Latest Report on Microsoft
Microsoft News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Microsoft this week:
Positive Sentiment: UBS raised its price target to $675 from $525 and reiterated a Buy rating, citing accelerating Azure and Microsoft 365 growth driven by artificial intelligence. The firm believes Microsoft’s valuation remains reasonable despite its recent rally. UBS raises Microsoft price target Positive Sentiment: Multiple Wall Street firms have lifted their targets, with analysts highlighting Azure momentum, approximately 30 million Copilot seats, Microsoft’s commercial backlog and the potential for a larger-than-usual earnings beat. The October 28 results will provide an important test of whether AI spending is translating into revenue and profit. Positive Sentiment: Microsoft’s Maia 300 custom AI accelerator is expected to scale across Azure data centers and reportedly deliver more tokens per megawatt than conventional GPU systems. The chip could reduce inference costs and Microsoft’s dependence on Nvidia and AMD hardware. Microsoft Maia 300 AI chip Positive Sentiment: AI care-management company Tucuvi joined Microsoft’s Pegasus startup program, potentially expanding Microsoft’s enterprise AI pipeline and go-to-market reach in healthcare. Microsoft also increased its quarterly dividend to $0.98 from $0.91, signaling continued confidence in cash generation. Tucuvi joins Microsoft Pegasus Program Neutral Sentiment: Reports that Azure management is seeking roughly 20% cost reductions could improve efficiency and margins, but also underscore the pressure created by Microsoft’s substantial AI data-center investments. Neutral Sentiment: Microsoft’s $10 million contribution to a White House ballroom project is unlikely to affect near-term financial results, though it could attract political or reputational scrutiny. Microsoft White House ballroom contribution Negative Sentiment: Higher inflation and bond yields have pressured AI valuations and raised concerns about the financing cost and returns of large infrastructure projects. Microsoft’s strong balance sheet makes it less vulnerable than smaller AI companies, but valuation sensitivity remains a risk. Negative Sentiment: Phillip Securities downgraded Microsoft to Hold, while reports of security vulnerabilities, executive share sales and intense competition from rapidly growing AI companies add caution. Amy Hood’s sale was made under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan, limiting its significance. Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, CEO Judson Althoff sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $487.89, for a total value of $4,878,900.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 100,447 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $49,007,086.83. This represents a 9.05% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Takeshi Numoto sold 4,810 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $496.48, for a total transaction of $2,388,068.80. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 42,677 shares in the company, valued at approximately $21,188,276.96. The trade was a 10.13% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 150,314 shares of company stock worth $75,404,992. Corporate insiders own 0.03% of the company’s stock.
Microsoft Company Profile (Free Report)
Microsoft Corporation is a global technology company that develops software, cloud services, devices, gaming products and business solutions. Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, the company is best known for the Windows operating system and Microsoft Office productivity software. Microsoft is headquartered in Redmond, Washington, and serves consumers, businesses, governments and educational institutions worldwide.
Microsoft’s productivity and business offerings include Microsoft 365 applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, along with collaboration tools including Teams.
See Also Five stocks we like better than Microsoft ASML Can’t Keep Up With AI Demand—Why That’s a Good Thing Enovix’s 100,000-Battery Drone Order Sets Up a Test of Its Production Plans AMD’s Support Could Help Fermi Stock Overcome Its Biggest Hurdle Beyond the GPU: Credo Paves the Next AI Data Superhighway Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MSFT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report).
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Daiichi Life Insurance Co. Ltd. bought a new stake in Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 390,723 shares of the software giant’s stock, valued at approximately $145,747,000. Microsoft comprises approximately 3.4% of Daiichi Life Insurance Co. Ltd.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 3rd largest holding.
Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in MSFT. Auto Owners Insurance Co lifted its holdings in shares of Microsoft by 56,160.8% in the fourth quarter. Auto Owners Insurance Co now owns 60,116,384 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $29,073,486,000 after purchasing an additional 60,009,531 shares in the last quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC increased its position in Microsoft by 234.5% during the 4th quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC now owns 17,822,280 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $8,619,211,000 after purchasing an additional 12,493,786 shares in the last quarter. Amundi increased its stake in Microsoft by 30.8% during the 1st quarter. Amundi now owns 41,675,076 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $15,426,862,000 after buying an additional 9,814,598 shares during the period. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership increased its position in shares of Microsoft by 64.3% during the first quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 24,264,779 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $8,982,083,000 after acquiring an additional 9,493,778 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Diamant Asset Management Inc. raised its position in shares of Microsoft by 38,442.1% in the 1st quarter. Diamant Asset Management Inc. now owns 6,810,388 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $2,521,001,000 after purchasing an additional 6,792,718 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 71.13% of the company’s stock.
Key Stories Impacting Microsoft Here are the key news stories impacting Microsoft this week:
Positive Sentiment: UBS raised its price target to $675 from $525 and reiterated a Buy rating, citing accelerating Azure and Microsoft 365 growth driven by artificial intelligence. The firm believes Microsoft’s valuation remains reasonable despite its recent rally. UBS raises Microsoft price target Positive Sentiment: Multiple Wall Street firms have lifted their targets, with analysts highlighting Azure momentum, approximately 30 million Copilot seats, Microsoft’s commercial backlog and the potential for a larger-than-usual earnings beat. The October 28 results will provide an important test of whether AI spending is translating into revenue and profit. Positive Sentiment: Microsoft’s Maia 300 custom AI accelerator is expected to scale across Azure data centers and reportedly deliver more tokens per megawatt than conventional GPU systems. The chip could reduce inference costs and Microsoft’s dependence on Nvidia and AMD hardware. Microsoft Maia 300 AI chip Positive Sentiment: AI care-management company Tucuvi joined Microsoft’s Pegasus startup program, potentially expanding Microsoft’s enterprise AI pipeline and go-to-market reach in healthcare. Microsoft also increased its quarterly dividend to $0.98 from $0.91, signaling continued confidence in cash generation. Tucuvi joins Microsoft Pegasus Program Neutral Sentiment: Reports that Azure management is seeking roughly 20% cost reductions could improve efficiency and margins, but also underscore the pressure created by Microsoft’s substantial AI data-center investments. Neutral Sentiment: Microsoft’s $10 million contribution to a White House ballroom project is unlikely to affect near-term financial results, though it could attract political or reputational scrutiny. Microsoft White House ballroom contribution Negative Sentiment: Higher inflation and bond yields have pressured AI valuations and raised concerns about the financing cost and returns of large infrastructure projects. Microsoft’s strong balance sheet makes it less vulnerable than smaller AI companies, but valuation sensitivity remains a risk. Negative Sentiment: Phillip Securities downgraded Microsoft to Hold, while reports of security vulnerabilities, executive share sales and intense competition from rapidly growing AI companies add caution. Amy Hood’s sale was made under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan, limiting its significance. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of equities analysts have issued reports on MSFT shares. CLSA reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of Microsoft in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. Cantor Fitzgerald upped their price target on Microsoft from $522.00 to $608.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, September 21st. Morgan Stanley downgraded Microsoft from an “overweight” rating to a “negative” rating in a research report on Monday, October 5th. Jefferies Financial Group raised their price objective on Microsoft from $575.00 to $650.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus upgraded shares of Microsoft from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $530.00 to $575.00 in a research report on Tuesday, September 22nd. Forty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Microsoft presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $589.71. Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Microsoft
Insider Activity at Microsoft In other news, CEO Satya Nadella sold 86,525 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $501.46, for a total transaction of $43,388,826.50. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 486,763 shares in the company, valued at approximately $244,092,173.98. The trade was a 15.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Takeshi Numoto sold 4,810 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $496.48, for a total value of $2,388,068.80. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 42,677 shares in the company, valued at approximately $21,188,276.96. This represents a 10.13% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold 150,314 shares of company stock valued at $75,404,992 in the last quarter. Company insiders own 0.03% of the company’s stock.
Microsoft Price Performance NASDAQ MSFT opened at $539.44 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $4.01 trillion, a P/E ratio of 30.04, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.71 and a beta of 1.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07, a current ratio of 1.23 and a quick ratio of 1.22. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $504.95 and its two-hundred day moving average is $439.96. Microsoft Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $349.20 and a fifty-two week high of $553.72.
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The software giant reported $4.74 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.24 by $0.50. The company had revenue of $90.01 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $87.62 billion. Microsoft had a return on equity of 31.98% and a net margin of 40.31%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 17.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $3.65 earnings per share. On average, analysts anticipate that Microsoft Corporation will post 19.65 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Microsoft Increases Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, November 19th will be issued a dividend of $0.98 per share. This represents a $3.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.7%. This is a boost from Microsoft’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.91. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, November 19th. Microsoft’s dividend payout ratio is presently 20.27%.
Microsoft Profile (Free Report)
Microsoft Corporation is a global technology company that develops software, cloud services, devices, gaming products and business solutions. Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, the company is best known for the Windows operating system and Microsoft Office productivity software. Microsoft is headquartered in Redmond, Washington, and serves consumers, businesses, governments and educational institutions worldwide.
Microsoft’s productivity and business offerings include Microsoft 365 applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, along with collaboration tools including Teams.
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Foyston Gordon and Payne Inc bought a new position in Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) in the undefined quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor bought 77,720 shares of the software giant's stock, valued at approximately $29,095,000. Microsoft makes up about 6.2% of Foyston Gordon and
Fortress Financial Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report) in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund purchased 2,616 shares of the software giant’s stock, valued at approximately $976,000.
Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Evolve Private Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in Microsoft during the second quarter worth $27,676,000. Martin & Co. Inc. TN bought a new stake in Microsoft during the 2nd quarter valued at $7,583,000. Findlay Park Partners LLP bought a new stake in Microsoft during the 2nd quarter valued at $144,146,000. Greenbrier Partners Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Microsoft in the 2nd quarter valued at $44,181,000. Finally, WealthShield Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Microsoft in the 2nd quarter valued at $10,847,000. Institutional investors own 71.13% of the company’s stock.
Microsoft Stock Up 1.1% NASDAQ:MSFT opened at $539.44 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.23, a quick ratio of 1.22 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07. The company’s 50 day moving average is $504.95 and its two-hundred day moving average is $439.96. Microsoft Corporation has a twelve month low of $349.20 and a twelve month high of $553.72. The company has a market cap of $4.01 trillion, a PE ratio of 30.04, a P/E/G ratio of 1.71 and a beta of 1.10.
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT – Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The software giant reported $4.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.24 by $0.50. The company had revenue of $90.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $87.62 billion. Microsoft had a return on equity of 31.98% and a net margin of 40.31%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 17.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $3.65 EPS. Analysts anticipate that Microsoft Corporation will post 19.65 EPS for the current year. Microsoft Increases Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, November 19th will be paid a $0.98 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, November 19th. This is an increase from Microsoft’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.91. This represents a $3.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.7%. Microsoft’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 20.27%.
Microsoft News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Microsoft this week:
Positive Sentiment: UBS raised its price target to $675 from $525 and reiterated a Buy rating, citing accelerating Azure and Microsoft 365 growth driven by artificial intelligence. The firm believes Microsoft’s valuation remains reasonable despite its recent rally. UBS raises Microsoft price target Positive Sentiment: Multiple Wall Street firms have lifted their targets, with analysts highlighting Azure momentum, approximately 30 million Copilot seats, Microsoft’s commercial backlog and the potential for a larger-than-usual earnings beat. The October 28 results will provide an important test of whether AI spending is translating into revenue and profit. Positive Sentiment: Microsoft’s Maia 300 custom AI accelerator is expected to scale across Azure data centers and reportedly deliver more tokens per megawatt than conventional GPU systems. The chip could reduce inference costs and Microsoft’s dependence on Nvidia and AMD hardware. Microsoft Maia 300 AI chip Positive Sentiment: AI care-management company Tucuvi joined Microsoft’s Pegasus startup program, potentially expanding Microsoft’s enterprise AI pipeline and go-to-market reach in healthcare. Microsoft also increased its quarterly dividend to $0.98 from $0.91, signaling continued confidence in cash generation. Tucuvi joins Microsoft Pegasus Program Neutral Sentiment: Reports that Azure management is seeking roughly 20% cost reductions could improve efficiency and margins, but also underscore the pressure created by Microsoft’s substantial AI data-center investments. Neutral Sentiment: Microsoft’s $10 million contribution to a White House ballroom project is unlikely to affect near-term financial results, though it could attract political or reputational scrutiny. Microsoft White House ballroom contribution Negative Sentiment: Higher inflation and bond yields have pressured AI valuations and raised concerns about the financing cost and returns of large infrastructure projects. Microsoft’s strong balance sheet makes it less vulnerable than smaller AI companies, but valuation sensitivity remains a risk. Negative Sentiment: Phillip Securities downgraded Microsoft to Hold, while reports of security vulnerabilities, executive share sales and intense competition from rapidly growing AI companies add caution. Amy Hood’s sale was made under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan, limiting its significance. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several research firms have recently commented on MSFT. Guggenheim reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $586.00 price target on shares of Microsoft in a research report on Monday, July 27th. Truist Financial restated a “buy” rating and set a $575.00 price objective on shares of Microsoft in a research note on Wednesday, July 22nd. Evercore raised Microsoft from an “underperform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, October 5th. Wolfe Research lowered Microsoft from an “outperform” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 23rd. Finally, Raymond James Financial downgraded shares of Microsoft from a “moderate buy” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report on Wednesday, September 23rd. Forty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $589.71.
Read Our Latest Analysis on Microsoft
Insider Buying and Selling In other Microsoft news, CEO Judson Althoff sold 10,000 shares of Microsoft stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $487.89, for a total transaction of $4,878,900.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 100,447 shares in the company, valued at approximately $49,007,086.83. This trade represents a 9.05% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, CEO Satya Nadella sold 86,525 shares of Microsoft stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $501.46, for a total value of $43,388,826.50. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 486,763 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $244,092,173.98. This represents a 15.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold a total of 150,314 shares of company stock valued at $75,404,992 over the last quarter. 0.03% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.
Microsoft Company Profile (Free Report)
Microsoft Corporation is a global technology company that develops software, cloud services, devices, gaming products and business solutions. Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, the company is best known for the Windows operating system and Microsoft Office productivity software. Microsoft is headquartered in Redmond, Washington, and serves consumers, businesses, governments and educational institutions worldwide.
Microsoft’s productivity and business offerings include Microsoft 365 applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, along with collaboration tools including Teams.
Further Reading Five stocks we like better than Microsoft ASML Can’t Keep Up With AI Demand—Why That’s a Good Thing Enovix’s 100,000-Battery Drone Order Sets Up a Test of Its Production Plans AMD’s Support Could Help Fermi Stock Overcome Its Biggest Hurdle Beyond the GPU: Credo Paves the Next AI Data Superhighway
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George Kaiser Family Foundation purchased a new stake in Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report) in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor purchased 6,062 shares of the software giant’s stock, valued at approximately $2,261,000. Microsoft makes up about 0.2% of George Kaiser Family Foundation’s portfolio, making the stock its 19th largest position.
Other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Frankly Finances LLC bought a new stake in Microsoft in the 2nd quarter valued at $35,000. Bard Associates Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Microsoft in the 2nd quarter valued at about $37,000. Fiduciary Advisors Inc. increased its stake in shares of Microsoft by 37.4% in the 2nd quarter. Fiduciary Advisors Inc. now owns 125 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $47,000 after acquiring an additional 34 shares during the last quarter. Persistent Asset Partners Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of Microsoft in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $60,000. Finally, Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. acquired a new stake in shares of Microsoft in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $101,000. Institutional investors own 71.13% of the company’s stock.
Analyst Ratings Changes Several research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Microsoft in a research note on Monday, September 28th. The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $640.00 target price on shares of Microsoft in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. Evercore raised shares of Microsoft from an “underperform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, October 5th. Melius Research set a $665.00 target price on shares of Microsoft and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, October 5th. Finally, Benchmark reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Microsoft in a research report on Friday, July 24th. Forty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Microsoft currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $589.71.
Read Our Latest Analysis on Microsoft Microsoft Price Performance NASDAQ MSFT opened at $539.44 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07, a quick ratio of 1.22 and a current ratio of 1.23. The stock has a market cap of $4.01 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.04, a PEG ratio of 1.71 and a beta of 1.10. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $504.95 and a 200 day simple moving average of $439.96. Microsoft Corporation has a 52-week low of $349.20 and a 52-week high of $553.72.
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The software giant reported $4.74 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.24 by $0.50. The firm had revenue of $90.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $87.62 billion. Microsoft had a net margin of 40.31% and a return on equity of 31.98%. The business’s revenue was up 17.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $3.65 earnings per share. Analysts anticipate that Microsoft Corporation will post 19.65 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Microsoft Increases Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, November 19th will be issued a $0.98 dividend. This represents a $3.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.7%. This is a boost from Microsoft’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.91. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, November 19th. Microsoft’s dividend payout ratio is 20.27%.
Insider Buying and Selling at Microsoft In related news, CEO Satya Nadella sold 86,525 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $501.46, for a total value of $43,388,826.50. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 486,763 shares in the company, valued at approximately $244,092,173.98. This trade represents a 15.09% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Takeshi Numoto sold 4,810 shares of Microsoft stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $496.48, for a total transaction of $2,388,068.80. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 42,677 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $21,188,276.96. This trade represents a 10.13% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold a total of 150,314 shares of company stock valued at $75,404,992 over the last quarter. 0.03% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.
Key Headlines Impacting Microsoft Here are the key news stories impacting Microsoft this week:
Positive Sentiment: UBS raised its price target to $675 from $525 and reiterated a Buy rating, citing accelerating Azure and Microsoft 365 growth driven by artificial intelligence. The firm believes Microsoft’s valuation remains reasonable despite its recent rally. UBS raises Microsoft price target Positive Sentiment: Multiple Wall Street firms have lifted their targets, with analysts highlighting Azure momentum, approximately 30 million Copilot seats, Microsoft’s commercial backlog and the potential for a larger-than-usual earnings beat. The October 28 results will provide an important test of whether AI spending is translating into revenue and profit. Positive Sentiment: Microsoft’s Maia 300 custom AI accelerator is expected to scale across Azure data centers and reportedly deliver more tokens per megawatt than conventional GPU systems. The chip could reduce inference costs and Microsoft’s dependence on Nvidia and AMD hardware. Microsoft Maia 300 AI chip Positive Sentiment: AI care-management company Tucuvi joined Microsoft’s Pegasus startup program, potentially expanding Microsoft’s enterprise AI pipeline and go-to-market reach in healthcare. Microsoft also increased its quarterly dividend to $0.98 from $0.91, signaling continued confidence in cash generation. Tucuvi joins Microsoft Pegasus Program Neutral Sentiment: Reports that Azure management is seeking roughly 20% cost reductions could improve efficiency and margins, but also underscore the pressure created by Microsoft’s substantial AI data-center investments. Neutral Sentiment: Microsoft’s $10 million contribution to a White House ballroom project is unlikely to affect near-term financial results, though it could attract political or reputational scrutiny. Microsoft White House ballroom contribution Negative Sentiment: Higher inflation and bond yields have pressured AI valuations and raised concerns about the financing cost and returns of large infrastructure projects. Microsoft’s strong balance sheet makes it less vulnerable than smaller AI companies, but valuation sensitivity remains a risk. Negative Sentiment: Phillip Securities downgraded Microsoft to Hold, while reports of security vulnerabilities, executive share sales and intense competition from rapidly growing AI companies add caution. Amy Hood’s sale was made under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan, limiting its significance. Microsoft Company Profile (Free Report)
Microsoft Corporation is a global technology company that develops software, cloud services, devices, gaming products and business solutions. Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, the company is best known for the Windows operating system and Microsoft Office productivity software. Microsoft is headquartered in Redmond, Washington, and serves consumers, businesses, governments and educational institutions worldwide.
Microsoft’s productivity and business offerings include Microsoft 365 applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, along with collaboration tools including Teams.
See Also Five stocks we like better than Microsoft ASML Can’t Keep Up With AI Demand—Why That’s a Good Thing Enovix’s 100,000-Battery Drone Order Sets Up a Test of Its Production Plans AMD’s Support Could Help Fermi Stock Overcome Its Biggest Hurdle Beyond the GPU: Credo Paves the Next AI Data Superhighway
Receive News & Ratings for Microsoft Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Microsoft and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
Commerce Bank acquired a new position in shares of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report) in the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund acquired 2,172,142 shares of the software giant’s stock, valued at approximately $810,252,000. Microsoft makes up approximately 3.6% of Commerce Bank’s holdings, making the stock its 5th biggest position.
A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the stock. Frankly Finances LLC acquired a new stake in Microsoft in the second quarter valued at $35,000. Bard Associates Inc. purchased a new stake in Microsoft during the 2nd quarter worth about $37,000. Fiduciary Advisors Inc. boosted its position in shares of Microsoft by 37.4% during the 2nd quarter. Fiduciary Advisors Inc. now owns 125 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $47,000 after acquiring an additional 34 shares in the last quarter. Persistent Asset Partners Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Microsoft during the 2nd quarter worth about $60,000. Finally, Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. purchased a new position in shares of Microsoft in the 4th quarter valued at about $101,000. 71.13% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Insider Transactions at Microsoft In other news, CEO Satya Nadella sold 86,525 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $501.46, for a total value of $43,388,826.50. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 486,763 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $244,092,173.98. This represents a 15.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Amy Hood sold 7,305 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, October 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $545.42, for a total value of $3,984,293.10. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 555,396 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $302,924,086.32. The trade was a 1.30% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold a total of 150,314 shares of company stock worth $75,404,992 in the last three months. Corporate insiders own 0.03% of the company’s stock.
Microsoft Stock Up 1.1% MSFT opened at $539.44 on Friday. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $504.95 and its 200-day simple moving average is $439.96. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07, a quick ratio of 1.22 and a current ratio of 1.23. Microsoft Corporation has a one year low of $349.20 and a one year high of $553.72. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.01 trillion, a P/E ratio of 30.04, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.71 and a beta of 1.10. Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT – Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The software giant reported $4.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.24 by $0.50. The firm had revenue of $90.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $87.62 billion. Microsoft had a return on equity of 31.98% and a net margin of 40.31%. The business’s revenue was up 17.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $3.65 EPS. Analysts anticipate that Microsoft Corporation will post 19.65 EPS for the current year.
Microsoft Increases Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, November 19th will be paid a $0.98 dividend. This is an increase from Microsoft’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.91. This represents a $3.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, November 19th. Microsoft’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 20.27%.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on MSFT shares. Melius Research set a $665.00 target price on Microsoft and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, October 5th. Raymond James Financial downgraded Microsoft from a “moderate buy” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report on Wednesday, September 23rd. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on Microsoft from $700.00 to $725.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, October 1st. Oppenheimer increased their price target on shares of Microsoft from $515.00 to $570.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 22nd. Finally, Wolfe Research cut shares of Microsoft from an “outperform” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, September 23rd. Forty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Microsoft has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $589.71.
Read Our Latest Research Report on MSFT
More Microsoft News Here are the key news stories impacting Microsoft this week:
Positive Sentiment: UBS raised its price target to $675 from $525 and reiterated a Buy rating, citing accelerating Azure and Microsoft 365 growth driven by artificial intelligence. The firm believes Microsoft’s valuation remains reasonable despite its recent rally. UBS raises Microsoft price target Positive Sentiment: Multiple Wall Street firms have lifted their targets, with analysts highlighting Azure momentum, approximately 30 million Copilot seats, Microsoft’s commercial backlog and the potential for a larger-than-usual earnings beat. The October 28 results will provide an important test of whether AI spending is translating into revenue and profit. Positive Sentiment: Microsoft’s Maia 300 custom AI accelerator is expected to scale across Azure data centers and reportedly deliver more tokens per megawatt than conventional GPU systems. The chip could reduce inference costs and Microsoft’s dependence on Nvidia and AMD hardware. Microsoft Maia 300 AI chip Positive Sentiment: AI care-management company Tucuvi joined Microsoft’s Pegasus startup program, potentially expanding Microsoft’s enterprise AI pipeline and go-to-market reach in healthcare. Microsoft also increased its quarterly dividend to $0.98 from $0.91, signaling continued confidence in cash generation. Tucuvi joins Microsoft Pegasus Program Neutral Sentiment: Reports that Azure management is seeking roughly 20% cost reductions could improve efficiency and margins, but also underscore the pressure created by Microsoft’s substantial AI data-center investments. Neutral Sentiment: Microsoft’s $10 million contribution to a White House ballroom project is unlikely to affect near-term financial results, though it could attract political or reputational scrutiny. Microsoft White House ballroom contribution Negative Sentiment: Higher inflation and bond yields have pressured AI valuations and raised concerns about the financing cost and returns of large infrastructure projects. Microsoft’s strong balance sheet makes it less vulnerable than smaller AI companies, but valuation sensitivity remains a risk. Negative Sentiment: Phillip Securities downgraded Microsoft to Hold, while reports of security vulnerabilities, executive share sales and intense competition from rapidly growing AI companies add caution. Amy Hood’s sale was made under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan, limiting its significance. Microsoft Company Profile (Free Report)
Microsoft Corporation is a global technology company that develops software, cloud services, devices, gaming products and business solutions. Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, the company is best known for the Windows operating system and Microsoft Office productivity software. Microsoft is headquartered in Redmond, Washington, and serves consumers, businesses, governments and educational institutions worldwide.
Microsoft’s productivity and business offerings include Microsoft 365 applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, along with collaboration tools including Teams.
Featured Stories Five stocks we like better than Microsoft ASML Can’t Keep Up With AI Demand—Why That’s a Good Thing Enovix’s 100,000-Battery Drone Order Sets Up a Test of Its Production Plans AMD’s Support Could Help Fermi Stock Overcome Its Biggest Hurdle Beyond the GPU: Credo Paves the Next AI Data Superhighway
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Hudson Portfolio Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) during the undefined quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund purchased 3,789 shares of the software giant's stock, valued at approximately $1,413,000. Microsoft makes up approximately 1.1% of Hudson
Forum Private Client Group LLC bought a new stake in Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report) in the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor bought 1,595 shares of the software giant’s stock, valued at approximately $595,000. Microsoft accounts for about 0.2% of Forum Private Client Group LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 22nd biggest position.
Other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Frankly Finances LLC acquired a new position in shares of Microsoft in the 2nd quarter valued at $35,000. Bard Associates Inc. acquired a new stake in Microsoft during the 2nd quarter worth $37,000. Fiduciary Advisors Inc. boosted its stake in Microsoft by 37.4% during the 2nd quarter. Fiduciary Advisors Inc. now owns 125 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $47,000 after purchasing an additional 34 shares during the period. Persistent Asset Partners Ltd acquired a new stake in Microsoft during the 2nd quarter worth $60,000. Finally, Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. purchased a new position in Microsoft during the 4th quarter worth $101,000. 71.13% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research analysts have commented on the stock. Argus dropped their price objective on shares of Microsoft from $620.00 to $510.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, July 10th. Wolfe Research lowered Microsoft from an “outperform” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, September 23rd. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a “buy” rating and issued a $640.00 price target on shares of Microsoft in a research report on Thursday, July 30th. Citigroup boosted their price target on Microsoft from $600.00 to $636.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday. Finally, Melius Research set a $665.00 price objective on Microsoft and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, October 5th. Forty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $589.71.
View Our Latest Stock Report on Microsoft Insiders Place Their Bets In other Microsoft news, CEO Satya Nadella sold 86,525 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $501.46, for a total transaction of $43,388,826.50. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 486,763 shares in the company, valued at approximately $244,092,173.98. The trade was a 15.09% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO Judson Althoff sold 10,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $487.89, for a total transaction of $4,878,900.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 100,447 shares in the company, valued at approximately $49,007,086.83. This trade represents a 9.05% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 150,314 shares of company stock worth $75,404,992. Insiders own 0.03% of the company’s stock.
Trending Headlines about Microsoft Here are the key news stories impacting Microsoft this week:
Positive Sentiment: UBS raised its price target to $675 from $525 and reiterated a Buy rating, citing accelerating Azure and Microsoft 365 growth driven by artificial intelligence. The firm believes Microsoft’s valuation remains reasonable despite its recent rally. UBS raises Microsoft price target Positive Sentiment: Multiple Wall Street firms have lifted their targets, with analysts highlighting Azure momentum, approximately 30 million Copilot seats, Microsoft’s commercial backlog and the potential for a larger-than-usual earnings beat. The October 28 results will provide an important test of whether AI spending is translating into revenue and profit. Positive Sentiment: Microsoft’s Maia 300 custom AI accelerator is expected to scale across Azure data centers and reportedly deliver more tokens per megawatt than conventional GPU systems. The chip could reduce inference costs and Microsoft’s dependence on Nvidia and AMD hardware. Microsoft Maia 300 AI chip Positive Sentiment: AI care-management company Tucuvi joined Microsoft’s Pegasus startup program, potentially expanding Microsoft’s enterprise AI pipeline and go-to-market reach in healthcare. Microsoft also increased its quarterly dividend to $0.98 from $0.91, signaling continued confidence in cash generation. Tucuvi joins Microsoft Pegasus Program Neutral Sentiment: Reports that Azure management is seeking roughly 20% cost reductions could improve efficiency and margins, but also underscore the pressure created by Microsoft’s substantial AI data-center investments. Neutral Sentiment: Microsoft’s $10 million contribution to a White House ballroom project is unlikely to affect near-term financial results, though it could attract political or reputational scrutiny. Microsoft White House ballroom contribution Negative Sentiment: Higher inflation and bond yields have pressured AI valuations and raised concerns about the financing cost and returns of large infrastructure projects. Microsoft’s strong balance sheet makes it less vulnerable than smaller AI companies, but valuation sensitivity remains a risk. Negative Sentiment: Phillip Securities downgraded Microsoft to Hold, while reports of security vulnerabilities, executive share sales and intense competition from rapidly growing AI companies add caution. Amy Hood’s sale was made under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan, limiting its significance. Microsoft Price Performance Shares of MSFT opened at $539.44 on Friday. Microsoft Corporation has a twelve month low of $349.20 and a twelve month high of $553.72. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $504.95 and its two-hundred day moving average is $439.96. The firm has a market capitalization of $4.01 trillion, a PE ratio of 30.04, a P/E/G ratio of 1.71 and a beta of 1.10. The company has a current ratio of 1.23, a quick ratio of 1.22 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07.
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT – Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The software giant reported $4.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.24 by $0.50. The business had revenue of $90.01 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $87.62 billion. Microsoft had a return on equity of 31.98% and a net margin of 40.31%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 17.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $3.65 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that Microsoft Corporation will post 19.65 earnings per share for the current year.
Microsoft Increases Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Investors of record on Thursday, November 19th will be issued a dividend of $0.98 per share. This is a boost from Microsoft’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.91. This represents a $3.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, November 19th. Microsoft’s dividend payout ratio is currently 20.27%.
About Microsoft (Free Report)
Microsoft Corporation is a global technology company that develops software, cloud services, devices, gaming products and business solutions. Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, the company is best known for the Windows operating system and Microsoft Office productivity software. Microsoft is headquartered in Redmond, Washington, and serves consumers, businesses, governments and educational institutions worldwide.
Microsoft’s productivity and business offerings include Microsoft 365 applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, along with collaboration tools including Teams.
See Also Five stocks we like better than Microsoft ASML Can’t Keep Up With AI Demand—Why That’s a Good Thing Enovix’s 100,000-Battery Drone Order Sets Up a Test of Its Production Plans AMD’s Support Could Help Fermi Stock Overcome Its Biggest Hurdle Beyond the GPU: Credo Paves the Next AI Data Superhighway Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MSFT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report).
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Greenland Capital Management LP bought a new stake in Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report) in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm bought 2,225 shares of the software giant’s stock, valued at approximately $830,000.
Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Empirical Financial Services LLC d.b.a. Empirical Wealth Management increased its stake in Microsoft by 4.0% during the 2nd quarter. Empirical Financial Services LLC d.b.a. Empirical Wealth Management now owns 229,490 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $85,604,000 after purchasing an additional 8,773 shares in the last quarter. Markel Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Microsoft by 0.4% during the first quarter. Markel Group Inc. now owns 537,630 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $199,014,000 after buying an additional 1,950 shares during the period. Bessemer Group Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Microsoft by 8.4% during the first quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 6,921,677 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $2,562,197,000 after buying an additional 537,634 shares during the last quarter. Taylor Securities Services Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Microsoft during the fourth quarter valued at $2,616,000. Finally, Harel Insurance Investments & Financial Services Ltd. grew its holdings in shares of Microsoft by 138.8% during the first quarter. Harel Insurance Investments & Financial Services Ltd. now owns 1,356,359 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $502,077,000 after buying an additional 788,297 shares during the last quarter. 71.13% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Microsoft Trading Up 1.1% Shares of Microsoft stock opened at $539.44 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07, a current ratio of 1.23 and a quick ratio of 1.22. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $504.95 and a 200 day moving average price of $439.96. Microsoft Corporation has a 1 year low of $349.20 and a 1 year high of $553.72. The stock has a market cap of $4.01 trillion, a PE ratio of 30.04, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.71 and a beta of 1.10.
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT – Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The software giant reported $4.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.24 by $0.50. Microsoft had a net margin of 40.31% and a return on equity of 31.98%. The company had revenue of $90.01 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $87.62 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $3.65 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 17.7% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts predict that Microsoft Corporation will post 19.65 earnings per share for the current year. Microsoft Increases Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, November 19th will be paid a dividend of $0.98 per share. This represents a $3.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, November 19th. This is an increase from Microsoft’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.91. Microsoft’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 20.27%.
Insider Buying and Selling In other news, CEO Satya Nadella sold 86,525 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $501.46, for a total value of $43,388,826.50. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 486,763 shares in the company, valued at $244,092,173.98. This represents a 15.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO Judson Althoff sold 10,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $487.89, for a total value of $4,878,900.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 100,447 shares in the company, valued at approximately $49,007,086.83. This trade represents a 9.05% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 150,314 shares of company stock worth $75,404,992. Corporate insiders own 0.03% of the company’s stock.
Trending Headlines about Microsoft Here are the key news stories impacting Microsoft this week:
Positive Sentiment: UBS raised its price target to $675 from $525 and reiterated a Buy rating, citing accelerating Azure and Microsoft 365 growth driven by artificial intelligence. The firm believes Microsoft’s valuation remains reasonable despite its recent rally. UBS raises Microsoft price target Positive Sentiment: Multiple Wall Street firms have lifted their targets, with analysts highlighting Azure momentum, approximately 30 million Copilot seats, Microsoft’s commercial backlog and the potential for a larger-than-usual earnings beat. The October 28 results will provide an important test of whether AI spending is translating into revenue and profit. Positive Sentiment: Microsoft’s Maia 300 custom AI accelerator is expected to scale across Azure data centers and reportedly deliver more tokens per megawatt than conventional GPU systems. The chip could reduce inference costs and Microsoft’s dependence on Nvidia and AMD hardware. Microsoft Maia 300 AI chip Positive Sentiment: AI care-management company Tucuvi joined Microsoft’s Pegasus startup program, potentially expanding Microsoft’s enterprise AI pipeline and go-to-market reach in healthcare. Microsoft also increased its quarterly dividend to $0.98 from $0.91, signaling continued confidence in cash generation. Tucuvi joins Microsoft Pegasus Program Neutral Sentiment: Reports that Azure management is seeking roughly 20% cost reductions could improve efficiency and margins, but also underscore the pressure created by Microsoft’s substantial AI data-center investments. Neutral Sentiment: Microsoft’s $10 million contribution to a White House ballroom project is unlikely to affect near-term financial results, though it could attract political or reputational scrutiny. Microsoft White House ballroom contribution Negative Sentiment: Higher inflation and bond yields have pressured AI valuations and raised concerns about the financing cost and returns of large infrastructure projects. Microsoft’s strong balance sheet makes it less vulnerable than smaller AI companies, but valuation sensitivity remains a risk. Negative Sentiment: Phillip Securities downgraded Microsoft to Hold, while reports of security vulnerabilities, executive share sales and intense competition from rapidly growing AI companies add caution. Amy Hood’s sale was made under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan, limiting its significance. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of equities analysts recently issued reports on the company. BNP Paribas Exane lowered Microsoft from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, October 5th. CLSA reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of Microsoft in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. KeyCorp reiterated an “overweight” rating on shares of Microsoft in a research note on Thursday, September 3rd. Wolfe Research lowered Microsoft from an “outperform” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, September 23rd. Finally, DA Davidson restated a “buy” rating and issued a $550.00 price objective on shares of Microsoft in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. Forty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $589.71.
Get Our Latest Stock Report on MSFT
About Microsoft (Free Report)
Microsoft Corporation is a global technology company that develops software, cloud services, devices, gaming products and business solutions. Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, the company is best known for the Windows operating system and Microsoft Office productivity software. Microsoft is headquartered in Redmond, Washington, and serves consumers, businesses, governments and educational institutions worldwide.
Microsoft’s productivity and business offerings include Microsoft 365 applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, along with collaboration tools including Teams.
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Evolve Private Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) in the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor purchased 74,193 shares of the software giant's stock, valued at approximately $27,676,000. Microsoft comprises about 1.7% of Evolve Private
Elevation Point Wealth Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report) during the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor purchased 233,876 shares of the software giant’s stock, valued at approximately $87,240,000. Microsoft accounts for approximately 1.6% of Elevation Point Wealth Partners LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 10th biggest position.
Other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Frankly Finances LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Microsoft during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Bard Associates Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Microsoft in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $37,000. Fiduciary Advisors Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Microsoft by 37.4% in the 2nd quarter. Fiduciary Advisors Inc. now owns 125 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $47,000 after acquiring an additional 34 shares during the period. Persistent Asset Partners Ltd purchased a new position in Microsoft in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $60,000. Finally, Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. purchased a new position in Microsoft in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $101,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 71.13% of the company’s stock.
Insider Buying and Selling In other news, EVP Takeshi Numoto sold 4,810 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $496.48, for a total value of $2,388,068.80. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 42,677 shares in the company, valued at $21,188,276.96. This represents a 10.13% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CEO Satya Nadella sold 86,525 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $501.46, for a total value of $43,388,826.50. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 486,763 shares in the company, valued at $244,092,173.98. This represents a 15.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 150,314 shares of company stock valued at $75,404,992. 0.03% of the stock is owned by insiders.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several equities analysts recently issued reports on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Microsoft in a report on Monday, September 28th. Weiss Ratings upgraded Microsoft from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 8th. Evercore raised Microsoft from an “underperform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, October 5th. DA Davidson restated a “buy” rating and issued a $550.00 price target on shares of Microsoft in a research report on Thursday, July 30th. Finally, UBS Group raised their price target on Microsoft from $525.00 to $675.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday. Forty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $589.71. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on MSFT
More Microsoft News Here are the key news stories impacting Microsoft this week:
Positive Sentiment: UBS raised its price target to $675 from $525 and reiterated a Buy rating, citing accelerating Azure and Microsoft 365 growth driven by artificial intelligence. The firm believes Microsoft’s valuation remains reasonable despite its recent rally. UBS raises Microsoft price target Positive Sentiment: Multiple Wall Street firms have lifted their targets, with analysts highlighting Azure momentum, approximately 30 million Copilot seats, Microsoft’s commercial backlog and the potential for a larger-than-usual earnings beat. The October 28 results will provide an important test of whether AI spending is translating into revenue and profit. Positive Sentiment: Microsoft’s Maia 300 custom AI accelerator is expected to scale across Azure data centers and reportedly deliver more tokens per megawatt than conventional GPU systems. The chip could reduce inference costs and Microsoft’s dependence on Nvidia and AMD hardware. Microsoft Maia 300 AI chip Positive Sentiment: AI care-management company Tucuvi joined Microsoft’s Pegasus startup program, potentially expanding Microsoft’s enterprise AI pipeline and go-to-market reach in healthcare. Microsoft also increased its quarterly dividend to $0.98 from $0.91, signaling continued confidence in cash generation. Tucuvi joins Microsoft Pegasus Program Neutral Sentiment: Reports that Azure management is seeking roughly 20% cost reductions could improve efficiency and margins, but also underscore the pressure created by Microsoft’s substantial AI data-center investments. Neutral Sentiment: Microsoft’s $10 million contribution to a White House ballroom project is unlikely to affect near-term financial results, though it could attract political or reputational scrutiny. Microsoft White House ballroom contribution Negative Sentiment: Higher inflation and bond yields have pressured AI valuations and raised concerns about the financing cost and returns of large infrastructure projects. Microsoft’s strong balance sheet makes it less vulnerable than smaller AI companies, but valuation sensitivity remains a risk. Negative Sentiment: Phillip Securities downgraded Microsoft to Hold, while reports of security vulnerabilities, executive share sales and intense competition from rapidly growing AI companies add caution. Amy Hood’s sale was made under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan, limiting its significance. Microsoft Trading Up 1.1% Shares of MSFT opened at $539.44 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07, a current ratio of 1.23 and a quick ratio of 1.22. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $504.95 and a 200-day simple moving average of $439.96. Microsoft Corporation has a 1-year low of $349.20 and a 1-year high of $553.72. The stock has a market cap of $4.01 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.04, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.71 and a beta of 1.10.
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT – Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The software giant reported $4.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.24 by $0.50. Microsoft had a return on equity of 31.98% and a net margin of 40.31%. The firm had revenue of $90.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $87.62 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $3.65 EPS. Microsoft’s revenue was up 17.7% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts forecast that Microsoft Corporation will post 19.65 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Microsoft Increases Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, November 19th will be given a dividend of $0.98 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, November 19th. This is a positive change from Microsoft’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.91. This represents a $3.92 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.7%. Microsoft’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 20.27%.
Microsoft Company Profile (Free Report)
Microsoft Corporation is a global technology company that develops software, cloud services, devices, gaming products and business solutions. Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, the company is best known for the Windows operating system and Microsoft Office productivity software. Microsoft is headquartered in Redmond, Washington, and serves consumers, businesses, governments and educational institutions worldwide.
Microsoft’s productivity and business offerings include Microsoft 365 applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, along with collaboration tools including Teams.
Recommended Stories Five stocks we like better than Microsoft ASML Can’t Keep Up With AI Demand—Why That’s a Good Thing Enovix’s 100,000-Battery Drone Order Sets Up a Test of Its Production Plans AMD’s Support Could Help Fermi Stock Overcome Its Biggest Hurdle Beyond the GPU: Credo Paves the Next AI Data Superhighway
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