S&P 500   5,254.35
DOW   39,807.37
QQQ   444.01
Stock market today: Wall Street rises to more records to close out its latest winning month
Delta Airline’s Put Option Activity Isn’t Bad News
Disney Stock Catches 3 Upgrades In a Single Week
3 Value Stocks Too Small For Buffett’s Portfolio
7 Stocks That Will Drive the Weight Loss Drugs Market
Walgreens Boots Alliance: Deep Value With Nowhere to Go But Up
Krispy Kreme's Sweet Deal: McDonald's Partnership Sparks Growth?
S&P 500   5,254.35
DOW   39,807.37
QQQ   444.01
Stock market today: Wall Street rises to more records to close out its latest winning month
Delta Airline’s Put Option Activity Isn’t Bad News
Disney Stock Catches 3 Upgrades In a Single Week
3 Value Stocks Too Small For Buffett’s Portfolio
7 Stocks That Will Drive the Weight Loss Drugs Market
Walgreens Boots Alliance: Deep Value With Nowhere to Go But Up
Krispy Kreme's Sweet Deal: McDonald's Partnership Sparks Growth?
S&P 500   5,254.35
DOW   39,807.37
QQQ   444.01
Stock market today: Wall Street rises to more records to close out its latest winning month
Delta Airline’s Put Option Activity Isn’t Bad News
Disney Stock Catches 3 Upgrades In a Single Week
3 Value Stocks Too Small For Buffett’s Portfolio
7 Stocks That Will Drive the Weight Loss Drugs Market
Walgreens Boots Alliance: Deep Value With Nowhere to Go But Up
Krispy Kreme's Sweet Deal: McDonald's Partnership Sparks Growth?
S&P 500   5,254.35
DOW   39,807.37
QQQ   444.01
Stock market today: Wall Street rises to more records to close out its latest winning month
Delta Airline’s Put Option Activity Isn’t Bad News
Disney Stock Catches 3 Upgrades In a Single Week
3 Value Stocks Too Small For Buffett’s Portfolio
7 Stocks That Will Drive the Weight Loss Drugs Market
Walgreens Boots Alliance: Deep Value With Nowhere to Go But Up
Krispy Kreme's Sweet Deal: McDonald's Partnership Sparks Growth?

Microsoft (MSFT) Stock Price, News & Analysis

$420.72
-0.71 (-0.17%)
(As of 03/28/2024 ET)
Today's Range
$419.14
$421.87
50-Day Range
$393.87
$429.37
52-Week Range
$275.37
$430.82
Volume
21.86 million shs
Average Volume
22.94 million shs
Market Capitalization
$3.13 trillion
P/E Ratio
38.04
Dividend Yield
0.71%
Price Target
$423.34

Microsoft MarketRank™ Stock Analysis

Analyst Rating
Moderate Buy
2.92 Rating Score
Upside/​Downside
0.6% Upside
$423.34 Price Target
Short Interest
Healthy
0.74% of Float Sold Short
Dividend Strength
Strong
Based on Four Factors
Sustainability
-0.75
Upright™ Environmental Score
News Sentiment
0.48mentions of Microsoft in the last 14 days
Based on 114 Articles This Week
Insider Trading
Selling Shares
$30.69 M Sold Last Quarter
Proj. Earnings Growth
13.07%
From $11.63 to $13.15 Per Share

Overall MarketRank

New Rank-Based ScoringMarketRank is calculated by averaging available category scores (with extra weight given to analysis and valuation), then ranking the company's weighted average against that of other companies.

4.76 out of 5 stars

Computer And Technology Sector

52nd out of 588 stocks

Prepackaged Software Industry

14th out of 198 stocks

MSFT stock logo

About Microsoft Stock (NASDAQ:MSFT)

Microsoft Corporation was founded in 1975 in Albuquerque, New Mexico by Bill Gates and Paul Allen. The two quit their respective Harvard schooling and programming jobs to start a software company focused on the then-popular Altair 8800. Originally named Micro-Soft, Microsoft is a portmanteau of the words microprocessor and software. The company quickly took off and was relocated to Washington State where it is headquartered today.

Microsoft launched a game called Flight Simulator in 1982 that has since become the longest-running video game franchise. The company’s first major breakthrough came in the early 80s when it licensed MS-DOS to IBM for their personal computer and then another came in 1985 the company altered the way computers were used when it launched Windows. Windows used a graphical interface to display information that included drop-down menus, scroll bars, and other features commonly found in operating systems today.

Microsoft went public in 1986 making founder Bill Gates the world’s youngest billionaire. Other innovations that helped make the company’s name include Windows 95 which included many upgrades to the original and, when the Internet took off, Internet Explorer. Bill Gates gave up his role as CEO in 2000 and the company is now run by Satya Nadella. Mr. Nadella took over the role of CEO in 2014 and then the role of chairman in 2021.

Today the company develops, licenses, and supports software, services, devices, and solutions worldwide. The company operates in three segments that include Productivity and Business Processes, Intelligent Cloud, and More Personal Computing. As of 2022, Microsoft’s Azure powered more than 20% of the Cloud putting it in second place globally.

The Productivity and Business Processes segment offers several software solutions including Office, Exchange, SharePoint, Microsoft Teams, Office 365 Security and Compliance, Microsoft Viva, and Skype for Business. Microsoft also operates Skype, Outlook.com, OneDrive, and LinkedIn for business professionals as well as Dynamics 365. Dynamics 365 is a set of cloud-based and on-premises business solutions for organizations and enterprises of all sizes.

The Intelligent Cloud segment licenses SQL, Windows Servers, Visual Studio, System Center, and related Client Access Licenses. Microsoft Intelligent Cloud also operates GitHub which is a collaboration platform and code hosting service for developers. Intelligent Cloud also hosts Nuance healthcare and enterprise AI solutions, and Azure, a cloud platform, as well as associated services.

The More Personal Computing segment provides Windows original equipment manufacturer (OEM) licensing and other licensing of the Windows family of operating systems. This includes Windows Commercial, Windows cloud services, and Windows Internet of Things.

The More Personal Computing segment also offers Surface, PC accessories, PCs, tablets, gaming and entertainment consoles, Xbox hardware, and Xbox content and services including video games and third-party video game royalties. The company sells its products through OEMs, distributors, and resellers; and directly through digital marketplaces, online stores, and retail stores.

MSFT Stock Price History

MSFT Stock News Headlines

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The Most Bought AI Stock by Congress Isn’t NVIDIA
Members of Congress are buying NVIDIA in bulk, but it isn't the most bought stock or AI stock by a long shot; that title goes to Microsoft.
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Micron Technology Results Proves AI is Driving Storage Demand (MSFT)
Micron Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: MU) is synonymous with memory chips, just as Nvidia Co. (NASDAQ: NVDA) is synonymous with artificial intelligence (AI).
Oracle Stock is Ready to Stage its Next Leg Higher (MSFT)
Oracle Co. (NYSE: ORCL) is a giant in the computer and technology sector that originally got its start as the leader in relational databases in the 1980s.
Apple: Is it Time to Reload on AI Inflection Point? (MSFT)
Apple stock is having a rough year as it faces numerous lawsuits; analysts are looking for innovation and may get it from AI
Buy Friday, Sell Monday, No Exceptions
Every week traders grind it out Monday through Friday… But neglect trading Friday to Monday… Or… “over the weekend” As one professional trader explains, trading over the weekend is one of the most forgiving strategies you can use today. It allows him to sidestep a lot of the midweek volatility. Yet, gives him the opportunity to target some of the markets biggest stock moves. Just recently, he posted a trade on Nordstrom… The trade was published at 3pm on a Friday afternoon and by Monday morning the trade more than doubled.
Nvidia's AI Tech Part of Novo Nordisk's New Supercomputer (MSFT)
Novo Nordisk and Nvidia have teamed up to develop supercomputers, aiming to accelerate drug discovery development using advanced AI technologies.
One Tech Tip: How to spot AI-generated deepfake images
AI fakery is quickly becoming one of the biggest problems confronting us online
Going Long Nvidia Still Makes Sense: Here’s Why (MSFT)
NVIDIA is a crowded trade with a risk of correction, but investors should embrace the dip (if it comes) and stay long in this trade: AI has legs.
MSFT Stock: Microsoft's Gaming Strategy Is AAA
The 3 Best Cloud Computing Stocks to Buy in Q2 2024
7 No-Brainer Software Stocks to Own Now
See More Headlines
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Company Calendar

Last Earnings
1/30/2024
Ex-Dividend for 3/14 Dividend
2/14/2024
Dividend Payable
3/14/2024
Today
3/28/2024
Next Earnings (Estimated)
4/23/2024
Fiscal Year End
6/30/2024

Industry, Sector and Symbol

Industry
Prepackaged software
Sub-Industry
Systems Software
Current Symbol
NASDAQ:MSFT
CUSIP
59491810
Employees
221,000
Year Founded
1975

Price Target and Rating

Average Stock Price Target
$423.34
High Stock Price Target
$600.00
Low Stock Price Target
$232.00
Potential Upside/Downside
+0.6%
Consensus Rating
Moderate Buy
Rating Score (0-4)
2.92
Research Coverage
39 Analysts

Profitability

Net Income
$72.36 billion
Pretax Margin
44.47%

Debt

Sales & Book Value

Annual Sales
$211.92 billion
Cash Flow
$11.71 per share
Book Value
$27.76 per share

Miscellaneous

Outstanding Shares
7,430,440,000
Free Float
7,428,208,000
Market Cap
$3.13 trillion
Optionable
Optionable
Beta
0.89

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Should I Buy Microsoft Stock? MSFT Pros and Cons Explained

These insights were generated using artificial intelligence. They are based on proprietary MarketBeat data, news articles, and custom LLM A.I. algorithms. This analysis of Microsoft was last updated on Monday, March 25, 2024 at 11:17 PM.

Pros

Here are some ways that investors could benefit from investing in Microsoft:

  • Microsoft's diverse product portfolio, including Microsoft 365, Azure cloud services, and Xbox gaming, provides revenue stability and growth potential.
  • Strong financial performance with consistent revenue growth and profitability, making it a reliable investment choice.
  • Ongoing innovation and investment in emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and cloud computing, ensuring long-term competitiveness.
  • Recent stock price performance showing upward momentum, indicating positive market sentiment towards the company.
  • Robust market presence and brand recognition globally, offering a solid foundation for future expansion and market penetration.

Cons

Investors should be bearish about investing in Microsoft for these reasons:

  • Intense competition in the tech industry, particularly in cloud services and software, may impact Microsoft's market share and margins.
  • Regulatory challenges and antitrust scrutiny could lead to legal issues and potential restrictions on business operations.
  • Dependency on a few key products like Windows and Office for a significant portion of revenue, posing risks in case of market shifts or product obsolescence.
  • Vulnerability to cybersecurity threats and data breaches, which could harm the company's reputation and financial performance.
  • Market volatility and economic uncertainties may affect Microsoft's stock price and investor confidence in the short term.

MSFT Stock Analysis - Frequently Asked Questions

Should I buy or sell Microsoft stock right now?

39 Wall Street research analysts have issued "buy," "hold," and "sell" ratings for Microsoft in the last twelve months. There are currently 3 hold ratings and 36 buy ratings for the stock. The consensus among Wall Street research analysts is that investors should "moderate buy" MSFT shares.
View MSFT analyst ratings
or view top-rated stocks.

What is Microsoft's stock price target for 2024?

39 Wall Street analysts have issued 1 year target prices for Microsoft's shares. Their MSFT share price targets range from $232.00 to $600.00. On average, they predict the company's share price to reach $423.34 in the next year. This suggests a possible upside of 0.6% from the stock's current price.
View analysts price targets for MSFT
or view top-rated stocks among Wall Street analysts.

How have MSFT shares performed in 2024?

Microsoft's stock was trading at $376.04 at the beginning of 2024. Since then, MSFT shares have increased by 11.9% and is now trading at $420.72.
View the best growth stocks for 2024 here
.

When is Microsoft's next earnings date?

The company is scheduled to release its next quarterly earnings announcement on Tuesday, April 23rd 2024.
View our MSFT earnings forecast
.

How were Microsoft's earnings last quarter?

Microsoft Co. (NASDAQ:MSFT) announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January, 30th. The software giant reported $2.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.76 by $0.17. The software giant had revenue of $62.02 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $61.14 billion. Microsoft had a net margin of 36.27% and a trailing twelve-month return on equity of 38.40%. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 17.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $2.32 earnings per share.
Read the conference call transcript
.

How often does Microsoft pay dividends? What is the dividend yield for Microsoft?

Microsoft declared a quarterly dividend on Tuesday, March 12th. Investors of record on Thursday, May 16th will be paid a dividend of $0.75 per share on Thursday, June 13th. This represents a $3.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.71%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, May 15th.
Read our dividend analysis for MSFT
.

Is Microsoft a good dividend stock?

Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) pays an annual dividend of $3.00 per share and currently has a dividend yield of 0.71%. The company has been increasing its dividend for 22 consecutive years, indicating the company has a strong committment to maintain and grow its dividend. The dividend payout ratio is 27.12%. This payout ratio is at a healthy, sustainable level, below 75%. Based on earnings estimates, MSFT will have a dividend payout ratio of 22.81% next year. This indicates that the company will be able to sustain or increase its dividend.
Read our dividend analysis for MSFT.

What guidance has Microsoft issued on next quarter's earnings?

Microsoft issued an update on its third quarter 2024 earnings guidance on Tuesday, January, 30th. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of for the period. The company issued revenue guidance of $60.0 billion-$61.0 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $56.2 billion.

What is Satya Nadella's approval rating as Microsoft's CEO?

11,127 employees have rated Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella on Glassdoor.com. Satya Nadella has an approval rating of 98% among the company's employees. This puts Satya Nadella in the top 20% of approval ratings compared to other CEOs of publicly-traded companies.

What other stocks do shareholders of Microsoft own?

Based on aggregate information from My MarketBeat watchlists, some companies that other Microsoft investors own include NVIDIA (NVDA), Alibaba Group (BABA), Micron Technology (MU), General Electric (GE), Tesla (TSLA), Walt Disney (DIS), Intel (INTC), Netflix (NFLX), Visa (V).

Who are Microsoft's major shareholders?

Microsoft's stock is owned by a number of institutional and retail investors. Top institutional shareholders include Vanguard Group Inc. (8.95%), Vanguard Group Inc. (8.95%), Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD (1.94%), Norges Bank (1.29%), Capital World Investors (1.22%) and Capital International Investors (1.11%). Insiders that own company stock include Amy Hood, Bradford L Smith, Christopher C Capossela, Christopher C Capossela, Corp Microsoft, Emma N Walmsley, Judson Althoff, Kathleen T Hogan, Satya Nadella and Teri List.
View institutional ownership trends
.

How do I buy shares of Microsoft?

Shares of MSFT stock can be purchased through any online brokerage account. Popular online brokerages with access to the U.S. stock market include Charles Schwab, E*TRADE, Fidelity, and Vanguard Brokerage Services.
Compare Top Brokerages Here.

Does Microsoft have any subsidiaries?
The following companies are subsidiares of Microsoft: 5th Finger, 90 Degree Software, ADRM Software, AVIcode, Acompli, ActiveViews, Activision Blizzard, AdECN, Adallom, Adxstudio, Affirmed Networks, Alacris, Ally.io, Altamira Software, AltspaceVR, Aorato, Apiphany, Apptimum, Aspect Software Inc, AssetMetrix Corporation, Avere Systems, Azyxxi, BigPark, Bit Stadium GmbH, Blue Ribbon SoundWorks, BlueStripe, BlueTalon, Bonsai, Bruce Artwick Organization, Bungie, Caligari Corporation, Calista Technologies, Canesta, Capptain, Chalkup, Ciao, Citus Data, Clear Software, Clickstream Technologies, Clipchamp, CloudKnox Security, Cloudyn, Code Connect, Colloquis, Colusa Software, CompareNet, Compulsion Games, Connectix, Consumers Software, Cooper & Peters, Credentica, CyberX, Cycle Computing, DATAllegro, Danger, DataSense, Datazen Software, DeepMetrix, Deis.com, DesktopStandard, Digital Anvil, Dimension X, Donya Labs, Double Labs, EXOS, Echo Locker, Electric Gravity, Engyro, Entropic, Entropic Research Laboratories, Equivio, Event Zero, Express Logic, FASA Interactive, FSLogix, FantasySalesTeam, Farecast, Fast Search & Transfer, FieldOne Systems, Firefly Network, Flipgrid, FolderShare, Forethought, Fox Software, Frontbridge Technologies, GIANT Company Software, Genee, Github, Global Care Solutions, Great Plains Software, GreenButton, Greenfield Online, Groove (dba Zikera), Groove Networks, Gteko, Havok, Hexadite, HockeyApp, HotMail, InMage Systems, InRelease, Intentional Software, Interactive Supercomputing, Interse, Intrinsa, Jump Networks, Kidaro, Kinvolk, Komoku, LinkAge Software, LinkedIn, LinkedIn Corporation, LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Lionhead Studios, LiveLoop, Lobe, Lookout Software, MESA Group, MIXER, Maluuba, MarketingPilot, Massive, Media-Streams.com, Medstory, Merchant Planet, MessageCast, Metanautix, Metaswitch Networks, MetricsHub, Miburo, Microsoft Global Finance, Microsoft Ireland Operations Limited, Microsoft Ireland Research, Microsoft Online Inc., MinecraftEdu, Minit, MobiComp, Mobile Data Labs, Mojang Studios, MongoMusic, Motion Bridge, Mover, Movere, MultiMap, Musiwave, N-trig, NCompass Labs, Navic Networks, Navic Systems, Navision, NetCarta, NetGames, Netbreeze, Netwise, Network Managers, NextBase, Ninja Theory, Nokia - Devices & Services Business, Nuance Communications, Nuance Communications Inc., Numinous Technologies, Obsidian Entertainment, OmniBrowse, One Tree Software Ltd, Onfolio, Opalis Software, Open Build Service, Orions Systems, Pacific Microsonics, Pando Networks, Parature, Parlano, Peach Networks, Peer5, Pelican Security, Perceptive Pixel, PhoneFactor, PlaceWare, PlayFab, Playground Games, Powerset, ProClarity, Prodiance Corporation, PromoteIQ, R2 Studios, RAV Antivirus, Rapt, Rare, ReFirm Labs, RenderMorphics, Revolution Analytics, RiskIQ, Rosetta Biosoftware, STNC, Screen Tonic, SeaDragon Software, Secure Islands Technologies, Semantic Machines, Sendit, Sentillion, ShadowFactor Software, Skype, Smash.gg, SoftImage, Softomotive, Softricity, Softway Systems, Solair, StorSimple, Stratature, Sunrise, Suplari, SwiftKey, Swing Technologies, Sybari, SyntaxTree, TakeLessons, Talko, Teleo, Tellme, Tellme, The Marsden Group, Twisted Pixel Games, Two Hat Security, Undead Labs, Unveil Technologies, VXtreme, Valence Research, Valence Technology, Vermeer Technologies, Vexcel, Vicinity Corporation, VideoSurf, Visio Corporation, VoloMetrix, Wand Labs, WebFives, WebTV Networks, Whale Communications, Windows Live Hotmail, Winternals, Wunderlist, XDegrees, XOXCO, Xamarin, Xandr, YaData, Yammer, ZeniMax, Zoomit, Zoomix, aQuantive, devBiz Business Solutions, eShop, iView Multimedia, id8 Group R2 Studios, inXile Entertainment, jClarity, and linkexchange.
Read More
This page (NASDAQ:MSFT) was last updated on 3/28/2024 by MarketBeat.com Staff

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