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Microsoft (MSFT) Stock Price, News & Analysis

$424.14
-0.66 (-0.16%)
(As of 08/21/2024 ET)
Today's Range
$421.72
$426.40
50-Day Range
$395.15
$467.56
52-Week Range
$309.45
$468.35
Volume
15.75 million shs
Average Volume
20.92 million shs
Market Capitalization
$3.15 trillion
P/E Ratio
36.72
Dividend Yield
0.71%
Price Target
$494.72

Microsoft MarketRank™ Stock Analysis

Analyst Rating
Moderate Buy
2.97 Rating Score
Upside/​Downside
16.6% Upside
$494.72 Price Target
Short Interest
Healthy
0.79% of Float Sold Short
Dividend Strength
Strong
Based on Four Factors
Sustainability
-0.75
Upright™ Environmental Score
News Sentiment
0.55mentions of Microsoft in the last 14 days
Based on 52 Articles This Week
Insider Trading
Selling Shares
$10.88 M Sold Last Quarter
Proj. Earnings Growth
15.41%
From $13.04 to $15.05 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.

4.97 out of 5 stars

Computer And Technology Sector

8th out of 594 stocks

Prepackaged Software Industry

1st out of 197 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

The dome is photographed at the California State Capitol on Monday, August 5, 2024, in Sacramento, …
California announces new deal with tech to fund journalism, AI research
California will be the first U.S. state to direct millions of dollars from taxpayer money and tech companies to help pay for journalism and AI research under a new deal announced Wednesday
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Doximity: The 'Facebook for Doctors' Surges After Earnings Beat (MSFT)
Doximity Inc. (NYSE: DOCS) is a digital professional medical networking platform that is a cross between LinkedIn and Meta Platforms Inc.
US developing “superweapon” to defeat China and Russia?
Our new superweapon is a gift to every patriot. I predict the devastating new tech behind this weapon will create the greatest investment opportunity for Americans since WWII. Similar stocks in the past have seen peak gains of 16,270%in just 18 months.
Financial markets news icon
MarketBeat Week in Review – 8/12 - 8/16 (MSFT)
The melt-up continued this week after benign inflation readings and a surprise jump in retail sales calmed recession fears and elevated hopes for a rate cut
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Jeff Brown's Exegesis AI Stock Picks (MSFT)
Exegesis AI, as introduced by Jeff Brown, represents a transformative leap in AI, moving beyond "Narrow AI" toward more autonomous, human-like intelligence.
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Google confirms an Iranian group is trying to access emails linked to both US presidential campaigns
Google says an Iranian group linked to the country’s Revolutionary Guard has tried to infiltrate the personal email accounts of roughly a dozen people linked to President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump since May
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump talks at the Palm Beach County Superv…
'Chaos agent': Suspected Trump hack comes as Iran flexes digital muscles ahead of US election
The suspected hack of Donald Trump's campaign is the latest indication that foreign adversaries looking to meddle in the election are quickening their pace ahead of November
Microsoft Stock: Is Now The Time To Be Greedy?
Microsoft Stock: Is Now The Time To Be Greedy? (MSFT)
While its shares are still trading for less than $420, almost every recent analyst update calls for them to be above $500.
US developing “superweapon” to defeat China and Russia?
Our new superweapon is a gift to every patriot. I predict the devastating new tech behind this weapon will create the greatest investment opportunity for Americans since WWII. Similar stocks in the past have seen peak gains of 16,270%in just 18 months.
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives to speak at a campaign rally …
What we know about suspected Iranian cyber intrusion in the US presidential race
The campaign of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has blamed Iran for a hack it said resulted in sensitive internal documents being stolen and distributed
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Market Turbulence: Time to Snap Up Magnificent Seven Stocks? (MSFT)
Recent market turbulence has left many investors questioning whether now is the time to invest in some of the stock market's most prominent names.
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News outlets were leaked insider material from the Trump campaign. They chose not to print it
Three news outlets were recently leaked confidential material from inside the Trump campaign, but have chosen not to reveal any of the details about what they received
MSFT Oct 2024 670.000 put (MSFT241018P00670000)
MSFT Dec 2026 585.000 put (MSFT261218P00585000)
See More Headlines
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Company Calendar

Ex-Dividend for 6/13 Dividend
5/15/2024
Dividend Payable
6/13/2024
Last Earnings
7/30/2024
Ex-Dividend for 9/12 Dividend
8/15/2024
Today
8/21/2024
Dividend Payable
9/12/2024
Next Earnings (Estimated)
10/22/2024
Fiscal Year End
6/30/2025

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
$494.72
High Stock Price Target
$600.00
Low Stock Price Target
$375.00
Potential Upside/Downside
+16.6%
Consensus Rating
Moderate Buy
Rating Score (0-4)
2.97
Research Coverage
33 Analysts

Profitability

Net Income
$72.36 billion
Pretax Margin
43.97%

Debt

Sales & Book Value

Annual Sales
$245.12 billion
Cash Flow
$15.10 per share
Book Value
$36.12 per share

Miscellaneous

Outstanding Shares
7,432,306,000
Free Float
7,430,076,000
Market Cap
$3.15 trillion
Optionable
Optionable
Beta
0.90

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Should I Buy Microsoft Stock? MSFT Pros and Cons Explained

Pros

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

  • Microsoft's consistent dividend payments, with a current annualized dividend of $3.00 and a dividend yield of 0.74%, provide a steady income stream for investors.
  • The company's strong financials, indicated by a dividend payout ratio of 25.97%, demonstrate a healthy balance between returning value to shareholders and reinvesting in growth.
  • Microsoft's diverse product portfolio, including cloud services like Azure and Office 365, positions the company well in the rapidly growing cloud computing market.
  • Positive analyst ratings and price targets suggest confidence in Microsoft's future performance and growth potential, with a consensus price target of $493.06.
  • Microsoft's innovative products and solutions, such as Dynamics 365 and Xbox gaming, showcase the company's ability to adapt to changing market trends and drive revenue.

Cons

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

  • Market volatility and economic uncertainties can impact Microsoft's stock price, leading to short-term fluctuations that may affect investor sentiment.
  • Intense competition in the tech industry, especially in cloud services and software, could pressure Microsoft's market share and margins over time.
  • Regulatory challenges and antitrust scrutiny may pose risks to Microsoft's business operations and future growth prospects.
  • Dependency on key products like Windows and Office for a significant portion of revenue exposes Microsoft to the risk of market saturation and changing consumer preferences.
  • Global macroeconomic factors, such as trade tensions and geopolitical issues, could impact Microsoft's international business operations and financial performance.
These pros and cons were generated based on recent news and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest and most accurate insights. They were last updated on Thursday, August 15, 2024. Please send any questions or comments about these Microsoft pros and cons to contact@marketbeat.com.

MSFT Stock Analysis - Frequently Asked Questions

How have MSFT shares performed this year?

Microsoft's stock was trading at $376.04 at the beginning of the year. Since then, MSFT shares have increased by 12.8% and is now trading at $424.14.
View the best growth stocks for 2024 here
.

How were Microsoft's earnings last quarter?

Microsoft Co. (NASDAQ:MSFT) issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July, 30th. The software giant reported $2.95 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.90 by $0.05. The business's quarterly revenue was up 15.2% on a year-over-year basis.
Read the conference call transcript
.

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.

Does Microsoft have any subsidiaries?

The following companies are subsidiaries of Microsoft: Miburo, Minit, Activision Blizzard, Xandr, Two Hat Security, Clear Software, Ally.io, and others.

Who are Microsoft's major shareholders?

Top institutional investors of Microsoft include Bank of New York Mellon Corp (0.86%), Legal & General Group Plc (0.83%), Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA (0.51%) and Ameriprise Financial Inc. (0.46%). Insiders that own company stock include Corp Microsoft, Satya Nadella, Bradford L Smith, Kathleen T Hogan, Judson Althoff, Christopher C Capossela, Christopher C Capossela, Takeshi Numoto, Teri List, Amy Hood and Emma N Walmsley.
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.

What other stocks do shareholders of Microsoft own?

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

This page (NASDAQ:MSFT) was last updated on 8/22/2024 by MarketBeat.com Staff

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