S&P 500   4,604.37
DOW   36,247.87
QQQ   392.17
MarketBeat Week in Review – 12/4 - 12/8
[Investor Alert] Potential Breakthrough Medical Tech Investment Opportunity (Ad)
Amazon asks federal judge to dismiss the FTC's antitrust lawsuit against the company
Indiana secretary of state appeals ruling for US Senate candidate seeking GOP nod
[Investor Alert] Potential Breakthrough Medical Tech Investment Opportunity (Ad)
What is carbon capture and why does it keep coming up at COP28?
Dozens of animals taken from Virginia roadside zoo as part of investigation
New CBOE “special perk” helps traders target income every weekend (Ad)
Polish truck drivers are blocking the border with Ukraine. It's hurting on the battlefield
Peek inside Joe Biden's campaign fundraisers, where big money mingles with old jokes in swanky homes
S&P 500   4,604.37
DOW   36,247.87
QQQ   392.17
MarketBeat Week in Review – 12/4 - 12/8
[Investor Alert] Potential Breakthrough Medical Tech Investment Opportunity (Ad)
Amazon asks federal judge to dismiss the FTC's antitrust lawsuit against the company
Indiana secretary of state appeals ruling for US Senate candidate seeking GOP nod
[Investor Alert] Potential Breakthrough Medical Tech Investment Opportunity (Ad)
What is carbon capture and why does it keep coming up at COP28?
Dozens of animals taken from Virginia roadside zoo as part of investigation
New CBOE “special perk” helps traders target income every weekend (Ad)
Polish truck drivers are blocking the border with Ukraine. It's hurting on the battlefield
Peek inside Joe Biden's campaign fundraisers, where big money mingles with old jokes in swanky homes
S&P 500   4,604.37
DOW   36,247.87
QQQ   392.17
MarketBeat Week in Review – 12/4 - 12/8
[Investor Alert] Potential Breakthrough Medical Tech Investment Opportunity (Ad)
Amazon asks federal judge to dismiss the FTC's antitrust lawsuit against the company
Indiana secretary of state appeals ruling for US Senate candidate seeking GOP nod
[Investor Alert] Potential Breakthrough Medical Tech Investment Opportunity (Ad)
What is carbon capture and why does it keep coming up at COP28?
Dozens of animals taken from Virginia roadside zoo as part of investigation
New CBOE “special perk” helps traders target income every weekend (Ad)
Polish truck drivers are blocking the border with Ukraine. It's hurting on the battlefield
Peek inside Joe Biden's campaign fundraisers, where big money mingles with old jokes in swanky homes
S&P 500   4,604.37
DOW   36,247.87
QQQ   392.17
MarketBeat Week in Review – 12/4 - 12/8
[Investor Alert] Potential Breakthrough Medical Tech Investment Opportunity (Ad)
Amazon asks federal judge to dismiss the FTC's antitrust lawsuit against the company
Indiana secretary of state appeals ruling for US Senate candidate seeking GOP nod
[Investor Alert] Potential Breakthrough Medical Tech Investment Opportunity (Ad)
What is carbon capture and why does it keep coming up at COP28?
Dozens of animals taken from Virginia roadside zoo as part of investigation
New CBOE “special perk” helps traders target income every weekend (Ad)
Polish truck drivers are blocking the border with Ukraine. It's hurting on the battlefield
Peek inside Joe Biden's campaign fundraisers, where big money mingles with old jokes in swanky homes

Microsoft Stock Price, News & Analysis (NASDAQ:MSFT)

$374.23
+3.28 (+0.88%)
(As of 12/8/2023 ET)
Compare
Today's Range
$368.23
$374.46
50-Day Range
$313.39
$382.70
52-Week Range
$219.35
$384.30
Volume
20.15 million shs
Average Volume
25.96 million shs
Market Capitalization
$2.78 trillion
P/E Ratio
36.23
Dividend Yield
0.80%
Price Target
$392.93

Microsoft MarketRank™ Stock Analysis

Analyst Rating
Moderate Buy
2.90 Rating Score
Upside/​Downside
5.0% Upside
$392.93 Price Target
Short Interest
Healthy
0.65% of Float Sold Short
Dividend Strength
Strong
Based on Four Factors
Sustainability
-0.75
Upright™ Environmental Score
News Sentiment
0.59mentions of Microsoft in the last 14 days
Based on 73 Articles This Week
Insider Trading
N/A
Proj. Earnings Growth
14.20%
From $11.13 to $12.71 Per Share

Overall MarketRank

MarketRank is calculated as an average of available category scores, with extra weight given to analysis and valuation.

2.64 out of 5 stars

Computer And Technology Sector

77th out of 594 stocks

Prepackaged Software Industry

17th out of 204 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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MarketBeat Week in Review – 11/27 - 12/1 (MSFT)
Stocks closed the week at or near yearly highs after subdued inflation numbers suggest the Federal Reserve will continue to pause on raising rates
Behind the tech boom: Big price leaders selectively laying off (MSFT)
Microsoft, Amazon and Alphabet are strategically laying off workers, responding to higher interest rates and refocusing on transformative AI technologies.
FTC looking into Microsoft's investment in OpenAI: Report
The U.K. Goes After Microsoft... Again
See More Headlines
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Company Calendar

Ex-Dividend for 9/14 Dividend
8/16/2023
Dividend Payable
9/14/2023
Last Earnings
10/24/2023
Ex-Dividend for 12/14 Dividend
11/15/2023
Today
12/09/2023
Dividend Payable
12/14/2023
Next Earnings (Estimated)
1/23/2024
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
$392.93
High Stock Price Target
$475.00
Low Stock Price Target
$232.00
Potential Upside/Downside
+5.0%
Consensus Rating
Moderate Buy
Rating Score (0-4)
2.90
Research Coverage
39 Analysts

Profitability

Net Income
$72.36 billion
Pretax Margin
43.53%

Debt

Sales & Book Value

Annual Sales
$218.31 billion
Cash Flow
$11.72 per share
Book Value
$27.76 per share

Miscellaneous

Outstanding Shares
7,432,262,000
Free Float
7,430,032,000
Market Cap
$2.78 trillion
Optionable
Optionable
Beta
0.90

Social Links

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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 Sunday, December 3, 2023 at 4:10 PM.

Pros

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

  • Microsoft offers a wide range of software, services, devices, and solutions worldwide, providing diversification and potential for growth.
  • The Productivity and Business Processes segment, which includes popular products like Microsoft Office and Microsoft Teams, has a strong market presence and generates consistent revenue.
  • Microsoft's Intelligent Cloud segment, which includes Azure and other cloud services, has experienced significant growth and is well-positioned in the rapidly expanding cloud computing market.
  • The More Personal Computing segment, which includes Windows and devices like Surface and Xbox, provides additional revenue streams and opportunities for innovation.
  • Microsoft has a strong financial position and a history of returning value to shareholders through dividends and share buybacks.

Cons

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

  • Competition in the software industry is intense, and Microsoft faces challenges from both established players and emerging technologies.
  • Changes in technology trends and customer preferences could impact the demand for Microsoft's products and services.
  • Regulatory and legal risks, such as antitrust investigations and intellectual property disputes, could affect Microsoft's business operations and financial performance.
  • The stock price of Microsoft has experienced significant growth in recent years, which may limit potential future returns.
  • Investing in individual stocks, including Microsoft, carries inherent risks, and investors should carefully consider their risk tolerance and diversification strategies.














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 4 hold ratings and 35 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 equities research analysts have issued 1 year target prices for Microsoft's shares. Their MSFT share price targets range from $232.00 to $475.00. On average, they expect the company's stock price to reach $392.93 in the next twelve months. This suggests a possible upside of 5.0% 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 2023?

Microsoft's stock was trading at $239.82 at the beginning of the year. Since then, MSFT stock has increased by 56.0% and is now trading at $374.23.
View the best growth stocks for 2023 here
.

Are investors shorting Microsoft?

Microsoft saw a increase in short interest in the month of November. As of November 15th, there was short interest totaling 47,350,000 shares, an increase of 19.7% from the October 31st total of 39,560,000 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 23,680,000 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 2.0 days. Currently, 0.7% of the shares of the stock are sold short.
View Microsoft's Short Interest
.

When is Microsoft's next earnings date?

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

How were Microsoft's earnings last quarter?

Microsoft Co. (NASDAQ:MSFT) posted its earnings results on Tuesday, October, 24th. The software giant reported $2.99 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $2.65 by $0.34. The software giant earned $56.52 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $54.52 billion. Microsoft had a trailing twelve-month return on equity of 38.79% and a net margin of 35.31%. The business's revenue was up 12.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $2.35 EPS.
Read the conference call transcript
.

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

Microsoft announced a quarterly dividend on Tuesday, November 28th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.75 per share on Thursday, March 14th. This represents a $3.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.80%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 14th.
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 0.81%. 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 29.04%. This payout ratio is at a healthy, sustainable level, below 75%. Based on earnings estimates, MSFT will have a dividend payout ratio of 23.60% 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 second quarter 2024 earnings guidance on Tuesday, October, 24th. The company provided earnings per share guidance of for the period. The company issued revenue guidance of $60.40 billion-$61.40 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $55.08 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 variety of institutional and retail investors. Top institutional investors include FMR LLC (2.90%), Morgan Stanley (1.66%), Northern Trust Corp (1.09%), Wellington Management Group LLP (0.87%), Legal & General Group Plc (0.66%) and Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. (0.58%). Insiders that own company stock include Amy Hood, Bradford L Smith, Christopher C Capossela, Christopher C Capossela, Emma N Walmsley, Jean Philippe Courtois, 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 WeBull, Vanguard Brokerage Services, TD Ameritrade, E*TRADE, Robinhood, Fidelity, and Charles Schwab.
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 12/9/2023 by MarketBeat.com Staff

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