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Microsoft (MSFT) Stock Forecast & Price Target

Microsoft logo
$483.24 0.00 (0.00%)
As of 08/21/2026 04:00 PM Eastern

Microsoft - Analysts' Recommendations and Stock Price Forecast (2026)

Consensus Rating

Sell
0
Hold
5
Buy
42

Based on 47 Wall Street analysts who have issued ratings for Microsoft in the last 12 months, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy." Out of the 47 analysts, 5 have given a hold rating, and 42 have given a buy rating for MSFT.

Consensus Price Target

$560.27
15.94% Upside
According to the 47 analysts' twelve-month price targets for Microsoft, the average price target is $560.27. The highest price target for MSFT is $870.00, while the lowest price target for MSFT is $400.00. The average price target represents a forecasted upside of 15.94% from the current price of $483.24.
MarketBeat calculates consensus analyst ratings for stocks using the most recent rating from each Wall Street analyst that has rated a stock within the last twelve months. Each analyst's rating is normalized to a standardized rating score of 1 (sell), 2 (hold), 3 (buy) or 4 (strong buy). Analyst consensus ratings scores are calculated using the mean average of the number of normalized sell, hold, buy and strong buy ratings from Wall Street analysts. Each stock's consensus analyst rating is derived from its calculated consensus ratings score (0 to .5 = Strong Sell, .5 to 1 = Sell, 1 to 1.5 = Reduce, 1.5 to 2.5 = Hold, 2.5 to 3.0 = Moderate Buy, 3.0 to 3.5 = Buy, >3.5 = Strong Buy). MarketBeat's consensus price targets are a mean average of the most recent available price targets set by each analyst that has set a price target for the stock in the last twelve months. MarketBeat's consensus ratings and consensus price targets may differ from those calculated by other firms due to differences in methodology and available data.
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MSFT Analyst Ratings Over Time

TypeCurrent Forecast
8/24/25 to 8/24/26
1 Month Ago
7/25/25 to 7/25/26
3 Months Ago
5/26/25 to 5/26/26
1 Year Ago
8/24/24 to 8/24/25
Strong Buy
0 Strong Buy rating(s)
0 Strong Buy rating(s)
0 Strong Buy rating(s)
1 Strong Buy rating(s)
Buy
42 Buy rating(s)
42 Buy rating(s)
39 Buy rating(s)
29 Buy rating(s)
Hold
5 Hold rating(s)
6 Hold rating(s)
7 Hold rating(s)
2 Hold rating(s)
Sell
0 Sell rating(s)
0 Sell rating(s)
0 Sell rating(s)
0 Sell rating(s)
Consensus Price Target$560.27$555.40$560.88$612.54
Forecasted Upside15.94% Upside45.51% Upside34.82% Upside20.76% Upside
Consensus RatingModerate BuyModerate BuyModerate BuyModerate Buy

MSFT Analyst Recommendations By Month

The chart below shows how a company's ratings by analysts have changed over time. Each bar represents the previous year of ratings for that month. Within each bar, the sell ratings are shown in red, the hold ratings are shown in yellow, the buy ratings are shown in green, and the strong buy ratings are shown in dark green.
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MSFT Price Targets by Month

The chart below shows how a company's share price and consensus price target have changed over time. The dark blue line represents the company's actual price. The lighter blue line represents the stock's consensus price target. The even lighter blue range in the background of the two lines represents the low price target and the high price target for each stock.
Skip Chart and View Analyst Price Target HistorySkip Chart & View Price History Table

Microsoft Stock vs. The Competition

TypeMicrosoftTechnology CompaniesBroader Market
Consensus Rating Score
2.89
2.23
2.53
Consensus RatingModerate BuyHoldModerate Buy
Predicted Upside15.94% Upside367.02% Upside12.34% Upside
News Sentiment Rating
Positive News

See Recent MSFT News
Positive News
Positive News
DateBrokerageAnalystActionRatingPrice TargetReport Date
Upside/Downside
Details
8/12/2026
Michael Turrin
Michael Turrin
1 of 5 stars
Boost TargetOverweight$650.00 ➝ $700.00+38.94%
8/10/2026
Mark Moerdler
Mark Moerdler
Not Rated
Set Target$660.00+29.22%
8/5/2026
Tigress Financial logo
Tigress Financial
4 of 5 stars
Ivan Feinseth
Ivan Feinseth
3 of 5 stars
Boost TargetBuy$680.00 ➝ $690.00+41.02%
8/3/2026 DowngradeStrong-BuyModerate Buy
7/30/2026Set Target$525.00+15.30%
7/30/2026Reiterated RatingOutperform$510.00+13.37%
7/30/2026Reiterated RatingOverweight
7/30/2026Set Target$528.00+35.20%
7/30/2026 Reiterated RatingBuy$640.00+63.88%
7/30/2026Reiterated RatingOutperform$550.00+40.83%
7/30/2026Reiterated RatingOutperform
7/30/2026Lower TargetOverweight$545.00 ➝ $512.00+31.10%
7/30/2026Reiterated RatingOutperform$640.00+39.69%
7/30/2026Boost TargetHold$400.00 ➝ $450.00-1.30%
7/30/2026Reiterated RatingBuy$550.00+23.69%
7/30/2026Reiterated RatingBuy$540.00+21.44%
7/30/2026Boost TargetOutperform$500.00 ➝ $515.00+31.87%
7/28/2026Boost TargetOverweight$540.00 ➝ $550.00+40.14%
7/28/2026Reiterated RatingBuy$570.00 ➝ $600.00+54.20%
7/28/2026Reiterated RatingMarket Outperform$550.00+41.35%
7/27/2026Boost TargetOverweight$502.00 ➝ $522.00+33.66%
7/27/2026Reiterated RatingBuy$586.00+53.52%
7/24/2026Reiterated RatingBuy
7/22/2026Reiterated RatingOutperform$515.00+29.48%
7/22/2026Reiterated RatingBuy$575.00+47.84%
7/20/2026 Reiterated RatingBuy
7/15/2026Lower TargetOutperform$515.00 ➝ $490.00+27.30%
7/10/2026Lower TargetBuy$620.00 ➝ $510.00+32.23%
7/6/2026 Reiterated RatingHold (C)
5/13/2026Reiterated RatingOutperform$575.00+42.90%
5/7/2026 Lower Target$678.00 ➝ $573.00+36.13%
5/5/2026 DowngradeMarket Perform
5/5/2026 Boost TargetBuy$730.00 ➝ $870.00+110.34%
5/4/2026 Lower TargetBuy$630.00 ➝ $550.00+32.72%
5/4/2026 Reiterated RatingBuy
5/1/2026Lower TargetOutperform$556.00 ➝ $555.00+36.10%
4/30/2026 Reiterated RatingBuy
4/30/2026 Lower TargetBuy$675.00 ➝ $600.00+47.14%
4/30/2026 Lower Target$593.00 ➝ $571.00+40.03%
4/30/2026 Boost TargetBuy$500.00 ➝ $520.00+22.51%
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4/23/2026 Lower TargetNeutral$450.00 ➝ $400.00-7.60%
4/15/2026Lower TargetOutperform$540.00 ➝ $500.00+27.21%
3/24/2026Initiated CoverageBuy$500.00+30.54%
3/9/2026 Reiterated RatingOutperform
2/9/2026 Set Target$430.00+4.36%
2/4/2026 Lower TargetBuy$630.00 ➝ $600.00+45.91%
1/29/2026Lower TargetOverweight$630.00 ➝ $600.00+24.58%
1/29/2026Lower TargetOverweight$575.00 ➝ $550.00+14.20%
7/31/2025Reiterated RatingHold
7/24/2025Boost TargetBuy$550.00 ➝ $600.00+17.05%
5/1/2025 Reiterated RatingBuy
5/1/2025Boost TargetBuy$475.00 ➝ $490.00+13.29%

Analyst ratings data on MarketBeat is provided by Benzinga and other data providers. This page was last refreshed on Monday at 07:56 AM ET.


Should I Buy Microsoft Stock? MSFT Pros and Cons Explained

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 Tuesday, August 18, 2026. Please send any questions or comments about these Microsoft pros and cons to contact@marketbeat.com.

Microsoft
Bull Case

green Wall Street bull icon

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

  • The current stock price is around $720, reflecting strong market confidence in Microsoft's growth potential.
  • Microsoft's recent earnings report showed a significant increase in revenue, with a year-over-year growth of approximately 17.7%, indicating robust demand for its products and services.
  • The company has a high net margin of over 40%, suggesting efficient operations and strong profitability, which can lead to higher returns for investors.
  • Microsoft's Azure business has surpassed $100 billion in annual revenue, highlighting its leadership in the cloud computing sector and the growing demand for AI-driven solutions.
  • The firm has announced a quarterly dividend of $0.91 per share, providing a steady income stream for investors, with a payout ratio of 20.27%, indicating a sustainable dividend policy.

Microsoft
Bear Case

red Wall Street bear icon

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

  • Some analysts have downgraded their price targets for Microsoft, with estimates ranging from $525 to $690, which may indicate concerns about future growth potential.
  • Despite strong performance, the competitive landscape in the technology sector is intense, with rivals also investing heavily in AI and cloud services, which could impact Microsoft's market share.
  • The company's reliance on cloud services means that any downturn in the tech sector could disproportionately affect its revenue streams.
  • Microsoft's payout ratio, while sustainable, may limit its ability to reinvest in growth opportunities, which could affect long-term performance.
  • Recent partnerships and trials, such as those involving hydrogen fuel-cell technology, may not lead to immediate material changes in operations, indicating potential delays in innovation benefits.

MSFT Forecast - Frequently Asked Questions

According to the research reports of 47 Wall Street equities research analysts, the average twelve-month stock price forecast for Microsoft is $560.27, with a high forecast of $870.00 and a low forecast of $400.00.

47 Wall Street research analysts have issued "buy," "hold," and "sell" ratings for Microsoft in the last twelve months. There are currently 5 hold ratings and 42 buy ratings for the stock. The consensus among Wall Street research analysts is that investors should "moderate buy" MSFT shares.

According to analysts, Microsoft's stock has a predicted upside of 15.94% based on their 12-month stock forecasts.

Over the previous 90 days, Microsoft's stock had 2 upgrades and 2 downgrades by analysts.

Analysts like Microsoft more than other "technology" companies. The consensus rating for Microsoft is Moderate Buy while the average consensus rating for "technology" companies is Hold. Learn more on how MSFT compares to other companies.


This page (NASDAQ:MSFT) was last updated on 8/24/2026 by MarketBeat.com Staff.
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