Microsoft (MSFT)


Market Price (8/2/2026): $462.0 | Market Cap: $3.4 TrilInvestor Relations Sector: Information Technology | Industry: Systems Software

Microsoft (MSFT)


Market Price (8/2/2026): $462.0
Market Cap: $3.4 Tril
Sector: Information Technology
Industry: Systems Software

Investment Highlights Why It Matters Detailed financial logic regarding cash flow yields vs trend-riding momentum.

0

Attractive operating margins
Op Mgn LTMOperating Margin = Operating Income / Revenue Reflects profitability before taxes and before impact of capital structure (interest payments). is 47%

Attractive cash flow generation
CFO/Rev LTMCash Flow from Operations / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 55%, FCF/Rev LTMFree Cash Flow / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 20%, CFO LTM is 183 Bil, FCF LTM is 67 Bil

Stock buyback support
Stock Buyback 3Y Total is 58 Bil

Low stock price volatility
Vol 12M is 32%

Megatrend and thematic drivers
Megatrends include Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Computing, Cybersecurity, Digital Content & Streaming, Show more.

Weak multi-year price returns
2Y Excs Rtn is -26%, 3Y Excs Rtn is -23%

Key risks
MSFT key risks include [1] sophisticated cyberattacks targeting its vast software and cloud ecosystem, Show more.

0 Attractive operating margins
Op Mgn LTMOperating Margin = Operating Income / Revenue Reflects profitability before taxes and before impact of capital structure (interest payments). is 47%
1 Attractive cash flow generation
CFO/Rev LTMCash Flow from Operations / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 55%, FCF/Rev LTMFree Cash Flow / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 20%, CFO LTM is 183 Bil, FCF LTM is 67 Bil
2 Stock buyback support
Stock Buyback 3Y Total is 58 Bil
3 Low stock price volatility
Vol 12M is 32%
4 Megatrend and thematic drivers
Megatrends include Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Computing, Cybersecurity, Digital Content & Streaming, Show more.
5 Weak multi-year price returns
2Y Excs Rtn is -26%, 3Y Excs Rtn is -23%
6 Key risks
MSFT key risks include [1] sophisticated cyberattacks targeting its vast software and cloud ecosystem, Show more.

MSFT in ETFs

Weight = MSFT's share of each fund

SPY4.4%
VOO4.3%
IVV5.2%
VTI3.8%
ITOT3.9%
QQQ4.7%
QQQM4.7%
DIA5.1%
+45 more covered ETFs

Valuation & Metrics

Price Chart

Why The Stock Moved

Stock Movement Drivers

Fundamental Drivers

The 14.2% change in MSFT stock from 4/30/2026 to 8/1/2026 was primarily driven by a 6.9% change in the company's P/E Multiple.
(LTM values as of)43020268012026Change
Stock Price ($)406.90464.7214.2%
Change Contribution By: 
Total Revenues ($ Mil)318,273331,8394.3%
Net Income Margin (%)39.3%40.3%2.4%
P/E Multiple24.125.86.9%
Shares Outstanding (Mil)7,4267,4260.0%
Cumulative Contribution14.2%

LTM = Last Twelve Months as of date shown

Market Drivers

4/30/2026 to 8/1/2026
ReturnCorrelation
MSFT14.2% 
Market (SPY)3.9%27.9%
Sector (XLK)9.9%20.2%

Fundamental Drivers

The 8.5% change in MSFT stock from 1/31/2026 to 8/1/2026 was primarily driven by a 8.6% change in the company's Total Revenues ($ Mil).
(LTM values as of)13120268012026Change
Stock Price ($)428.38464.728.5%
Change Contribution By: 
Total Revenues ($ Mil)305,453331,8398.6%
Net Income Margin (%)39.0%40.3%3.2%
P/E Multiple26.725.8-3.3%
Shares Outstanding (Mil)7,4317,4260.1%
Cumulative Contribution8.5%

LTM = Last Twelve Months as of date shown

Market Drivers

1/31/2026 to 8/1/2026
ReturnCorrelation
MSFT8.5% 
Market (SPY)8.3%37.3%
Sector (XLK)22.0%33.3%

Fundamental Drivers

The -12.2% change in MSFT stock from 7/31/2025 to 8/1/2026 was primarily driven by a -33.2% change in the company's P/E Multiple.
(LTM values as of)73120258012026Change
Stock Price ($)529.27464.72-12.2%
Change Contribution By: 
Total Revenues ($ Mil)281,724331,83917.8%
Net Income Margin (%)36.1%40.3%11.5%
P/E Multiple38.625.8-33.2%
Shares Outstanding (Mil)7,4307,4260.1%
Cumulative Contribution-12.2%

LTM = Last Twelve Months as of date shown

Market Drivers

7/31/2025 to 8/1/2026
ReturnCorrelation
MSFT-12.2% 
Market (SPY)19.2%37.6%
Sector (XLK)34.0%37.6%

Fundamental Drivers

The 41.6% change in MSFT stock from 7/31/2023 to 8/1/2026 was primarily driven by a 56.6% change in the company's Total Revenues ($ Mil).
(LTM values as of)73120238012026Change
Stock Price ($)328.16464.7241.6%
Change Contribution By: 
Total Revenues ($ Mil)211,915331,83956.6%
Net Income Margin (%)34.1%40.3%18.0%
P/E Multiple33.725.8-23.5%
Shares Outstanding (Mil)7,4347,4260.1%
Cumulative Contribution41.6%

LTM = Last Twelve Months as of date shown

Market Drivers

7/31/2023 to 8/1/2026
ReturnCorrelation
MSFT41.6% 
Market (SPY)68.9%57.4%
Sector (XLK)100.3%59.3%

Return vs. Risk

Price Returns Compared

 202120222023202420252026Total [1]
Returns
MSFT Return52%-28%58%13%16%-6%112%
Peers Return31%-34%64%40%16%-7%114%
S&P 500 Return27%-19%24%23%16%9%98%

Monthly Win Rates [3]
MSFT Win Rate75%25%67%58%42%43% 
Peers Win Rate63%28%67%65%53%40% 
S&P 500 Win Rate75%42%67%75%67%43% 

Max Drawdowns [4]
MSFT Max Drawdown-9%-36%-13%-15%-21%-27% 
Peers Max Drawdown-15%-41%-18%-20%-35%-30% 
S&P 500 Max Drawdown-5%-25%-10%-8%-19%-9% 


[1] Cumulative total returns since the beginning of 2021
[2] Peers: GOOGL, AMZN, AAPL, ORCL, CRM. See MSFT Returns vs. Peers.
[3] Win Rate = % of calendar months in which monthly returns were positive
[4] Max drawdown represents maximum peak-to-trough decline within a year
[5] 2026 data is for the year up to 7/31/2026 (YTD)

How Low Can It Go

EventMSFTS&P 500
2025 US Tariff Shock
  % Loss-14.3%-18.8%
  % Gain to Breakeven16.7%23.1%
  Time to Breakeven23 days79 days
2024 Yen Carry Trade Unwind
  % Loss-15.2%-7.8%
  % Gain to Breakeven18.0%8.5%
  Time to Breakeven302 days18 days
Summer-Fall 2023 Five Percent Yield Shock
  % Loss-10.9%-9.5%
  % Gain to Breakeven12.2%10.5%
  Time to Breakeven38 days24 days
2022 Inflation Shock & Fed Tightening
  % Loss-32.2%-24.5%
  % Gain to Breakeven47.5%32.4%
  Time to Breakeven227 days427 days
2020 COVID-19 Crash
  % Loss-27.7%-33.7%
  % Gain to Breakeven38.3%50.9%
  Time to Breakeven81 days140 days
Q4 2018 Fed Policy Error / Growth Scare
  % Loss-17.9%-19.2%
  % Gain to Breakeven21.8%23.8%
  Time to Breakeven79 days105 days

Compare to GOOGL, AMZN, AAPL, ORCL, CRM

In The Past

Microsoft's stock fell -14.3% during the 2025 US Tariff Shock. Such a loss loss requires a 16.7% gain to breakeven.

Preserve Wealth

Limiting losses and compounding gains is essential to preserving wealth.

Asset Allocation

Actively managed asset allocation strategies protect wealth. Learn more.

EventMSFTS&P 500
2022 Inflation Shock & Fed Tightening
  % Loss-32.2%-24.5%
  % Gain to Breakeven47.5%32.4%
  Time to Breakeven227 days427 days
2020 COVID-19 Crash
  % Loss-27.7%-33.7%
  % Gain to Breakeven38.3%50.9%
  Time to Breakeven81 days140 days
2010 Eurozone Sovereign Debt Crisis / Flash Crash
  % Loss-25.7%-15.4%
  % Gain to Breakeven34.6%18.2%
  Time to Breakeven581 days125 days
2008-2009 Global Financial Crisis
  % Loss-57.6%-53.4%
  % Gain to Breakeven135.7%114.4%
  Time to Breakeven1512 days1085 days

Compare to GOOGL, AMZN, AAPL, ORCL, CRM

In The Past

Microsoft's stock fell -14.3% during the 2025 US Tariff Shock. Such a loss loss requires a 16.7% gain to breakeven.

Preserve Wealth

Limiting losses and compounding gains is essential to preserving wealth.

Asset Allocation

Actively managed asset allocation strategies protect wealth. Learn more.

About Microsoft (MSFT)

Microsoft Corporation is a global technology leader that develops, licenses, and supports a comprehensive portfolio of software, services, devices, and solutions. The company serves a vast and diverse customer base, ranging from individual consumers and developers to small businesses, large enterprises, and government organizations worldwide. Its operations are broadly structured around enhancing productivity, providing intelligent cloud infrastructure, and powering personal computing experiences.

The company's core offerings include its ubiquitous Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), collaborative platforms like Microsoft Teams and LinkedIn, and business management software such as Dynamics 365, all aimed at boosting productivity and streamlining business processes. For developers and enterprises, Microsoft provides its powerful Azure cloud computing platform, robust server products like Windows Server and SQL Server, and GitHub, a leading platform for software development and collaboration.

In the realm of personal computing, Microsoft is responsible for the widely adopted Windows operating system, its line of Surface PCs and tablets, and the popular Xbox gaming consoles and services. Additionally, it operates search and advertising services like Bing. Through these diverse and interconnected offerings, Microsoft empowers individuals and organizations globally with essential technology infrastructure, innovative tools, and engaging consumer products.

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  • Imagine Amazon Web Services (AWS) for cloud computing, combined with the business software offerings of Google Workspace.
  • Think of it as Apple, but with a much stronger focus on enterprise software and cloud services, and a major gaming console business like Sony PlayStation.

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  • Microsoft Office Suite: A collection of productivity applications like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and communication tools such as Teams.
  • Microsoft Dynamics 365: A suite of cloud-based business applications for enterprise resource planning (ERP) and customer relationship management (CRM).
  • Microsoft Azure: A comprehensive cloud computing platform offering a wide range of services including computing, analytics, storage, and networking.
  • Windows Operating System: The widely used operating system for personal computers, servers, and IoT devices.
  • Xbox: A brand of gaming consoles, games, and online services.
  • Surface Devices: A line of personal computers, tablets, and accessories designed and manufactured by Microsoft.
  • LinkedIn: A professional networking platform and employment-oriented service.
  • GitHub: A web-based platform for version control and collaboration on software development projects using Git.
  • Microsoft Servers & Developer Tools: Software products like SQL Server, Windows Server, and Visual Studio for businesses and developers.
  • Bing & Microsoft Advertising: A web search engine and its associated advertising services.
  • Microsoft Consulting & Support Services: Professional services including technical support, consulting, training, and certification for Microsoft products.

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Microsoft (MSFT) primarily sells its software, services, and solutions to **other companies and organizations** worldwide. While it also serves individual consumers with products like Xbox, Surface, and consumer versions of Windows and Office, the description heavily emphasizes its B2B offerings, including enterprise solutions, cloud platforms, server software, and developer tools. Given the global reach and diverse product portfolio of Microsoft, it serves millions of businesses across virtually all industries. While the background description does not list a comprehensive set of specific major customer companies by name for all its offerings, it does indicate key types of business customers and mentions several companies with whom it has collaborations or strategic relationships, which are highly likely to be significant customers of its enterprise products. Based on the information provided, major customers include: * **Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs)**: These companies license Windows and other Microsoft software for pre-installation on the PCs, tablets, and other devices they manufacture. Examples of major public OEMs include: * **HP Inc.** (HPQ) * **Dell Technologies Inc.** (DELL) * **Large Enterprises and Financial Institutions**: Companies that utilize Microsoft's extensive suite of enterprise software, cloud services (Azure), productivity tools (Office 365), and business solutions (Dynamics 365). Examples of public companies mentioned in the background with "collaborations" or "strategic relationships" that are highly likely to be major customers in this category include: * **Morgan Stanley** (MS) * **WPP plc** (WPP) * **Dynatrace, Inc.** (DT) * **ACI Worldwide, Inc.** (ACI)

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Satya Nadella, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Satya Nadella has been the Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft since February 2014 and was named Chairman in 2021. Before becoming CEO, he held leadership roles in both enterprise and consumer businesses at Microsoft, most recently as the executive vice president of Microsoft's Cloud and Enterprise group, where he led the transformation to the cloud infrastructure and services business. Prior to joining Microsoft in 1992, Nadella was a member of the technology staff at Sun Microsystems. During his tenure as CEO, Microsoft has made significant acquisitions, including LinkedIn in 2016 for $26.2 billion and GitHub in 2018 for $7.5 billion.

Amy Hood, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Amy Hood has served as the executive vice president and chief financial officer of Microsoft since 2013, making her the first woman to hold this role in the company's history. She joined Microsoft in 2002, holding various positions in the investor relations group and as chief of staff in the Server and Tools Business, and running the strategy and business development team in the Business division. Before joining Microsoft, Hood worked at Goldman Sachs in investment banking and capital markets groups. As CFO, she has overseen over 57 deals, including the $7.5 billion acquisition of GitHub in 2018, and played a strategic role in shifting funding towards cloud computing.

Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President

Brad Smith became Vice Chair of Microsoft in 2021 and President in 2015. He joined Microsoft in 1993, first leading the legal and corporate affairs team in Europe, and was named General Counsel in 2002. Before joining Microsoft, Smith was an associate and then partner at the law firm of Covington & Burling.

Judson Althoff, Chief Executive Officer of Commercial Business

Judson Althoff is the Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft's commercial business. He joined Microsoft in March 2013 as president of Microsoft North America and has been responsible for the sales strategy, execution, and revenue growth of the company's commercial business. Under his leadership, Microsoft has achieved uninterrupted commercial cloud revenue growth. Prior to joining Microsoft, Althoff spent multiple years in senior sales roles at Oracle and EMC.

Scott Guthrie, Executive Vice President, Cloud + AI Group

Scott Guthrie is the Executive Vice President of the Microsoft Cloud + AI Group, a role he has held since February 2014. He is responsible for the company's cloud computing fabric, artificial intelligence platform, and developer tools, including Microsoft Azure. Guthrie joined Microsoft in 1997 and has been a key contributor to many of Microsoft's core cloud, server, and development technologies, including being one of the original founders of the .NET project.

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Microsoft (MSFT) faces several key risks, primarily stemming from the intense competition across its diverse business segments, increasing regulatory scrutiny, and the operational and cybersecurity challenges inherent in its expansive cloud and AI investments.

  1. Intense Competition and High-Stakes AI Investments: Microsoft operates in "brutally competitive markets" across its cloud computing, productivity software, gaming, and device segments, facing strong rivals such as Amazon, Google, Salesforce, and Sony. While the company is making significant investments in artificial intelligence (AI), this presents "major uncertainty" due to the "significant costs" associated with building and maintaining AI infrastructure, including data centers and specialized chips. There is a risk that these "soaring capital expenditures" could lead to "margin contraction" in its Intelligent Cloud segment if demand for AI-driven products does not meet expectations or if intense competition drives down pricing power. Furthermore, Microsoft's legacy segments, particularly in More Personal Computing, face potential "stagnation and decline".
  2. Regulatory and Antitrust Scrutiny: Microsoft's dominant position in several software and cloud markets has attracted "antitrust scrutiny" and regulatory investigations globally. Regulators in various jurisdictions, including Japan, the UK, the EU, and the US, are examining allegations of anti-competitive practices, such as software licensing models that may unfairly favor its Azure cloud platform over competitors, and product bundling strategies. The rapid expansion into AI also introduces new regulatory risks concerning data privacy, intellectual property, security, and potential biases, which could lead to increased compliance costs, delayed product launches, or limitations on AI functionalities.
  3. Cybersecurity Threats and Cloud Operational Risks: As a leading provider of cloud services and software, Microsoft is a prime target for "cybersecurity threats" and data privacy breaches. Any substantial "outage or security breach" in its cloud services, such as Azure, could disrupt critical services for numerous clients worldwide and trigger "cascading risks" throughout the deeply interconnected digital ecosystem. The continuous operation of its massive cloud infrastructure is also capital-intensive and vulnerable to disruptions if there are challenges in "access to advanced semiconductors, energy availability, environmental and zoning approvals, and specialized talent".

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Clear Emerging Threats to Microsoft (MSFT):

  • Rise of Alternative Operating Systems: The increasing market penetration and adoption of operating systems like Google's Chrome OS, particularly in the education and budget-friendly PC markets, directly challenges Microsoft's dominance in Windows OEM licensing. Furthermore, Apple's macOS, especially with the performance advancements of Apple Silicon, continues to solidify its position as a compelling alternative to Windows for consumers and professionals, eroding Microsoft's market share in the premium PC segment. This trend poses a clear threat to Windows' foundational role and revenue.
  • Proliferation of Best-of-Breed Specialized SaaS Solutions: While Microsoft offers comprehensive integrated suites (e.g., Office 365, Dynamics 365), there is an ongoing trend of enterprises adopting specialized, best-of-breed SaaS applications from various vendors for specific functions (e.g., Salesforce for CRM, Slack for communication, Zoom for video conferencing, Figma for design, Miro for collaboration). These specialized solutions often offer deeper features or more innovative user experiences within their niche, challenging the "all-in-one" appeal of Microsoft's offerings and potentially fragmenting its ecosystem. This can erode market share for individual components within Microsoft's productivity and business processes segments.

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Here are the addressable market sizes for Microsoft's main products and services:

  • Cloud Computing (Azure): The global cloud computing market was estimated at USD 752.44 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 2,390.18 billion by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20.4% from 2025 to 2030. Another estimate valued the global cloud computing market at USD 736.10 billion in 2024, with an anticipated CAGR of 20.8% from 2025 to 2034. The global cloud computing market size was also reported as USD 781.27 billion in 2025, with projections to reach USD 2,904.52 billion by 2034. North America held a significant share, accounting for 39.0% of the global cloud computing market in 2024 and 52.0% in 2025.
  • Business Applications (Dynamics 365):
    • **Customer Relationship Management (CRM):** The global CRM market was valued at USD 74 billion in 2023 and is forecasted to reach USD 135 billion in 2029. More recent estimates put the global CRM market size at USD 112.91 billion in 2025, expected to grow to USD 262.74 billion by 2032. North America led the CRM market, with an estimated valuation of USD 35.75 billion in 2025.
    • **Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP):** The global ERP market size is estimated at USD 73 billion in 2025. Other reports state the global ERP software market size was USD 59.42 billion in 2025, projected to increase to USD 116.54 billion by 2035, or USD 77.08 billion in 2025, projected to reach USD 157.07 billion by 2033. North America's ERP software market size reached USD 18.58 billion in 2025.
  • PC Operating Systems (Windows): Windows holds over 68% of the global operating system market across desktops, tablets, and consoles as of July 2024. For desktop systems, Windows commanded a 71.72% market share in March 2025 and an 80% market share as of February 2026. In December 2025, Windows accounted for 29.99% of the global operating system market across all platforms.
  • Gaming (Xbox): The global gaming market is estimated to generate revenues of $187.7 billion in 2024 and was valued at USD 261.1 billion in 2025. Projections indicate the global gaming market size will reach USD 505.17 billion by 2030. The global games market is also expected to reach $188.8 billion in 2025. The global PC and console games market is projected to reach $103.7 billion by 2028.
  • Search Advertising (Bing): The global online search advertising market size is projected to grow from $200 billion in 2023 to $350 billion by 2032. It was estimated at USD 500.55 billion in 2024. Search advertising spend globally is expected to reach $253.2 billion in 2025. The Search Advertising market reached USD 168.94 billion in 2024 and is projected to hit USD 499.08 billion by 2032. North America is the leading market, representing approximately 38% of the global spend.
  • Productivity Software (Office, Microsoft Teams, etc.): null
  • Professional Networking (LinkedIn): null

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Microsoft (MSFT) is expected to drive future revenue growth over the next 2-3 years through several key areas:

  • Expansion and Monetization of Artificial Intelligence (AI) across Products and Services: Microsoft anticipates significant revenue growth from the increasing integration and monetization of AI capabilities, particularly through Microsoft 365 Copilot and new AI workloads on Azure. Microsoft 365 Copilot has seen a surge in paid seats and is expected to drive Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) growth. CEO Satya Nadella has emphasized the transformative potential of AI as a generational tech shift, and the company is focusing on efficiency and innovation in this area.

  • Continued Strong Growth of Azure and the Intelligent Cloud Segment: Azure, Microsoft's cloud platform, remains a primary growth engine. The company expects sustained elevated Azure growth rates, driven by its core infrastructure business and the scaling of new cloud and AI workloads for its largest customers. Microsoft Cloud revenue has consistently grown, with commercial bookings surpassing $100 billion for the first time in fiscal 2025.

  • Increased Adoption and Expansion of Microsoft 365 Commercial Offerings: Beyond Copilot, the broader Microsoft 365 Commercial segment is projected to grow through continued E5 adoption and an expanding installed base across all customer segments, including small and medium businesses and frontline workers. The company's core annuity sales motions and healthy renewals are also contributing factors.

  • Growth in Windows OEM and Commercial Licensing driven by AI-enabled PCs: The "More Personal Computing" segment is expected to benefit from an improvement in Windows OEM licensing sales. The anticipated sale of hundreds of millions of AI-enabled laptops over the next few years is likely to drive demand for Windows licenses.

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Share Repurchases

  • Microsoft's board authorized a new share repurchase program of up to $60 billion in September 2024, replacing a prior $60 billion authorization and having no expiration date.
  • Annual share repurchases were approximately $18.42 billion in 2025, $17.254 billion in 2024, and $22.245 billion in 2023.

Share Issuance

  • Microsoft's issuance of common stock averaged 1.892 billion shares for fiscal years ending June 2021 to 2025.
  • The company's issuance of common stock peaked at 2.056 billion shares in June 2025.
  • The latest twelve-month issuance of common stock was 2.042 billion shares.

Outbound Investments

  • Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion (totaling $75.4 billion after regulatory review) in October 2023, significantly enhancing its gaming operations.
  • In 2021, Microsoft acquired Nuance Communications, aiming to advance its capabilities in conversational AI and speech recognition.
  • Microsoft acquired Fungible for $190 million in January 2023, primarily to augment Azure's networking and storage services.

Capital Expenditures

  • Microsoft's annual capital expenditures were $64.551 billion in 2025, $44.477 billion in 2024, and $28.107 billion in 2023.
  • The capital expenditures for Q4 2025 amounted to $29.9 billion, showing an 89.04% increase from the prior quarter.
  • These significant capital expenditures are primarily focused on enhancing Azure's data center efficiency and performance, notably supported by strategic acquisitions.

Better Bets vs. Microsoft (MSFT)

Latest Trefis Analyses

Recent Active Movers

Peer Comparisons

Peers to compare with:

Financials

MSFTGOOGLAMZNAAPLORCLCRMMedian
NameMicrosoftAlphabet Amazon.c.Apple Oracle Salesfor. 
Mkt Price464.72356.13271.58308.91129.87184.02290.25
Mkt Cap3,451.04,327.32,924.64,527.4373.4159.73,187.8
Rev LTM331,839445,867775,680466,82367,35842,829388,853
Op Inc LTM155,237147,62893,712154,85922,4429,366120,670
FCF LTM66,98753,273-11,625136,683-23,68614,66133,967
FCF 3Y Avg70,89060,26316,732112,402-4,09112,88138,497
CFO LTM182,935185,675161,403146,72431,97715,221154,064
CFO 3Y Avg145,882141,481130,164122,77723,82413,511126,470

Growth & Margins

MSFTGOOGLAMZNAAPLORCLCRMMedian
NameMicrosoftAlphabet Amazon.c.Apple Oracle Salesfor. 
Rev Chg LTM17.8%20.1%15.8%14.2%17.4%11.0%16.6%
Rev Chg 3Y Avg16.1%15.5%13.0%6.9%10.6%10.0%11.8%
Rev Chg Q17.7%24.2%19.6%16.4%20.6%13.3%18.7%
QoQ Delta Rev Chg LTM4.3%5.5%4.4%3.4%5.1%3.1%4.3%
Op Inc Chg LTM20.8%21.6%23.0%18.9%24.3%18.2%21.2%
Op Inc Chg 3Y Avg20.6%25.6%90.0%11.5%17.8%53.7%23.1%
Op Mgn LTM46.8%33.1%12.1%33.2%33.3%21.9%33.1%
Op Mgn 3Y Avg45.7%31.9%10.8%32.1%31.7%20.3%31.8%
QoQ Delta Op Mgn LTM-0.0%0.4%0.6%0.5%1.0%0.4%0.5%
CFO/Rev LTM55.1%41.6%20.8%31.4%47.5%35.5%38.6%
CFO/Rev 3Y Avg50.6%36.5%18.9%29.1%39.7%34.5%35.5%
FCF/Rev LTM20.2%11.9%-1.5%29.3%-35.2%34.2%16.1%
FCF/Rev 3Y Avg25.3%16.1%2.8%26.6%-4.5%32.9%20.7%

Valuation

MSFTGOOGLAMZNAAPLORCLCRMMedian
NameMicrosoftAlphabet Amazon.c.Apple Oracle Salesfor. 
Mkt Cap3,451.04,327.32,924.64,527.4373.4159.73,187.8
P/S10.49.73.89.75.53.77.6
P/Op Inc22.229.331.229.216.617.125.7
P/EBIT20.414.416.429.215.516.016.2
P/E25.817.721.635.121.919.921.7
P/CFO18.923.318.130.911.710.518.5
Total Yield4.6%5.9%4.6%3.2%6.1%6.0%5.3%
Dividend Yield0.8%0.2%0.0%0.3%1.5%1.0%0.6%
FCF Yield 3Y Avg2.2%2.4%0.8%3.2%-0.9%6.7%2.3%
D/E0.00.00.10.00.40.30.1
Net D/E-0.0-0.00.00.00.30.20.0

Returns

MSFTGOOGLAMZNAAPLORCLCRMMedian
NameMicrosoftAlphabet Amazon.c.Apple Oracle Salesfor. 
1M Rtn19.0%-1.1%11.9%0.1%-7.1%10.8%5.4%
3M Rtn12.4%-7.6%1.2%10.4%-24.2%0.4%0.8%
6M Rtn8.5%5.5%13.5%19.3%-20.5%-12.9%7.0%
12M Rtn-10.6%88.8%26.5%53.2%-46.3%-26.0%7.9%
3Y Rtn45.3%179.9%111.8%62.7%16.3%-15.1%54.0%
1M Excs Rtn20.8%-1.5%12.3%4.8%-8.6%12.6%8.6%
3M Excs Rtn10.3%-11.3%-1.4%10.1%-23.1%0.6%-0.4%
6M Excs Rtn0.2%-2.0%4.9%12.4%-30.1%-21.1%-0.9%
12M Excs Rtn-26.4%64.0%0.3%30.6%-65.3%-47.6%-13.1%
3Y Excs Rtn-23.2%113.9%47.9%-3.0%-47.5%-81.0%-13.1%

Financials

Segment Financials

Revenue by Segment
$ Mil20252024202320222021
Productivity and Business Processes120,810106,82094,15163,36453,915
Intelligent Cloud106,26587,46472,94474,96559,728
More Personal Computing54,64950,83844,82059,94154,445
Total281,724245,122211,915198,270168,088


Operating Income by Segment
$ Mil20252024202320222021
Productivity and Business Processes69,77359,66150,07429,69024,351
Intelligent Cloud44,58937,81328,41133,20326,471
More Personal Computing14,16611,95910,03820,49019,094
Total128,528109,43388,52383,38369,916


Price Behavior

Price Behavior
Market Price$464.72 
Market Cap ($ Bil)3,451.0 
First Trading Date03/13/1986 
Distance from 52W High-13.7% 
   50 Days200 Days
DMA Price$399.39$432.26
DMA Trenddowndown
Distance from DMA16.4%7.5%
 3M1YR
Volatility45.9%31.8%
Downside Capture51.27122.29
Upside Capture94.9982.17
Correlation (SPY)27.1%37.2%
MSFT Betas & Captures as of 7/31/2026

 1M2M3M6M1Y3Y
Beta2.511.150.930.990.910.97
Up Beta6.822.541.841.120.930.95
Down Beta1.830.870.620.650.710.89
Up Capture331%96%101%104%75%97%
Bmk +ve Days11223567138427
Stock +ve Days14223159123401
Down Capture-33%70%54%104%110%102%
Bmk -ve Days11212859114326
Stock -ve Days8213267129352

[1] Upside and downside betas calculated using positive and negative benchmark daily returns respectively
Based On 1-Year Data
Annualized
Return
Annualized
Volatility
Sharpe
Ratio
Correlation
with MSFT
MSFT-8.8%31.9%-0.26-
Sector ETF (XLK)33.2%25.6%1.0836.8%
Equity (SPY)18.8%12.9%1.0736.9%
Gold (GLD)23.6%28.1%0.749.3%
Commodities (DBC)30.2%19.7%1.22-5.8%
Real Estate (VNQ)13.7%13.9%0.69-4.5%
Bitcoin (BTCUSD)-46.8%43.0%-1.3428.5%

Smart multi-asset allocation framework can stack odds in your favor. Learn How
Based On 5-Year Data
Annualized
Return
Annualized
Volatility
Sharpe
Ratio
Correlation
with MSFT
MSFT10.8%27.9%0.38-
Sector ETF (XLK)18.7%25.7%0.6572.9%
Equity (SPY)12.6%17.1%0.5669.2%
Gold (GLD)17.1%18.5%0.757.1%
Commodities (DBC)9.0%19.5%0.357.4%
Real Estate (VNQ)2.5%18.9%0.0335.3%
Bitcoin (BTCUSD)13.4%53.3%0.4332.4%

Smart multi-asset allocation framework can stack odds in your favor. Learn How
Based On 10-Year Data
Annualized
Return
Annualized
Volatility
Sharpe
Ratio
Correlation
with MSFT
MSFT25.2%27.6%0.85-
Sector ETF (XLK)23.9%24.9%0.8781.7%
Equity (SPY)15.0%17.9%0.7176.2%
Gold (GLD)11.3%16.1%0.576.7%
Commodities (DBC)7.3%18.0%0.3218.3%
Real Estate (VNQ)4.9%20.7%0.2045.4%
Bitcoin (BTCUSD)57.6%66.2%0.9821.3%

Smart multi-asset allocation framework can stack odds in your favor. Learn How

Short Interest

Short Interest: As Of Date7152026
Short Interest: Shares Quantity92.4 Mil
Short Interest: % Change Since 63020263.7%
Average Daily Volume32.4 Mil
Days-to-Cover Short Interest2.8 days
Basic Shares Quantity7,426.0 Mil
Short % of Basic Shares1.2%

Earnings Returns History

Updated 8/2/2026
Expand for More
 Forward Returns
Earnings Date1D Returns5D Returns21D Returns
7/29/202615.5%  
4/29/2026-3.9%-2.5%6.3%
1/28/2026-10.0%-14.0%-18.3%
10/29/2025-2.9%-6.4%-10.0%
7/30/20253.9%2.3%-0.5%
4/30/20257.6%9.6%16.7%
1/29/2025-6.2%-6.6%-10.1%
10/30/2024-6.1%-2.9%-1.9%
...
SUMMARY STATS   
# Positive111112
# Negative131211
Median Positive4.2%4.3%7.1%
Median Negative-3.8%-4.8%-2.7%
Max Positive15.5%10.9%16.7%
Max Negative-10.0%-14.0%-18.3%
Collapse to Preview
 Forward Returns
Earnings Date1D Returns5D Returns21D Returns
7/29/202615.5%  
4/29/2026-3.9%-2.5%6.3%
1/28/2026-10.0%-14.0%-18.3%
10/29/2025-2.9%-6.4%-10.0%
7/30/20253.9%2.3%-0.5%
4/30/20257.6%9.6%16.7%
1/29/2025-6.2%-6.6%-10.1%
10/30/2024-6.1%-2.9%-1.9%
7/30/2024-1.1%-5.5%-2.7%
4/25/20241.8%-0.3%8.0%
1/30/2024-2.7%-0.8%1.4%
10/24/20233.1%2.3%14.5%
7/25/2023-3.8%-4.2%-6.6%
4/25/20237.2%10.9%14.2%
1/24/2023-0.6%2.4%5.5%
10/25/2022-7.7%-9.0%-1.0%
7/26/20226.7%9.1%9.7%
4/26/20224.8%4.3%-2.6%
1/25/20222.8%7.0%2.3%
10/26/20214.2%7.4%9.2%
7/27/2021-0.1%0.2%5.6%
4/27/2021-2.8%-5.4%-3.8%
1/26/20210.2%3.1%-1.2%
10/27/2020-5.0%-3.2%0.6%
SUMMARY STATS   
# Positive111112
# Negative131211
Median Positive4.2%4.3%7.1%
Median Negative-3.8%-4.8%-2.7%
Max Positive15.5%10.9%16.7%
Max Negative-10.0%-14.0%-18.3%

SEC Filings

Expand for More
Report DateFiling DateFiling
06/30/202607/29/202610-K
03/31/202604/29/202610-Q
12/31/202501/28/202610-Q
09/30/202510/29/202510-Q
06/30/202507/30/202510-K
03/31/202504/30/202510-Q
12/31/202401/29/202510-Q
09/30/202410/30/202410-Q
06/30/202407/30/202410-K
03/31/202404/25/202410-Q
12/31/202301/30/202410-Q
09/30/202310/24/202310-Q
06/30/202307/27/202310-K
03/31/202304/25/202310-Q
12/31/202201/24/202310-Q
09/30/202210/25/202210-Q
Collapse to Preview
Report DateFiling DateFiling
06/30/202607/29/202610-K
03/31/202604/29/202610-Q
12/31/202501/28/202610-Q
09/30/202510/29/202510-Q
06/30/202507/30/202510-K
03/31/202504/30/202510-Q
12/31/202401/29/202510-Q
09/30/202410/30/202410-Q
06/30/202407/30/202410-K
03/31/202404/25/202410-Q
12/31/202301/30/202410-Q
09/30/202310/24/202310-Q
06/30/202307/27/202310-K
03/31/202304/25/202310-Q
12/31/202201/24/202310-Q
09/30/202210/25/202210-Q
06/30/202207/28/202210-K
03/31/202204/26/202210-Q
12/31/202101/25/202210-Q
09/30/202110/26/202110-Q
06/30/202107/29/202110-K
03/31/202104/27/202110-Q
12/31/202001/26/202110-Q
09/30/202010/27/202010-Q
06/30/202007/31/202010-K
03/31/202004/29/202010-Q
12/31/201901/29/202010-Q
09/30/201910/23/201910-Q

Insider Activity

Updated 7/15/2026
Expand for More
#OwnerTitleHoldingActionFiling DatePriceSharesTransacted
Value
Value of
Held Shares
Form
1Numoto, TakeshiEVP, Chief Marketing OfficerDirectSell6122026402.844,5001,812,78019,121,912Form
2Numoto, TakeshiEVP, Chief Marketing OfficerDirectSell6102026412.452,5001,031,12521,434,102Form
3Althoff, JudsonCEO Microsoft CommercialDirectSell6022026460.9915,5007,145,31450,928,771Form
4Coleman, AmyEVP, Chief Human Resources OffDirectSell5182026411.341,262519,24218,923,122Form
5Hogan, Kathleen TEVP, StrategyDirectSell3092026409.5212,3215,045,64356,486,362Form
Collapse to Preview
#OwnerTitleHoldingActionFiling DatePriceSharesTransacted
Value
Value of
Held Shares
Form
1Numoto, TakeshiEVP, Chief Marketing OfficerDirectSell6122026402.844,5001,812,78019,121,912Form
2Numoto, TakeshiEVP, Chief Marketing OfficerDirectSell6102026412.452,5001,031,12521,434,102Form
3Althoff, JudsonCEO Microsoft CommercialDirectSell6022026460.9915,5007,145,31450,928,771Form
4Coleman, AmyEVP, Chief Human Resources OffDirectSell5182026411.341,262519,24218,923,122Form
5Hogan, Kathleen TEVP, StrategyDirectSell3092026409.5212,3215,045,64356,486,362Form
6Stanton, John W DirectBuy2182026397.355,0001,986,75033,339,652Form
7Smith, Bradford LVice Chair and PresidentDirectSell12122025438.823,8121,672,781198,169,556Form
8Smith, Bradford LVice Chair and PresidentDirectSell12122025390.573011,717177,870,321Form
9Smith, Bradford LVice Chair and PresidentDirectBuy12122025377.463,8421,450,221171,912,193Form
10Numoto, TakeshiEVP, Chief Marketing OfficerDirectSell12052025478.722,8501,364,35226,703,825Form
11Althoff, JudsonCEO Microsoft CommercialDirectSell12032025491.5212,7506,266,82963,576,946Form
12Smith, Bradford LVice Chair and PresidentDirectSell11042025518.6438,50019,967,707239,403,350Form
13Nadella, SatyaChief Executive OfficerDirectSell9042025504.78149,20575,315,121399,203,394Form
14Numoto, TakeshiEVP, Chief Marketing OfficerDirectSell8132025527.324,8502,557,50620,624,148Form

Investor Activity (13F)

Updated Aug 2, 2026
13F holdings as of Mar 31, 2026 (Q1 2026)

Active managers (13F portfolio over $250M, at least 3 holdings) with a position over $5M that is either over 10% of their portfolio or held in a concentrated book of 50 or fewer total positions. Index/ETF, sovereign, bank, community-bank and charitable/donor-advised filers are excluded.

Active ManagerValue% of PortfolioTotal PositionsQoQFiling
Joho Capital LLC$114.1 Mil30.6%10TRIM -14.2%13F
DDD Partners, LLC$426.7 Mil29.6%134Hold13F
Elite Wealth Management, Inc.$87.5 Mil28.4%49Hold13F
Armstrong Henry H Associates Inc$232.6 Mil23.7%62Hold13F
Marathon Trading Investment Management LLC$76.1 Mil22.6%192New13F
Palidye Holdings (Caymans) Ltd$114.2 Mil21.2%15Hold13F
Union Bancaire Privee, UBP SA$1.5 Bil20.5%487Hold13F
Ulysses Management LLC$52.3 Mil19.7%28Hold13F
Crake Asset Management LLP$541.0 Mil18.9%20ADD +21.1%13F
C Partners Holding GmbH$57.5 Mil18.2%7Hold13F
Fortis Capital Management LLC$132.7 Mil17.7%206ADD +13.4%13F
Meritage Group LP$470.3 Mil17.7%13Hold13F
Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (publ)$763.0 Mil17.6%346New13F
Milestones Administradora de Recursos Ltda.$66.4 Mil17.3%17ADD +104.6%13F
Altarock Partners LP$691.3 Mil16.8%8TRIM -10.3%13F
Voyager Global Management LP$490.5 Mil16.7%8ADD +29.3%13F
Pershing Square Capital Management, L.P.$2.1 Bil15.3%11New13F
First Foundation Advisors$369.9 Mil14.9%572Hold13F
Generation Investment Management LLP$1.7 Bil14.8%29ADD +8.3%13F
Metropolis Capital Ltd$435.8 Mil14.7%16ADD +40.4%13F
Cat Rock Capital Management LP$92.1 Mil14.3%14ADD +19.7%13F
Delta Asset Management Llc/Tn$153.9 Mil14.0%597Hold13F
Standard Investments LLC$229.5 Mil13.5%11New13F
Brighton Jones LLC$312.2 Mil13.2%24ADD +14.3%13F
SRB Corp$213.1 Mil13.1%44TRIM -16.9%13F
Active ManagerValue% of PortfolioTotal PositionsQoQFiling
Pershing Square Capital Management, L.P.$2.1 Bil15.3%11New13F
Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (publ)$763.0 Mil17.6%346New13F
DSM Capital Partners LLC$570.8 Mil10.1%44New13F
Caxton Associates LLP$479.2 Mil11.1%752New13F
Vulcan Value Partners, LLC$410.5 Mil10.9%33New13F
Consulta Ltd$249.9 Mil12.4%13New13F
Standard Investments LLC$229.5 Mil13.5%11New13F
Harvard Management Co Inc$189.9 Mil10.5%17New13F
Jia Investment Alliance PTE. LTD.$95.6 Mil10.0%24New13F
Marathon Trading Investment Management LLC$76.1 Mil22.6%192New13F
Unio Capital LLC$44.8 Mil9.6%21New13F
Pennant Investors, LP$36.8 Mil10.2%17New13F
Spinecap SAS$31.3 Mil11.5%15New13F
Vienna Powszechne Towarzystwo Emerytalne S.A. Vienna Insurance Group$28.3 Mil10.8%28New13F
Milestones Administradora de Recursos Ltda.$66.4 Mil17.3%17ADD +104.6%13F
Metropolis Capital Ltd$435.8 Mil14.7%16ADD +40.4%13F
Voyager Global Management LP$490.5 Mil16.7%8ADD +29.3%13F
Crake Asset Management LLP$541.0 Mil18.9%20ADD +21.1%13F
Proem Advisors LLC$33.3 Mil11.0%29ADD +20.0%13F
Cat Rock Capital Management LP$92.1 Mil14.3%14ADD +19.7%13F
Cryder Capital Partners LLP$177.2 Mil11.6%10ADD +15.4%13F
Brighton Jones LLC$312.2 Mil13.2%24ADD +14.3%13F
Fortis Capital Management LLC$132.7 Mil17.7%206ADD +13.4%13F
Spear Holdings RSC Ltd$104.6 Mil11.2%17ADD +10.1%13F
PBCay One RSC Ltd$104.6 Mil11.2%17ADD +10.1%13F
Active ManagerValue% of PortfolioTotal PositionsQoQAs OfFiling
TCI Fund Management LTD$8.1 Bil15.1%9ExitedDec 31, 202513F
BlueSpruce Investments, LP$717.0 Mil18.3%9ExitedDec 31, 202513F
Cable Car Capital, LP$703.8 Mil43.7%107ExitedDec 31, 202513F
Ursa Fund Management, LLC$646.8 Mil55.7%22ExitedDec 31, 202513F
Banque Transatlantique SA$519.0 Mil12.6%278ExitedDec 31, 202513F
Sherman Porfolios, LLC$203.7 Mil13.9%156ExitedDec 31, 202513F
Elequin Capital, LP$120.9 Mil15.8%392ExitedDec 31, 202513F
Wahed Invest LLC$94.5 Mil12.4%213ExitedDec 31, 202513F
JBF Capital, Inc.$82.1 Mil11.9%76ExitedDec 31, 202513F
Cypress Funds LLC$76.5 Mil12.7%14ExitedDec 31, 202513F
M & L Capital Management Ltd$72.6 Mil15.1%25ExitedDec 31, 202513F
Criteria Caixa, S.A.U.$72.3 Mil24.9%8ExitedDec 31, 202513F
Agave Capital Management Ltd$70.8 Mil11.8%23ExitedDec 31, 202513F
Coalescence Partners Investment Management, LP$59.0 Mil13.9%12ExitedDec 31, 202513F
SRB Corp$213.1 Mil13.1%44TRIM -16.9%Mar 31, 202613F
Joho Capital LLC$114.1 Mil30.6%10TRIM -14.2%Mar 31, 202613F
Altarock Partners LP$691.3 Mil16.8%8TRIM -10.3%Mar 31, 202613F
BSN CAPITAL PARTNERS Ltd$253.1 Mil11.9%41TRIM -8.0%Mar 31, 202613F
Soroban Capital Partners LP$1.3 Bil9.5%27TRIM -7.8%Mar 31, 202613F
Active ManagerValue% of PortfolioTotal PositionsQoQFiling
Pershing Square Capital Management, L.P.$2.1 Bil15.3%11New13F
Generation Investment Management LLP$1.7 Bil14.8%29ADD +8.3%13F
Union Bancaire Privee, UBP SA$1.5 Bil20.5%487Hold13F
Soroban Capital Partners LP$1.3 Bil9.5%27TRIM -7.8%13F
Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (publ)$763.0 Mil17.6%346New13F
Altarock Partners LP$691.3 Mil16.8%8TRIM -10.3%13F
DSM Capital Partners LLC$570.8 Mil10.1%44New13F
Crake Asset Management LLP$541.0 Mil18.9%20ADD +21.1%13F
Voyager Global Management LP$490.5 Mil16.7%8ADD +29.3%13F
Caxton Associates LLP$479.2 Mil11.1%752New13F
Meritage Group LP$470.3 Mil17.7%13Hold13F
Metropolis Capital Ltd$435.8 Mil14.7%16ADD +40.4%13F
DDD Partners, LLC$426.7 Mil29.6%134Hold13F
Vulcan Value Partners, LLC$410.5 Mil10.9%33New13F
First Foundation Advisors$369.9 Mil14.9%572Hold13F
Brighton Jones LLC$312.2 Mil13.2%24ADD +14.3%13F
BSN CAPITAL PARTNERS Ltd$253.1 Mil11.9%41TRIM -8.0%13F
Consulta Ltd$249.9 Mil12.4%13New13F
Armstrong Henry H Associates Inc$232.6 Mil23.7%62Hold13F
Standard Investments LLC$229.5 Mil13.5%11New13F
SRB Corp$213.1 Mil13.1%44TRIM -16.9%13F
Harvard Management Co Inc$189.9 Mil10.5%17New13F
Cryder Capital Partners LLP$177.2 Mil11.6%10ADD +15.4%13F
Quintet Private Bank (Europe) S.A.$164.0 Mil11.0%187Hold13F
Delta Asset Management Llc/Tn$153.9 Mil14.0%597Hold13F

MSFT Trade Sentinel


Stock Conviction

Constructive

CONVICTION RATIONALE

Conviction is constructive based on powerful leading indicators of demand. The company's commercial backlog grew 84% to $678 billion, while Azure revenue growth accelerated to 41%. This suggests the company's massive infrastructure investment is meeting pre-sold demand, justifying the guided near-term pressure on operating margins.

STOCK ARCHETYPE
Hybrid Platform (Subscription + Consumption)

(Number of Commercial Seats * Price per Seat) + (Volume of Cloud & AI Consumption * Price per Unit) + (Hardware & Ad-hoc Revenue) Operating leverage from scaling the global cloud infrastructure and selling high-margin, AI-infused software subscriptions (like Microsoft 365 E7) on top of that infrastructure.

Looking for high-conviction positions with a better risk/reward profile? See what's currently in the Trefis High Quality Portfolio.
INVESTMENT THESIS
Can AI platform monetization outpace historic infrastructure spending?

Evidence suggests yes, as accelerating demand in Azure and Copilot is validating the company's aggressive investment in data center capacity.

Mechanism: The business model is shifting to 'seat plus consumption,' layering high-margin AI services on top of its cloud platform, evidenced by Azure's 41% growth and over 30 million paid Copilot seats.
Supporting Evidence:
  • Commercial remaining performance obligation increased 84% to $678 billion.
  • Azure and other cloud services revenue growth accelerated to 41% in the latest quarter.
  • The company has over 30 million paid Microsoft 365 Copilot seats, with net adds doubling QoQ.
  • Management guides for double-digit revenue and operating income growth in fiscal year 2027.
PRIMARY RISK
AI Capital Intensity Risk

The primary risk is that the AI infrastructure arms race leads to structurally lower margins, as capital expenditures of 34.9% of revenue may not generate commensurate returns amid intense competition.

Mechanism: A downward revision to the fiscal 2027 operating margin guidance would confirm this risk.
Supporting Evidence:
  • Management expects full fiscal year 2027 operating margins to be down less than 1 point.
  • Capital expenditure is 34.9% of trailing-twelve-month revenue.
  • Inventory grew 48.9% year-over-year, significantly outpacing 17.7% revenue growth.
  • The IRS is seeking an additional tax payment of $28.9 billion plus penalties and interest.
Key KPI Watchlist
KPI Status Rationale
Azure and other cloud services revenue growth41% year-over-year growth for the quarter ended June 30, 2026 - AcceleratingAzure's growth trajectory is strengthening, with management noting in its latest earnings call that customer demand continues to exceed available capacity. The acceleration is attributed to strong demand for AI services and efficiency gains that allowed the company to monetize additional capacity during the quarter.
Microsoft 365 Copilot paid seatsOver 30 million paid seats as of the quarter ended June 30, 2026 - AcceleratingThe adoption of Microsoft's flagship AI productivity tool is accelerating rapidly. Management highlighted that the time from deployment to high usage has fallen from months to days and noted several large enterprise deployments, signaling deep penetration into its customer base.
Commercial Remaining Performance Obligation (RPO)$678 billion (as of Q4 2026)Represents contracted future revenue that has not yet been recognized, including unearned revenue and amounts that will be invoiced later. It is a primary indicator of the visibility and predictability of future revenue streams, particularly for the commercial cloud businesses.
Paid Fabric Customersover 40,000 (Q4 2026)Indicates the adoption of Microsoft's unified data and analytics platform. Growth in this metric shows traction in monetizing the data layer that underpins enterprise AI deployments.
Core Investment Debate

Investment Cycle vs. Margin Erosion

BULL VIEW

Bulls believe the guided margin dip is a temporary and necessary investment to meet overwhelming, pre-sold demand, pointing to the 84% growth in the commercial backlog as proof of future returns.

CORE TENSION

Can accelerating Azure growth (41%) and a $678 billion backlog offset the margin impact of a plan to double data center capacity in two years?


PREVAILING SENTIMENT
CAUTIOUSLY BULLISH

The latest evidence favors the bulls. The post-earnings stock advance shows the market is underwriting the investment thesis, given the powerful acceleration in both Azure and Copilot adoption.

BEAR VIEW

Bears see the massive capital spending as the start of a structural margin decline, arguing that intense competition will prevent the company from fully monetizing its new, more expensive infrastructure.

Next 6 months: Risks and Catalysts
Timeline Event & Metric To Watch
8/26/2026 - 9/7/2026
Enterprise Software Demand Signal
Watch: CRM and ORCL revenue guidance and commentary on deal cycles, IT budgets, and cloud migration trends.
9/7/2026
Oracle Earnings Report
Watch: Peer Oracle (ORCL) is scheduled to report earnings.
10/27/2026 - 10/28/2026
Peer Cloud Results Reset Expectations
Watch: GOOGL and AMZN cloud revenue growth rates and management commentary on enterprise AI spending and capacity constraints.
10/27/2026
AI Monetization And Margin Scrutiny
Watch: Q1 Azure growth rate, updated FY'27 margin guidance, and metrics on Copilot seat growth and consumption revenue.
10/28/2026
Amazon Earnings Report
Watch: Peer Amazon.com (AMZN) is scheduled to report earnings.
Key Events in Last 6 Months
Date Event Stock Impact
2026-07-29
Strong Q4 Earnings Drive Stock
Details: The company reported Q4 FY2026 earnings on July 29, 2026. The two-day stock reaction was a positive 15.0% versus 0.0% for the S&P 500 (MKT-1).
+14.7%
$393.35 -> $451.10
2026-07-23
New In-House AI Models Launched
Details: Microsoft released a new in-house AI model, MAI-Voice-2-Flash, claiming cost reductions of up to 89% versus OpenAI for certain workloads.
-2.2%
$390.34 -> $381.70
2026-06-24
Commvault Strategic Partnership Signed
Details: The company signed a multi-year strategic partnership with Commvault to integrate and deliver Commvault's AI and cyber resilience platform as a native service on Microsoft Azure (REWIND-1).
-5.6%
$373.94 -> $352.83
2026-05-04
Agent 365 Platform Generally Available
Details: Microsoft took its Agent 365 management platform for AI agents out of preview and into general availability, signaling a focus on enterprise governance for autonomous AI (REWIND-1).
-0.7%
$413.54 -> $410.49
2026-04-27
OpenAI Exclusivity Deal Overhauled
Details: Press reports on April 27, 2026, stated Microsoft and OpenAI overhauled their partnership, dismantling key pillars of exclusivity and revenue-sharing, freeing OpenAI to sell on competing clouds (REWIND-1). The stock had a -5.0% reaction around the April 29 earnings call (DRAW-1).
+1.1%
$423.70 -> $428.32
2026-02-17
Ericsson 5G Partnership Announced
Details: Microsoft and Ericsson announced a joint solution to bring enterprise-grade 5G laptop management to Windows 11, with broad availability planned from the second quarter of 2026 (REWIND-1).
-0.4%
$399.54 -> $397.83
2026-01-28
Azure Growth Concerns Hit Stock
Details: The stock had a two-day negative reaction of -10.0% around the earnings call dated 2026-01-28 (DRAW-1). News reports from the following day cited slowing Azure growth and rising AI spending as investor concerns (REWIND-1).
-9.8%
$478.45 -> $431.58
Risk Management
Position Sizing

2% - 4%

REDUCED POSITION

Sizing is volatility-based: MSFT trades at roughly 32% annualized options-implied volatility versus about 14% for the S&P 500 (2.2x the market), around the 88th percentile of its own trailing year. A 2% - 4% position keeps a single-name swing of that size within a diversified portfolio's risk budget.

Diversification Alternatives
GOOGL - Alphabet
Higher Cloud Growth

Alphabet's cloud segment reported faster revenue growth of 82% in its latest quarter. The company also has a significantly larger absolute research and development spend of $69 billion.

Core Thesis: An investment in a competitor with accelerating momentum in cloud and a deep, long-standing commitment to fundamental AI research.
AMZN - Amazon.com
Cloud Market Leader

Amazon.com remains the primary incumbent in cloud infrastructure. It is also investing heavily, with plans for approximately $220 billion in cash capital expenditures in 2026.

Core Thesis: An investment in the established cloud market share leader, which is also experiencing accelerating growth and investing aggressively for the AI transition.
How Is The Market Pricing MSFT?

Microsoft is an 'AI-utility,' building and monetizing the planet-scale infrastructure and intelligent applications that will power the next generation of enterprise productivity and computing.

Microsoft is aggressively investing to build out a global 'AI factory,' comprised of massive data centers and proprietary silicon, to meet accelerating demand. It monetizes this infrastructure directly through its Azure cloud platform and indirectly through a suite of high-value 'Copilot' AI assistants embedded across its dominant productivity, coding, and security software. The company is shifting its business model from per-seat licenses to a more expansive 'seat-plus-consumption' model, aiming to capture a larger share of the value created by AI-driven productivity gains.

What will confirm the thesis

Sustained high growth in Azure (41%), accelerating adoption of Microsoft 365 Copilot seats, and expansion of overall company operating margins despite heavy capital expenditures.

What will damage the thesis

A significant slowdown in Azure growth, evidence of margin compression from AI infrastructure costs that is not offset by revenue, or signs that customers are opting for smaller, non-Microsoft AI models and platforms at scale.

Noise: Real but irrelevant to thesis

Short-term fluctuations in the More Personal Computing segment (PC market, gaming hardware sales) are largely noise relative to the core thesis centered on the commercial cloud and AI platform shift.

Repricing Catalyst

The key catalyst is the successful monetization of its AI investments, demonstrated by accelerating Azure growth, rapid Copilot seat adoption, and the expansion of the 'seat-plus-consumption' model, which could significantly increase the company's total addressable market and revenue per user.

What MSFT Makes & Who Pays
TTM figures based on the twelve months through fiscal Q3 2026
Productivity and Business Processes
$135.3B TTM (42% of Total) · 60% Margin
What It Is

This segment sells a portfolio of productivity, communication, and information services to both commercial and consumer customers. Key offerings include Microsoft 365 (Office, Exchange, Teams, Copilot), the professional network LinkedIn, and Dynamics business solutions (ERP/CRM).

Who Pays & How

Enterprises and small businesses pay for integrated, AI-powered productivity and collaboration tools (Microsoft 365, Dynamics) to empower employees and optimize operations. Consumers pay for personal productivity subscriptions (Microsoft 365 Consumer), while enterprises and professionals pay for LinkedIn's premium talent, marketing, and sales solutions.

Primarily subscription-based (Microsoft 365, LinkedIn Premium, Dynamics 365), with some revenue from on-premises software licenses and advertising on LinkedIn. The company is increasingly moving to a 'per seat plus consumption' model.
Competition
Software and global application vendors, web-based and mobile application companies, and AI-first application companies.
Competitors may offer free applications funded by advertising or utilize open-source software to reduce costs.
Microsoft competes by providing secure, integrated, and easy-to-use productivity and collaboration tools that work with customers' existing on-premises and cloud technologies.
Intelligent Cloud
$128.4B TTM (40% of Total) · 41% Margin
What It Is

This segment provides public, private, and hybrid server products and cloud services to enterprises and developers. It is primarily composed of Azure cloud services (computing, networking, storage, AI), server products (Windows Server, SQL Server), and enterprise services.

Who Pays & How

Enterprises and developers pay for cloud infrastructure and platform services (Azure) to build, deploy, and manage applications without managing on-premises hardware. This allows them to devote more resources to application development and leverage scalable AI and computing capabilities.

Primarily consumption-based for Azure infrastructure-as-a-service and platform-as-a-service. Also includes revenue from on-premises server product licenses sold through volume licensing programs and to OEMs.
Competition
Cloud service providers (hyperscalers), open-source offerings, and vertically integrated computer manufacturers.
Competitors include other hyperscalers, providers of open-source AI models, and vendors offering various server operating systems and applications.
Azure's competitive advantage includes its hybrid cloud capabilities, global scale, and a broad portfolio of AI, identity, and security solutions that differentiate it from competitors.
More Personal Computing
$54.6B TTM (17% of Total) · 27% Margin
What It Is

This segment's products and services are centered on the consumer experience. It includes Windows operating system licensing to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), Devices (Surface PCs and accessories), Xbox gaming hardware, content, and services, and Search advertising (Bing, Microsoft Edge).

Who Pays & How

PC OEMs pay to pre-install Windows on devices. Consumers pay for Surface devices, Xbox consoles, and Xbox content and subscription services like Game Pass. Advertisers pay to reach a global audience through Bing search and other properties.

A mix of per-unit licensing fees (Windows OEM), direct-to-consumer hardware sales (Surface, Xbox), recurring subscriptions (Xbox Game Pass), transactional sales of digital content (games), and advertising revenue.
Competition
Alternative platforms and devices (for Windows), various computer and hardware manufacturers (for Devices), other online gaming ecosystems and console platforms (for Xbox), and search engines and social platforms (for Search).
Competitors in devices offer unique hardware designs at various price points. In gaming, other console platforms and game streaming services compete for user engagement.
The company competes by offering choice, value, and compatibility (Windows), innovative hardware design (Surface), and a strong portfolio of first-party game franchises and online services (Xbox).
MSFT Evolution: Price Return by Era
c. 2021-2023 · The Cloud-First Transition
+77%
During this period, Microsoft's growth was defined by the rapid expansion of its Intelligent Cloud segment, centered on Azure. Intelligent Cloud revenue grew, establishing it as a core growth engine alongside the steady Productivity and Business Processes segment.
c. 2024-Present · The AI Platform Shift
+24%
Beginning around fiscal 2024, the company's strategy and investment narrative pivoted aggressively toward Artificial Intelligence. This era is characterized by massive capital expenditures to build AI infrastructure, the launch and rapid scaling of AI-powered 'Copilot' services across its portfolio, and a strategic shift to a hybrid 'seat-plus-consumption' business model to capture value from AI usage.
Market Appears To Be Cautiously Supportive
Price structure is neutral. The price is in a holding pattern with no clear directional commitment from the moving average stack. Relative to SPY: Decisively outperforming and improving. Potential evidence of active institutional rotation. Volume and momentum are strongly confirming. The institutional accumulation is evident and momentum is accelerating. Earnings history is supportive. The reaction and drift are both positive, and the market is accepting the narrative.
① Structure
0
Structural pillar score (-4 to +4). Driven by trend regime, SMA cross events, proximity to 52W high, and relative strength vs SPY.
② Volume / Momentum
+4
Volume/Momentum pillar score (-4 to +4). Driven by institutional footprint score, OBV divergence, and momentum character.
③ Catalyst
+2
Catalyst pillar score (-4 to +4). Driven by earnings day reaction, 20D post-earnings drift, and post-earnings volume character.
Combined Score
6 / 12
1 Price Structure & Trend Potential Bottoming · -
2 Momentum Accelerating
3 Relative Strength vs. SPY Strong Outperformance
4 Institutional Footprint & Volume Strong Accumulation
5 Volatility Expanded
6 Key Price Levels Range · Vol Rising
7 Earnings Reaction History Inconsistent
8 How the Verdict Is Derived Three Pillars
Core Cache Last Updated: 8/1/2026