U S Wealth Group LLC. boosted its stake in Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report) by 39.3% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 15,220 shares of the software giant’s stock after purchasing an additional 4,292 shares during the period. Microsoft comprises about 2.8% of U S Wealth Group LLC.’s holdings, making the stock its 10th largest holding. U S Wealth Group LLC.’s holdings in Microsoft were worth $5,677,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Montgomery Financial Services LLC bought a new stake in shares of Microsoft during the second quarter worth about $26,000. Frankly Finances LLC bought a new stake in Microsoft during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $35,000. Bard Associates Inc. bought a new position in shares of Microsoft during the second quarter valued at $37,000. PMV Capital Advisers LLC acquired a new position in shares of Microsoft during the second quarter worth $38,000. Finally, Fiduciary Advisors Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Microsoft by 37.4% during the second quarter. Fiduciary Advisors Inc. now owns 125 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $47,000 after purchasing an additional 34 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 71.13% of the company’s stock.
Microsoft Stock Performance
Shares of Microsoft stock opened at $555.80 on Thursday. The company has a market cap of $4.13 trillion, a P/E ratio of 29.01, a PEG ratio of 1.54 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a current ratio of 1.22, a quick ratio of 1.21 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $515.34 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $439.42. Microsoft Corporation has a 1-year low of $349.20 and a 1-year high of $559.15.
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT – Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, October 28th. The software giant reported $4.89 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.72 by $0.17. Microsoft had a return on equity of 31.28% and a net margin of 41.17%. The business had revenue of $92.28 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $90.62 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $4.13 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 18.8% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts anticipate that Microsoft Corporation will post 19.86 EPS for the current year.
Microsoft Increases Dividend
The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Investors of record on Thursday, November 19th will be given a dividend of $0.98 per share. This represents a $3.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, November 19th. This is a boost from Microsoft’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.91. Microsoft’s dividend payout ratio is presently 19.00%.
Insider Buying and Selling at Microsoft
In other news, EVP Amy Hood sold 41,674 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, September 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $498.27, for a total transaction of $20,764,903.98. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 533,624 shares in the company, valued at approximately $265,888,830.48. This represents a 7.24% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO Satya Nadella sold 86,525 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $501.46, for a total transaction of $43,388,826.50. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 486,763 shares in the company, valued at $244,092,173.98. This trade represents a 15.09% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 135,504 shares of company stock worth $68,138,024. 0.03% of the stock is owned by insiders.
Microsoft News Roundup
Here are the key news stories impacting Microsoft this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Cloud and AI results supported the rally. Microsoft’s fiscal first-quarter revenue rose 19% year over year to $92.28 billion, beating estimates, while Azure growth accelerated and AI adoption continued to expand. Reports also highlighted a $677 billion commercial backlog as evidence of future demand. Article: MSFT Q1 Earnings Call Highlights Azure Growth and AI Spending
- Positive Sentiment: Broader market strength lifted mega-cap technology shares. Microsoft joined a post-election rebound as investors rotated back into AI leaders; the company also reached a record high during the session. Article: Microsoft Stock Hits Record High as Midterm Results Boost AI Infrastructure Bets
- Positive Sentiment: New analytics tools target AI-assisted shopping. Microsoft added features to Clarity that help merchants track how AI agents interact with websites and apps, extending the company’s offerings for businesses adopting agentic AI. Article: Microsoft Clarity Helps Merchants Welcome AI Shopping Agents
- Neutral Sentiment: Microsoft disclosed a $25 billion senior-notes offering. The debt issuance provides financing flexibility, but also adds borrowing and interest obligations. Article: Microsoft Announces $25 Billion Senior Notes Offering
- Negative Sentiment: AI investment remains a key risk. Analysts and commentary flagged substantial infrastructure spending, possible pressure on free cash flow and margins, and political calls for tighter data-center rules that could constrain future expansion. Article: Microsoft: Don’t Get Too Excited About Its Positive FCF
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
A number of analysts recently weighed in on the company. Mizuho increased their price objective on Microsoft from $510.00 to $600.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, October 15th. Raymond James Financial set a $650.00 price target on Microsoft in a research note on Thursday, October 29th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a “buy” rating and set a $600.00 price objective on shares of Microsoft in a research report on Monday, October 12th. CLSA reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of Microsoft in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein upped their target price on Microsoft from $662.00 to $722.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, October 29th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, forty-five have assigned a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $609.54.
Read Our Latest Analysis on Microsoft
Microsoft Profile
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is a global technology company that develops software, cloud services, devices and digital platforms. Its products and services are used by consumers, businesses, governments and educational institutions worldwide.
The company’s principal offerings include the Windows operating system; Microsoft 365 productivity applications such as Word, Excel, Teams and Outlook; Azure cloud computing and infrastructure services; Dynamics business applications; and enterprise security solutions.
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