Earned Wealth Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report) by 29.1% in the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 31,813 shares of the software giant’s stock after acquiring an additional 7,172 shares during the quarter. Microsoft accounts for about 1.1% of Earned Wealth Advisors LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 24th largest position. Earned Wealth Advisors LLC’s holdings in Microsoft were worth $15,386,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.
Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Longfellow Investment Management Co. LLC grew its position in shares of Microsoft by 51.3% during the 2nd quarter. Longfellow Investment Management Co. LLC now owns 59 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 20 shares during the period. Bayforest Capital Ltd bought a new position in shares of Microsoft during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $38,000. Sellwood Investment Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of Microsoft during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $49,000. University of Illinois Foundation bought a new position in shares of Microsoft during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $50,000. Finally, Daytona Street Capital LLC bought a new position in shares of Microsoft during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $50,000. 71.13% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
Microsoft News Roundup
Here are the key news stories impacting Microsoft this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Analysts and market commentary continued to argue that Microsoft remains a long-term AI winner, with several notes saying the stock still looks undervalued and that its AI/Cloud thesis remains intact. Microsoft’s (MSFT) Q3 Revealed 3 Things that Matter for the AI Bull Case
- Positive Sentiment: Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella’s testimony in the Musk v. Altman trial reinforced Microsoft’s early backing of OpenAI and its expected payoff from that investment, which some investors view as supportive of the company’s AI strategy. OpenAI to cap Microsoft revenue-sharing at $38 billion, The Information reports
- Positive Sentiment: OpenAI reportedly capped revenue-sharing payments to Microsoft at $38 billion through 2030, which may be read as a structural clarification that still preserves a major economic relationship while supporting OpenAI’s IPO path. Microsoft secures structural wins in OpenAI revenue cap deal, Wedbush says
- Neutral Sentiment: Microsoft was mentioned in broader AI-market commentary about whether AI spending is generating enough ROI, which adds to sentiment volatility but does not directly change fundamentals. Chamath Warns Companies Must Prove ROI from AI Within ‘500 Days’
- Neutral Sentiment: Several reports focused on Microsoft’s role in OpenAI’s founding and governance in the Musk lawsuit; these headlines keep the stock in the news, but the market impact is mostly indirect unless they lead to regulatory or contractual changes. How Much Power Did Microsoft Have Over OpenAI?
- Negative Sentiment: The biggest near-term overhang is the perception that Microsoft may have less upside from OpenAI than previously assumed, after reports that revenue-sharing is capped far below earlier projections. OpenAI to cap Microsoft revenue-sharing at $38 billion, The Information reports
- Negative Sentiment: Nadella’s testimony in the Musk trial also highlighted how closely Microsoft is tied to OpenAI’s governance fight, keeping legal and reputational risks in focus for investors. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella takes stand in Musk v. Altman trial
Microsoft Stock Performance
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT – Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, April 29th. The software giant reported $4.27 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.06 by $0.21. Microsoft had a net margin of 39.34% and a return on equity of 31.94%. The business had revenue of $82.89 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $81.44 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $3.46 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 18.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts predict that Microsoft Corporation will post 16.76 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Microsoft Announces Dividend
The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, June 11th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, May 21st will be paid a $0.91 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, May 21st. This represents a $3.64 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.9%. Microsoft’s dividend payout ratio is currently 21.67%.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
Several research analysts recently commented on MSFT shares. Wedbush reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $575.00 price objective on shares of Microsoft in a report on Thursday, April 30th. Dbs Bank cut their price objective on shares of Microsoft from $678.00 to $573.00 in a report on Thursday, May 7th. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an “overweight” rating on shares of Microsoft in a report on Thursday, January 29th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut their price objective on shares of Microsoft from $575.00 to $550.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, April 30th. Finally, Bank of America started coverage on shares of Microsoft in a report on Tuesday, March 24th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $500.00 price objective for the company. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-eight have given a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $562.69.
Read Our Latest Report on Microsoft
Insider Activity at Microsoft
In other news, Director John W. Stanton bought 5,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 18th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $397.35 per share, for a total transaction of $1,986,750.00. Following the purchase, the director directly owned 83,905 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $33,339,651.75. This trade represents a 6.34% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Kathleen T. Hogan sold 12,321 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $409.52, for a total transaction of $5,045,695.92. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 137,933 shares in the company, valued at $56,486,322.16. This represents a 8.20% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Corporate insiders own 0.03% of the company’s stock.
About Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is a global technology company headquartered in Redmond, Washington. Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, Microsoft develops, licenses and supports a broad range of software products, services and devices for consumers, enterprises and governments worldwide. Its operations span personal computing, productivity software, cloud infrastructure, enterprise applications, developer tools and gaming.
Microsoft’s product portfolio includes the Windows operating system and the Microsoft 365 suite of productivity and collaboration tools (Office apps, Outlook, Teams).
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