Microsoft shares are taking a big hit after the company reported earnings Wednesday.
MSFT beats fiscal Q2 estimates as cloud and AI power 17% revenue growth, Azure surges, and bookings jump, though shares fall on capex and capacity concerns.
Microsoft Corporation reported strong Q2 results, with a double beat and 17% revenue growth, yet shares declined post-earnings. MSFT has become significantly cheaper following a recent pullback, creating a more attractive value proposition relative to its growth. Despite trailing the broader market since late 2023, MSFT's current valuation and growth trajectory support a positive outlook.
Meta shares rallied more than 7% on Thursday, after the company reported annual quarterly revenue growth of 24% to $59.8 billion in its latest quarter. The company said it anticipated capital expenditures of up to $135 billion as it ramped up spending to expand AI efforts, after spending $22.4 billion in the quarter, above estimates of $21.8 billion.
A large share of Microsoft Corporation's commercial RPO is concentrated in OpenAI, which can be a risk given that customer's cash-burning, unprofitable, capital-infusion reliant status. AI infrastructure spending is shifting Microsoft's business mix toward lower-margin hardware, driving sustained declines in Microsoft Cloud and consolidated gross margins. MSFT's heavy capex on short-lived GPUs and CPUs, combined with long depreciation lives, may understate future capex needs and pressure already declining free cash flow margins.
Shares of Microsoft are down 11.7% in Thursday trading after the company reported fiscal second-quarter results that beat Wall Street estimates but failed to satisfy investor expectations around Azure cloud growth and AI infrastructure spending.
Tech giants Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ:META) and Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:MSFT) are in the spotlight after their latest earnings reports.
Meta appeared to gain approval from investors to keep putting money into AI as shares jumped 8% post-earnings. Microsoft plunged as the company's Azure segment showed a slowdown in growth and higher spending on AI.
Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:NVDA, XETRA:NVD), Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:MSFT) and Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:AMZN) are in discussions to invest up to $60 billion in OpenAI as part of a major new funding round, according to a new report from The Information, which cited people familiar with the matter. The planned investments would form part of a broader round that could reach as much as $100 billion, potentially valuing OpenAI at between roughly $730 billion and $830 billion, according to the report.
S&P 500 hovers near record highs as mixed Meta and Microsoft earnings leave indices directionless. Key trendline at 7048 crucial for sustained rally.
Microsoft Corporation receives a Buy rating, with valuation attractive despite recent post-earnings share weakness and technical headwinds. MSFT's Q2 delivered a double beat, but Azure's 38% growth and elevated capex disappointed, pressuring free cash flow and sentiment. Forward guidance remains robust, with Azure growth near 37% and capex expected to slow, while AI investments and partnerships are key watchpoints.
Question: Microsoft exceeded earnings expectations—why did the stock drop 7% after hours?