Microsoft AI's chief marketing officer, Andréa Mallard, is leaving the company. She joined Microsoft's AI unit in January.
I hit the buy button on Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT | MSFT Price Prediction) again last week, and I will hit it again next month.
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT | MSFT Price Prediction) just wrapped a fiscal year where Azure crossed $100 billion in annual revenue and Microsoft 365 Copilot passed 30 million paid seats.
Most earnings-season numbers are designed to be seen: revenue growth gets announced, earnings per share gets a headline, capital expenditure plans get a slide.
This article was written by Doug Nathman, with research by his team at Trefis.
Microsoft MSFT shares fell about 3.2% on Monday after a Guardian investigation raised questions about whether the company has enough advanced chips installed to support its rapid artificial intelligence infrastructure expansion. The report pointed to a potential gap between Microsoft's stated data-center expansion and the number of AI chips installed across its facilities.
Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT | MSFT Price Prediction) and Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL) both closed their latest quarters with cloud growth that dwarfed the rest of the hyperscaler field.
MSFT's expanding 365 seats and premium E7 adoption can fuel revenue growth as Copilot gains traction across enterprise workflows.
A strong quarter improved Microsoft's standing with investors. Rampant Azure growth and a shift to in-house chips and models are paying off.
Microsoft remains a “Buy,” driven by robust earnings, cloud growth, and a 21-year dividend growth streak. MSFT's Q4 FY 2026 revenue surged 17.7% to $90.01 billion, with cloud revenue up 31.6% and commercial backlog soaring 84%. Trading at a 12% discount to a $558 fair value estimate, MSFT offers a potential 21% total return by 2027 and 16% annualized through 2032.
Microsoft delivered 18% revenue and 21% operating income growth in FY26, with Azure revenue surpassing $100 billion and Copilot adoption accelerating. Azure growth accelerated to 43% in Q4, with management guiding for approximately 45% constant-currency growth in Q1 FY27, underpinned by robust AI demand. Capital expenditures remain a key risk, exceeding $50 billion in Q1 FY27 and constraining free cash flow growth despite strong operating results.
Microsoft delivered a decisive Q4 and FY2026, accelerating revenue growth to 18% and expanding Azure past $100 billion with 41% growth. MSFT's AI monetization is now proven, with commercial backlog swelling to $678 billion and $2.70 in future revenue booked per $1 of CapEx. Shares remain undervalued at under 21x FY2028 EPS, with projected EPS compounding ~20% annually and a robust, rising dividend supported by a 20% payout ratio.