Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT) stock surged about 9% in Thursday’s premarket session after the software giant reported fourth-quarter results that comfortably beat Wall Street expectations, driven by accelerating Azure cloud growth and rising AI adoption.
Microsoft reported fourth-quarter revenue of $90.01 billion, up 18% year over year, and earnings of $4.74 per share, topping analyst estimates of $87.62 billion and $4.24, respectively.
Intelligent Cloud revenue climbed 32% to $39.3 billion, while Azure and other cloud services revenue jumped 43%. Total cloud revenue increased 27% to $59.3 billion.
Jefferies analyst Brent Thill and CNBC’s Jim Cramer said Microsoft’s results reinforce its position as one of the clearest beneficiaries of artificial intelligence, supported by multiple established revenue streams and continued cloud momentum.
Microsoft Offers Clearer AI Monetization
Thill told CNBC on Thursday that Microsoft and Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) appear better positioned than Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:META) because they already have multiple businesses generating meaningful returns from AI investments.
He said investors remain focused on how long Big Tech can sustain elevated AI spending and when those investments will deliver broader financial returns. Microsoft’s diversified revenue base, he said, gives investors greater confidence that its AI spending is translating into tangible growth.
Cramer Highlights Azure, Software Strength
Cramer called Microsoft’s quarter a clean beat on both revenue and earnings, saying the results could help reignite investor interest in software stocks despite recent pressure from rising bond yields.
He pointed to Azure’s 33% constant-currency growth, the platform’s fastest expansion in four years, and noted Microsoft’s strong free cash flow generation, suggesting its heavy data-center investments remain financially manageable.
Copilot Adoption Accelerates
Cramer also highlighted growing demand for Microsoft 365 Copilot, which reached 30 million paid seats, up from more than 20 million three months earlier.
He said the quarter reinforced confidence in Microsoft’s execution and management team, adding that strong earnings from high-quality technology companies can quickly improve investor sentiment after periods of market weakness.
The stock carries a Buy rating with an average price forecast of $544.28. Recent analyst moves include:
- Cantor Fitzgerald : Overweight (Raises forecast to $522.00) (July 30)
- Barclays : Overweight (Lowers forecast to $512.00) (July 30)
- Piper Sandler : Overweight (Raises forecast to $550.00) (July 30)
Top ETF Exposure
- Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE: XLK ): 9.24% weighting
- Vanguard S&P 500 Growth ETF (NYSE: VOOG ): 9.47% weighting
- T. Rowe Price Growth Stock ETF (NYSE: TGRW ): 9.37% weighting
Why It Matters: Microsoft is among the largest holdings in these ETFs, meaning significant fund inflows or outflows can trigger automatic buying or selling of the stock.
Price Action
MSFT Price Action: Microsoft shares were up 9.24% at $426.61 during premarket trading on Thursday, according to Benzinga Pro data.
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