Microsoft (MSFT)

Learn everything you need to know about Microsoft and find links to beginner-friendly guides that show you the best way to invest in it.
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Updated: Jan 12, 2023
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About Microsoft

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What is Microsoft?

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Microsoft is one of the world’s largest technology companies. Its breakthrough came in the 1980s and 1990s, as Microsoft became the dominant provider of operating systems and other software for personal computers.

The company has expanded into other ventures through a series of acquisitions, growing into a behemoth with a market capitalisation of about $1.75 trillion and annual revenue of $198 billion.

Headquartered in Redmond, Washington, Microsoft is best known for the Windows operating system, although sells a wide range of other products and services, including the Microsoft Office suite, Surface laptops and tablets, Xbox gaming consoles, and Azure, a cloud computing platform

How does Microsoft make money?

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It makes money by selling and licensing its products and services. Microsoft’s flagship products, such as Windows and Office, generate a significant portion of the company’s revenue through licensing and sales. It also has a cloud platform, Microsoft’s Azure, that offers a wide range of uses, such as data storage, analytics, and machine learning.

Microsoft also sells hardware, such as the Xbox console and its Surface line of tablets, laptops, and other devices. Additionally, it generates revenue through subscriptions to its professional networking platform, LinkedIn and online advertising on its search engine, Bing.

What is Microsoft’s best selling product?

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Microsoft’s best-selling product is the Windows operating system. Windows is the most widely used operating system in the world, it is pre-installed on most personal computers and has a 76% market share.

Who are the key executives at Microsoft?

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Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates owns around 1% of the company and is no longer part of its leadership team. Here’s a selection of some of Microsoft’s key executives.

  • Satya Nadella. Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
  • Bradford L. Smith. President and Chief Legal Officer
  • Jean-Philippe Courtois. Executive Vice President and President, Global Sales, Marketing & Operations
  • Kurt DelBene. Executive Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Business Development
  • Kevin Scott. Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer
  • Judson Althoff. Executive Vice President, Worldwide Commercial Business
  • Kathleen Hogan. Executive Vice President, Human Resources
  • Karen C. Moore. Corporate Vice President, Investor Relations

Where can I buy shares in Microsoft?

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You can buy Microsoft stock on a stock trading platform. These platforms are extremely simple to use but there are different options to suit your specific needs. If you are a first-time investor you might want to use a trading platform for beginners, while if you plan on doing a lot of trading from your phone, a stock trading app might be best.

Are there any other ways to invest in Microsoft?

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The simplest way to invest in Microsoft is to buy shares through a stock broker. However, you can also invest through an ETF or a fund. The best ETFs allow you to invest in the stock market more generally rather than focus on one company.

Microsoft is part of the Nasdaq index, so you can invest in an ETF that tracks that index, or choose a technology ETF that lets you own a basket of related stocks from the same industry.

More about the MSFT price

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What is the Microsoft stock price today?

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The MSFT stock price today is currently $235.77, as of 12 January, 2023. The price of Microsoft is down -24.92% over the last 52 weeks. You can use the live Microsoft stock chart to track the NASDAQ:MSFT price in real time above, or compare the Microsoft value today to its past performance using the Microsoft financials tab at the top of this page.

What is the 52-week low for Microsoft stock?

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The 52-week low for Microsoft stock is $213.43. MSFT stock is currently 10.24% above the 52-week low.

What is the 52-week high for Microsoft stock?

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The 52-week high for Microsoft stock is $320.88. MSFT stock is currently 26.33% below the 52-week high.

What is the stock forecast for Microsoft?

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The average Microsoft stock forecast has a price target of $370 by the end of 2023. Microsoft’s latest financial results, the broader economic outlook, and the amount of competition in the industry all influence these forecasts.

It’s best to take analyst forecasts with a grain of salt but you can use their estimates to help you understand the weight of opinion about a stock. Read our latest Microsoft price forecast for more analysis and guidance.

More stock guides

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FAQs

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Recent Microsoft price analysis

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Sources & references
Risk disclaimer
Prash Raval
Financial Writer
When not researching stocks or trading, Prash can be found either on the golf course, walking his dog or teaching his son how to kick a… read more.