MSFTTechnology · Software - InfrastructureThe 55 Wall Street analysts covering Microsoft Corp. hold a median 12-month price target of $555 — +8.8% from the last close. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model, run across ~4,600 US stocks, ranks it 61 of 100 as at 2 Sept 2026 — in the upper half.
Consensus tells you what everyone already believes. The model scores Microsoft Corp. on its factor families — the same systematic rank behind the Ticker Nerd portfolio.
Percentile across ~4,600 US stocks on Ticker Nerd’s systematic factor model. Higher is better. How the model is built and tested
Revisions (90): Analysts have, on balance, been raising their forecasts.
Accruals (31): A large share of reported profit has not shown up as cash, or the balance sheet is expanding quickly — both tend to unwind.
Size (0): Larger than most of the companies we track — more scrutinised, less often mispriced.
Built and run by Aslam Ghouse, an ex-Goldman Sachs quant trader with fourteen years in markets.
As of 29 August 2026 our factor model ranks Microsoft 63.5 of 100 across the roughly 4,600 US stocks we track, a middling overall reading built on two strong pillars. Estimate Revisions scores 89.7 and Quality 89.3: analysts have been raising their forecasts, and the business earns durable profits on the capital it uses. The drags are Value at 45.1 and Investment/Accruals at 31.0, plus a market-cap reading near zero, because Microsoft is among the largest companies we follow.
The Street is more enthusiastic than the model. Across 55 analysts the average price target is $569.45 against a last close of $513.53 on 28 August 2026, and 52 of the 55 rate the shares buy or strong buy. The Momentum factor is lukewarm at 58.3: the shares rose 31.4% in the six months to 28 August 2026 but only 1.6% in the twelve months, so the run is recent and the longer trend is flat.
The heaviest drag, Investment/Accruals, reflects spending to build AI and cloud capacity; the news we carry notes cloud gross margins have fallen for four quarters and that management forecasts modest operating-margin pressure in the next fiscal year. Estimate Revisions are the counterweight: current-year consensus earnings per share rose 1.9% in 90 days to $19.73, with 20 analysts raising and 9 cutting last month. A change in the build-out pace or the forecast trend would move the rank.
As of 31 Aug 2026The bullish and bearish analyst opinions on MSFT, reported as data — targets and ratings, the market's view beside the model's.
Price targets and ratings are third-party analyst estimates, reported here as data. They are not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.
Data provided by Twelve Data
The green dot is the last close — the median target sits +8.8% from it.
Of the 20 most recent actions, 7 moved their price target up and 1 moved it down.
| Date | Firm | Action | Rating | Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sept 2026 | B of A Securities | Maintains | Buy | $500 → $600 |
| 12 Aug 2026 | Wells Fargo | Maintains | Overweight | $650 → $700 |
| 12 Aug 2026 | Wells Fargo | Maintains | Overweight | — |
| 5 Aug 2026 | Tigress Financial | Maintains | Buy | $680 → $690 |
| 5 Aug 2026 | Tigress Financial | Maintains | Buy | — |
| 30 July 2026 | Barclays | Maintains | Overweight | — |
| 30 July 2026 | Barclays | Maintains | Overweight | $545 → $512 |
| 30 July 2026 | Bernstein | Maintains | Outperform | $646 → $647 |
| 30 July 2026 | Bernstein | Maintains | Outperform | — |
| 30 July 2026 | Cantor Fitzgerald | Maintains | Overweight | — |
| 30 July 2026 | Cantor Fitzgerald | Maintains | Overweight | $502 → $522 |
| 30 July 2026 | Citigroup | Maintains | Buy | $570 → $600 |
| 30 July 2026 | Citigroup | Maintains | Buy | — |
| 30 July 2026 | Citizens | Reiterates | Market Outperform | — |
| 30 July 2026 | Citizens | Reiterates | Market Outperform | $550 |
| 30 July 2026 | DA Davidson | Maintains | Buy | $550 |
| 30 July 2026 | DA Davidson | Maintains | Buy | — |
| 30 July 2026 | Evercore ISI Group | Maintains | Outperform | — |
| 30 July 2026 | Evercore ISI Group | Maintains | Outperform | $525 → $528 |
| 30 July 2026 | Piper Sandler | Maintains | Overweight | — |
Price targets and ratings are third-party analyst estimates, reported here as data. They are not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.
Computed off the Friday close and sent before the US open.
Market Radar reports the week’s largest rank changes across roughly 4,600 US stocks, the factor behind each one, and where the market went. MSFT appears on the weeks it earns a place.
Both lines are total return — dividends reinvested — so the comparison is honest on both sides.
Over the twelve months to 3 Sept 2026, Microsoft Corp. returned +1.8% against +21.4% for the S&P 500, dividends included.
Download this chart as an image — free to reuse; link this page as the source.
Data provided by Twelve Data
Not the forecast itself — the direction analysts are revising it. Revision direction is one of the model's factor families.
A margin means little on its own. Each bar marks where the figure sits across the whole US universe we score.
Cheaper than 28% of US stocks
Cheaper than 13% of US stocks
Cheaper than 12% of US stocks
Cheaper than 16% of US stocks
Higher than 67% of US stocks
Higher than 67% of US stocks
Higher than 80% of US stocks
Higher than 94% of US stocks
Higher than 94% of US stocks
Higher than 89% of US stocks
Higher than 96% of US stocks
Higher than 15% of US dividend payers
Bars mark the percentile across the ~4,600 US stocks Ticker Nerd covers, among those reporting the figure.
The headline figures, each with its date. Every row carries its own link — cite it straight from here.
Microsoft Corp. has a market value of $3.8T and an enterprise value of $3.8T.
Revenue in the twelve months to 30 June 2026: $331.8B. The latest quarter grew 17.7% year on year.
Net income over the same four quarters: $133.7B, a 40.3% net margin.
Diluted earnings per share, trailing twelve months: $17.96.
Free cash flow in the twelve months to 30 June 2026: $67.0B.
Microsoft Corp. spent $22.3B on share buybacks and $26.4B on dividends in the twelve months to 30 June 2026.
Trailing P/E: 28.4×; forward P/E: 21.6× — the forward figure prices analyst consensus estimates, not reported earnings.
Forward dividend yield: 0.71%, paying out 20% of earnings.
Microsoft Corp. employs 223,000 people — $1.5M of revenue per employee.
Data provided by Twelve Data
The nearest names by industry and size, scored by the same model — like for like.
| Company | Market cap | TKN rank |
|---|---|---|
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp. | $3.8T | 61 |
| ORCLOracle Corp. | $419.8B | 34 |
| PLTRPalantir Technologies, Inc. | $405.3B | 65 |
| PANWPalo Alto Networks, Inc. | $268.0B | 49 |
| CRWDCrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. | $207.1B | 58 |
| AAPLApple, Inc.* | $4.7T | 83 |
| NVDANVIDIA Corp.* | $5.4T | 72 |
* Nearest Technology names by size — few software - infrastructure companies of this scale trade in the US universe.
Look up any of the roughly 4,600 stocks we score.
The rank is the raw material. Whether the rules would actually own Microsoft Corp. — and when they’d sell — is the membership. See the Ticker Nerd 20 →
Microsoft is embedding thousands of its engineers within corporations to assist clients with AI enhancements. This reflects a deep-engagement strategy aimed at helping customers implement AI technologies.
Why it matters — MSFT watchers would note this signals an expanded, hands-on AI services approach that could deepen enterprise client relationships and support adoption of Microsoft's AI tools.
Microsoft began disclosing Azure's quarterly revenue for the first time, and the figures appear strong, boosting the stock today. The disclosure gives investors a clearer view of the cloud business's performance.
Why it matters — Microsoft watchers now get direct visibility into Azure's quarterly revenue, a key growth driver, for the first time.
Microsoft is changing how it reports performance across its business categories, a shift analysts say will make it easier to gauge momentum in AI and its Azure cloud division.
Why it matters — For Microsoft watchers, the new reporting structure should provide clearer visibility into the performance of key growth areas like AI and Azure.
Seeking Alpha reiterates Microsoft as a Strong Buy, citing robust earnings and accelerating AI-driven growth that validate its aggressive capital expenditure and strategic positioning. Copilot paid seats doubled quarter-over-quarter to 30 million, with operating leverage and stabilizing CapEx expected to drive improving ROIC.
Why it matters — A Microsoft watcher would care because the analysis highlights strong AI-related momentum, growing Copilot adoption across the large M365 base, and improving returns on invested capital from stabilizing capital expenditure.
Microsoft will impose monthly time limits on Xbox cloud gaming for Game Pass subscribers starting in November, replacing the current unlimited cloud gaming access. The change comes as the company faces rising costs.
Why it matters — A Microsoft watcher would care because the move signals rising cost pressure in its cloud gaming business and a curtailment of a benefit available to Game Pass subscribers.
The 55 Wall Street analysts covering Microsoft Corp. have a median 12-month price target of $555, with estimates ranging from $400 to $870. These are third-party analyst estimates, not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.
Of the 55 analysts covering Microsoft Corp., 52 rate it a Buy, 3 a Hold and 0 a Sell. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model ranks Microsoft Corp. 61 out of 100 across roughly 4,600 US stocks as at 2 Sept 2026. None of this is personal advice — it does not consider your circumstances.
As at 2 Sept 2026, Microsoft Corp. ranks 61 out of 100 on Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model — a percentile across roughly 4,600 US stocks, built from its factor families. Its strongest factor family is Revisions (90 of 100).
No one can know that. What the data says: the median 12-month target from 55 analysts implies +8.8% from the last close, and Ticker Nerd's factor model ranks Microsoft Corp. 61 out of 100 as at 2 Sept 2026. Analyst targets are third-party estimates and frequently wrong; none of this is personal advice.
No analyst covering Microsoft Corp. publishes a 2030 price target — Wall Street targets run 12 to 18 months out. Sites quoting a 2030 price for MSFT are extrapolating price history, which says nothing about the business. The furthest attributed numbers are the current analyst targets: $400 to $870 over the next 12 months.
Microsoft Corp. returned +1.8% over the 12 months to 3 Sept 2026, with dividends reinvested. Past performance does not indicate future returns.
Microsoft builds and sells the operating systems, productivity software, cloud platforms and cybersecurity tools that run offices, data centers and personal computers. Its cloud unit is the largest growth engine, and it also sells devices and gaming through Xbox.
The most recent item we track (The Motley Fool, 4 Sept 2026): "Is it Too Late to Buy Microsoft Stock?". Microsoft is embedding thousands of its engineers within corporations to assist clients with AI enhancements. This reflects a deep-engagement strategy aimed at helping customers implement AI technologies.
Microsoft builds and sells the operating systems, productivity software, cloud platforms and cybersecurity tools that run offices, data centers and personal computers. Its cloud unit is the largest growth engine, and it also sells devices and gaming through Xbox. Revenue in the trailing twelve months to 30 June 2026 was $331.8 billion, and the company employs roughly 223,000 people serving consumers, enterprises and the public sector.
CEO Mr. Satya Nadella · 223,000 employees · United States · https://www.microsoft.com
