Microsoft Corporation $MSFT Shares Sold by Grandfield & Dodd LLC

Grandfield & Dodd LLC reduced its stake in Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) by 0.9% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 230,596 shares of the software giant’s stock after selling 2,074 shares during the period. Microsoft comprises approximately 6.8% of Grandfield & Dodd LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its largest position. Grandfield & Dodd LLC’s holdings in Microsoft were worth $119,437,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Longfellow Investment Management Co. LLC boosted its stake in shares of Microsoft by 51.3% in the 2nd quarter. Longfellow Investment Management Co. LLC now owns 59 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 20 shares during the last quarter. Bayforest Capital Ltd acquired a new position in Microsoft in the third quarter valued at $38,000. LSV Asset Management bought a new stake in Microsoft during the fourth quarter valued at $44,000. Sellwood Investment Partners LLC acquired a new stake in Microsoft during the 3rd quarter worth about $49,000. Finally, University of Illinois Foundation bought a new position in shares of Microsoft in the 2nd quarter worth about $50,000. 71.13% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Microsoft Stock Performance

MSFT opened at $396.86 on Wednesday. Microsoft Corporation has a 1-year low of $344.79 and a 1-year high of $555.45. The company has a market cap of $2.95 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.82, a PEG ratio of 1.57 and a beta of 1.08. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $457.04 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $490.56. The company has a current ratio of 1.39, a quick ratio of 1.38 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09.

Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 28th. The software giant reported $4.14 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.86 by $0.28. Microsoft had a net margin of 39.04% and a return on equity of 32.34%. The firm had revenue of $81.27 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $80.28 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $3.23 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 16.7% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts expect that Microsoft Corporation will post 13.08 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Microsoft Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 12th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 19th will be issued a dividend of $0.91 per share. This represents a $3.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 19th. Microsoft’s payout ratio is currently 22.76%.

Trending Headlines about Microsoft

Here are the key news stories impacting Microsoft this week:

• Positive Sentiment: SeekingAlpha notes a potential Azure reacceleration that could surprise Wall Street — if Azure growth reaccelerates, revenue and margin outlooks would improve and relieve some valuation pressure. Microsoft’s Azure Reacceleration Could Shock Wall Street
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage arguing Microsoft’s cloud + AI model provides stability — its subscription and enterprise backlog can sustain cash flow while MSFT invests in AI products like Copilot. Microsoft: Cloud And AI-Driven Stability
• Positive Sentiment: Market activity in AI infrastructure suggests durable demand: BlackRock’s big position in Nebius (an AI infra vendor used by MSFT) signals institutional conviction in AI data‑center buildouts that benefit Microsoft’s cloud services. Whale Watching: BlackRock’s Massive Bet on Nebius Group (MSFT)
• Positive Sentiment: Large external capital plans (e.g., Adani’s $100B AI data‑center push with Google & Microsoft ties) point to multi‑year cloud/demand tailwinds for hyperscalers. India’s Adani Group To Invest $100 Billion In AI Data Centers Amid Strategic Partnership With Google, Microsoft
• Neutral Sentiment: Macro bullish view: an AI productivity “miracle” case could lift long‑cycle earnings for cloud/AI leaders, but timing and calibration are uncertain. Scott Bessent’s Case for a 2026 AI Productivity Miracle
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysis noting MSFT’s pullback sets up a potential bull run if AI investments convert into durable revenue — but also highlights recent deceleration drivers that pressured the stock. Why Microsoft Stock Is Bracing For A Bull Run
• Negative Sentiment: Surveys and experts warn Big Tech may be overinvesting in AI infrastructure — that narrative is driving sector multiple compression and investor caution. Investing Experts Sound Alarm on Big Tech’s Massive AI Spending
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst headlines and downgrades (e.g., TipRanks coverage calling a “lose‑lose” scenario and Melius Research moving MSFT to Hold) are pressuring sentiment and can trigger short‑term selling. ‘A Lose-Lose Situation,’ Says Analyst as Microsoft Stock (MSFT) Faces Downgrade Melius Research Downgrades Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) Stock to Hold
• Negative Sentiment: Product/security risk: coverage of “AI recommendation poisoning” highlights emerging AI safety/reputational threats that could dent enterprise adoption or add compliance costs. “AI Recommendation Poisoning”: Microsoft Stock (NASDAQ:MSFT) Sinks on New Threat

Insider Activity at Microsoft

In related news, CEO Judson Althoff sold 12,750 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $491.52, for a total value of $6,266,880.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 129,349 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $63,577,620.48. This represents a 8.97% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Takeshi Numoto sold 2,850 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $478.72, for a total value of $1,364,352.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 55,782 shares in the company, valued at approximately $26,703,959.04. This trade represents a 4.86% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Corporate insiders own 0.03% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

MSFT has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. DZ Bank reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Microsoft in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. Raymond James Financial reduced their price objective on shares of Microsoft from $630.00 to $600.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, October 30th. Rothschild & Co Redburn set a $450.00 target price on shares of Microsoft in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Barclays reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Microsoft in a research note on Friday, February 6th. Finally, Phillip Securities raised shares of Microsoft from a “moderate buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Sunday, February 1st. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-nine have assigned a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $591.95.

Microsoft Company Profile

Microsoft Corporation is a global technology company headquartered in Redmond, Washington. Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, Microsoft develops, licenses and supports a broad range of software products, services and devices for consumers, enterprises and governments worldwide. Its operations span personal computing, productivity software, cloud infrastructure, enterprise applications, developer tools and gaming.

Microsoft’s product portfolio includes the Windows operating system and the Microsoft 365 suite of productivity and collaboration tools (Office apps, Outlook, Teams).