Microsoft Corporation $MSFT Shares Sold by CENTRAL TRUST Co

CENTRAL TRUST Co reduced its position in Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) by 1.5% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 231,935 shares of the software giant’s stock after selling 3,612 shares during the quarter. Microsoft comprises approximately 1.7% of CENTRAL TRUST Co’s portfolio, making the stock its 14th biggest position. CENTRAL TRUST Co’s holdings in Microsoft were worth $85,855,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in Microsoft during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $50,664,631,000. Auto Owners Insurance Co grew its stake in shares of Microsoft by 56,160.8% in the 4th quarter. Auto Owners Insurance Co now owns 60,116,384 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $29,073,486,000 after purchasing an additional 60,009,531 shares during the last quarter. Nuveen LLC purchased a new position in shares of Microsoft in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $18,733,827,000. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC increased its holdings in shares of Microsoft by 500.0% in the third quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 59,543,261 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $30,840,432,000 after purchasing an additional 49,618,571 shares during the period. Finally, Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Microsoft by 49,640.3% in the second quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 29,967,038 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $14,905,904,000 after purchasing an additional 29,906,791 shares during the period. 71.13% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Microsoft Trading Down 1.2%

Shares of MSFT opened at $368.57 on Tuesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.28, a quick ratio of 1.27 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $409.33 and its two-hundred day moving average is $420.11. Microsoft Corporation has a twelve month low of $349.20 and a twelve month high of $555.45. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.74 trillion, a P/E ratio of 21.94, a PEG ratio of 1.34 and a beta of 1.11.

Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 29th. The software giant reported $4.27 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.06 by $0.21. The company had revenue of $82.89 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $81.44 billion. Microsoft had a net margin of 39.34% and a return on equity of 31.94%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 18.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $3.46 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that Microsoft Corporation will post 16.76 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Microsoft Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 10th. Investors of record on Thursday, August 20th will be issued a dividend of $0.91 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, August 20th. This represents a $3.64 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.0%. Microsoft’s payout ratio is currently 21.67%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

MSFT has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an “overweight” rating and issued a $502.00 price objective on shares of Microsoft in a research report on Thursday, June 4th. Guggenheim restated a “buy” rating and issued a $586.00 target price on shares of Microsoft in a research note on Thursday, April 30th. HSBC dropped their price target on shares of Microsoft from $593.00 to $571.00 in a research note on Thursday, April 30th. DZ Bank reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Microsoft in a report on Thursday, April 30th. Finally, Piper Sandler restated an “overweight” rating on shares of Microsoft in a research report on Tuesday, May 26th. Forty-one analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $560.86.

Microsoft News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Microsoft this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Some bullish voices argue the selloff has made Microsoft look oversold, with analysts and strategists like Dan Ives calling the pullback a buying opportunity and pointing to Microsoft’s long-term AI and cloud strength. Dan Ives Says the $3 Trillion Tech Wipeout Is a Buying Opportunity. Here’s His Case
• Positive Sentiment: Michael Burry disclosed long-dated call options on Microsoft, a signal that at least one high-profile investor sees significant upside over the next several years. “Big Short” Legend Michael Burry Just Bet Big on Microsoft
• Positive Sentiment: Microsoft also announced new enterprise partnerships, including integrations that expand its cloud, AI, and cybersecurity ecosystem, which supports the long-term growth story. Microsoft (MSFT) Expands Operations With a New Strategic Partnership
• Neutral Sentiment: Several articles frame the stock’s recent weakness as a value-versus-trap debate, reflecting uncertainty rather than a clear new catalyst. Microsoft Stock: Value Trap or Buying Opportunity?
• Neutral Sentiment: Microsoft is also facing fresh regulatory and legal scrutiny, including an EU gatekeeper review, an Italy antitrust probe, and a copyright lawsuit tied to AI training data, which adds headline risk. Microsoft (MSFT) Faces EU Gatekeeper Move And Italy Antitrust Probe
• Negative Sentiment: Brokerage sentiment has also turned more cautious, with Stifel cutting its price target and keeping a Hold rating amid margin concerns. Stifel Lowers PT on Microsoft (MSFT), Maintains a Hold Rating
• Negative Sentiment: Investor lawsuits and class-action notices related to alleged securities fraud and Copilot deficiencies are adding to sentiment pressure around the stock. Deadline Alert: Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) Shareholders Who Lost Money Urged To Contact Glancy Prongay Wolke & Rotter LLP About Securities Fraud Lawsuit

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, CEO Judson Althoff sold 15,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, June 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $460.99, for a total value of $7,145,345.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 110,477 shares in the company, valued at $50,928,792.23. This trade represents a 12.30% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Amy Coleman sold 1,262 shares of Microsoft stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $411.34, for a total value of $519,111.08. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 46,003 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $18,922,874.02. This trade represents a 2.67% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 23,762 shares of company stock valued at $10,508,361. 0.03% of the stock is owned by insiders.

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).