Microsoft (MSFT) Stock Soars to New All-Time High

MSFT

After Microsoft Corp. (MSFT - Free Report) reported better-than-expected first quarter fiscal 2017 financial results, its stock responded in the best way possible: reaching a new all-time high.

On Thursday, MSFT stock surged almost 6% to over $60 a share in after-hours trading, marking a new all-time high for the tech giant’s shares and rising above its highest-ever closing price, which was reached back in 1999. Its currently trading up around 4.7% to $59.94 a share in afternoon trading on Friday.

 

 

Microsoft reported revenues of $22.35 billion for its first quarter, roughly $600 million ahead of expectations. Earnings per share came in at 76 cents, well ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 68 cents per share.

Its Productivity and Business Processes (think Office 365), Intelligent Cloud, and PC divisions all outperformed estimates as well for the quarter. In particular, Microsoft’s Intelligent Cloud unit grew 8% to $6.4 billion thanks to revenues from its Azure cloud platform gaining 116%.

CEO Satya Nadella’s strategy to turn Microsoft’s focus towards cloud computing, as well as mobile devices, is certainly paying off, with investors positively responding to the company re-establishing itself as a leader in the technology world.

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