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Microsoft (MSFT) Increases Despite Market Slip: Here's What You Need to Know

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Microsoft (MSFT - Free Report) closed the latest trading day at $372.52, indicating a +0.92% change from the previous session's end. The stock outpaced the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.06%. On the other hand, the Dow registered a loss of 0.22%, and the technology-centric Nasdaq increased by 0.31%.

The the stock of software maker has risen by 3.54% in the past month, lagging the Computer and Technology sector's gain of 5.53% and the S&P 500's gain of 5.1%.

The upcoming earnings release of Microsoft will be of great interest to investors. It is anticipated that the company will report an EPS of $2.75, marking a 18.53% rise compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Meanwhile, our latest consensus estimate is calling for revenue of $61.02 billion, up 15.68% from the prior-year quarter.

For the annual period, the Zacks Consensus Estimates anticipate earnings of $11.13 per share and a revenue of $242.26 billion, signifying shifts of +13.46% and +14.32%, respectively, from the last year.

Furthermore, it would be beneficial for investors to monitor any recent shifts in analyst projections for Microsoft. Such recent modifications usually signify the changing landscape of near-term business trends. As such, positive estimate revisions reflect analyst optimism about the company's business and profitability.

Our research demonstrates that these adjustments in estimates directly associate with imminent stock price performance. To utilize this, we have created the Zacks Rank, a proprietary model that integrates these estimate changes and provides a functional rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, which varies between #1 (Strong Buy) and #5 (Strong Sell), carries an impressive track record of exceeding expectations, confirmed by external audits, with stocks at #1 delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988. The Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 0.16% higher within the past month. Microsoft is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

Looking at its valuation, Microsoft is holding a Forward P/E ratio of 33.17. For comparison, its industry has an average Forward P/E of 31.05, which means Microsoft is trading at a premium to the group.

Meanwhile, MSFT's PEG ratio is currently 2.46. The PEG ratio is akin to the commonly utilized P/E ratio, but this measure also incorporates the company's anticipated earnings growth rate. The average PEG ratio for the Computer - Software industry stood at 2.42 at the close of the market yesterday.

The Computer - Software industry is part of the Computer and Technology sector. This industry currently has a Zacks Industry Rank of 71, which puts it in the top 29% of all 250+ industries.

The Zacks Industry Rank assesses the strength of our separate industry groups by calculating the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks contained within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

To follow MSFT in the coming trading sessions, be sure to utilize Zacks.com.


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