Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) closed Thursday at $507.03, down 0.61% on the session. The stock is still up 21.1% year-to-date, ahead of the S&P 500’s 12.54% rise over the same period.
On September 15, Microsoft announced a quarterly dividend increase of 9.6%, raising its payout to $0.91 per share.
The move marked the company’s 23rd consecutive year of dividend growth, representing a 10% increase from the prior quarter. At recent levels, the yield stands near 0.7%. The next payment is scheduled for December 11, 2025, to shareholders of record as of November 20.
This week, the company confirmed that it would end its cloud services to the Israeli military following an internal review.
The decision adds Microsoft to the list of tech firms facing questions about how their products are used in sensitive geopolitical settings.
Wall Street’s Microsoft stock price prediction
Morgan Stanley on Friday, September 26, lifted its price target on Microsoft to $625 from $582, reiterating an Overweight rating and naming the stock a top pick in large-cap software.
The bank cited Microsoft’s strong positioning in generative AI, ongoing enterprise cloud adoption, and cybersecurity as reasons for its bullish stance.
On Wall Street, sentiment remains broadly positive, too. According to TipRanks, 34 analysts rate Microsoft a Strong Buy, with an average 12-month price target of $626.88, roughly 23.6% above the latest close. Estimates range from a high of $680 to a low of $550.
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