MSFT

MSFT is the stock symbol for Microsoft Corporation. It was listed on the Nasdaq exchange in 1986. Formed by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, Microsoft is now the world’s biggest software company, creating three billionaires and an estimated 12,000 millionaires.

 

Microsoft has expanded its products and services to cover operating systems, servers, phones, AI technology, productivity software, video games, online advertising, and many more.

 

It has also acquired several big companies in its bid to create an empire, such as Skype, Mojang, and Visio.

 

It is in a long-standing tug-of-war with Apple as the world's most valuable publicly traded company. In 2019, it became the third publicly traded US company to reach a USD 1 trillion market capitalisation.

As of 2022, Microsoft has the fourth-highest global brand valuation. Even as a blue-chip stock, however, it is still prone to price fluctuations caused for the following reasons:

 

• Leadership and vision changes can either build confidence or raise doubts among investors. For example, when Satya Nadella took over as CEO in 2014, she steered Microsoft towards cloud computing instead of hardware development. This decision boosted MSFT to reach its highest value since 1999.


• The price of MSFT tends to increase when the quarterly dividend pay out approaches. This is due to an increased demand brought on by dividend traders.


• Negative public sentiment towards Microsoft can cause the price to tank. It has recently been criticised for its alleged monopolistic practices and poor employee conditions.