Consider buying these three winners at solid discounts for growing dividends and capital gains.It's been a good year for the stock market. The S&P 500 index rose by nearly 18% in 2025 despite a 15% market correction in April. That's a 33% swing from the lows.Investors owe much of their good fortune to the technology sector, which continues to carry the broader market as artificial intelligence (AI) drives optimism and investment dollars into chips, data centers, and other AI-related opportunities.It's becom ...

“We are increasingly going to be customers of each other,” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said in November, laying out his company’s latest round of AI alliances . Microsoft and Nvidia bankroll Anthropic, which runs on Microsoft’s cloud and chews through Nvidia GPUs; AMD hands OpenAI six gigawatts of future supply and, potentially, an up-to-10% stake in the company; Saudi-backed Humain wires in “exclusive technology” deals with AMD and Cisco, while Nvidia and Elon Musk’s xAI are lining up a separate 500-megawa ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Microsoft reported record-breaking financial results for FY25, with revenue growing 15% to over $281 billion, operating income increasing 17%, and earnings per share rising 16% [32][37] - The company returned a total of $37.7 billion in cash to shareholders, up 10% from the previous fiscal year, and announced a 10% increase in its quarterly dividend [32][33] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Microsoft Cloud business revenue surpassed $168 billion, growing 23% year over year, with Azure revenue growing 34% to over $75 billion [33] - Microsoft 365 Commercial Cloud revenue grew 15%, while Dynamics 365 revenue increased by 19% [33] - The Microsoft 365 business exceeded $95 billion, up 14% year over year, with a consumer subscription base growing to 89 million [34] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - LinkedIn revenue surpassed $17 billion, with membership growing to 1.2 billion professionals, marking four consecutive years of double-digit member growth [35] - Gaming revenue exceeded $23 billion, with Game Pass revenue reaching nearly $5 billion for the first time [35] Company Strategy and Development Direction - Microsoft is focused on three core business priorities: security, quality, and AI innovation, with significant investments in AI infrastructure and solutions [37][38] - The company is building a planet-scale cloud and AI factory, optimizing its data centers and expanding its AI capabilities [39][40] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in sustaining growth momentum and emphasized the importance of investing in future technologies to create high-value solutions [32][36] - The company is excited about FY26, anticipating continued leadership in AI and innovation across various sectors [36] Other Important Information - The board of directors recommended a vote in favor of several management proposals, including executive compensation and the ratification of Deloitte & Touche as the independent auditor [7][30] - Shareholders did not approve any of the six shareholder proposals presented during the meeting [31] Q&A Session All Questions and Answers Question: What are the key priorities for Microsoft moving forward? - The company highlighted security, quality, and AI innovation as non-negotiable priorities for its future strategy [38] Question: How is Microsoft addressing shareholder concerns regarding AI and privacy? - Microsoft stated that it is committed to transparency and has detailed its existing Human Rights Due Diligence practices, along with plans to enhance them [29] Question: What is the outlook for Microsoft's cloud business? - The cloud business is expected to continue its strong growth trajectory, with significant investments being made to meet increasing demand [33][36]

Core Insights - Microsoft and ServiceNow represent two distinct strategies in enterprise cloud transformation, with Microsoft being a diversified technology giant and ServiceNow focusing on workflow automation and enterprise service management [1] Microsoft Overview - Microsoft reported revenues of $77.7 billion for Q1 fiscal 2026, an 18% year-over-year increase, with significant growth from Microsoft Cloud [2] - The Intelligent Cloud segment generated $30.89 billion, driven by Azure's strong performance, particularly in AI services, which contributed 16 percentage points to growth [4] - Microsoft continues to expand its AI capabilities, launching new features like Work IQ and Agent 365, enhancing customer relationships and lifetime value [5] - Despite strong revenue growth, Microsoft faces challenges, including a net income loss of $3.1 billion and diluted earnings per share of 41 cents due to investments in OpenAI [6] - The competitive landscape is intensifying, with Microsoft facing competition from Google's Gemini and Amazon's cloud services, leading to stock price volatility [7] ServiceNow Overview - ServiceNow reported third-quarter subscription revenues of $3.3 billion, reflecting a 21.5% year-over-year growth, and raised its 2025 subscription revenue guidance [2][8] - The company achieved an operating margin of 33.5%, exceeding guidance, and raised its full-year operating margin targets to 31% [11] - ServiceNow's AI strategy includes the introduction of an AI Control Tower for monitoring AI agents, enhancing enterprise governance and collaboration [10] - The company has expanded strategic partnerships, including with NTT DATA and Nvidia, to accelerate AI-led transformation and broaden its market reach [12] Valuation and Performance Comparison - Microsoft has a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 28.27, slightly below its 5-year historical average, indicating reasonable valuation relative to growth [13] - ServiceNow trades at a forward P/E of 40.95, reflecting expectations for significant earnings acceleration, justified by its superior growth rates and expanding margins [14] - Year-to-date, Microsoft stock has gained 12%, while ServiceNow has declined 23.3%, creating a more attractive entry point for long-term investors [17] Conclusion - ServiceNow offers compelling upside potential for investors interested in cloud software innovation and AI-driven enterprise transformation, with its specialized platform and strong revenue visibility [19]

Core Viewpoint - Microsoft shares have declined approximately 6% following a strong earnings report, despite exceeding expectations and experiencing accelerated cloud growth [1][2] Financial Performance - Microsoft's revenue increased by 18% year over year to $77.7 billion for the first quarter of fiscal year 2026, with operating income rising 24%, leading to a 23% increase in adjusted earnings per share [3] - The cloud-based business revenue reached $49.1 billion, up 26% year over year, with Azure revenue specifically rising 40% [4] - Productivity and business processes revenue grew by 17% due to the continued adoption of Microsoft 365 [5] AI Investment and Strategy - Microsoft is aggressively investing in AI capacity, which is believed to be yielding strong business results, prompting speculation that this may be an opportune time to buy the stock [2][6] - CEO Satya Nadella emphasized that AI integration across products is driving significant impact, justifying the increased investments in AI [6] Capital Expenditures and Market Reaction - Capital expenditures surged to approximately $35 billion, primarily for AI infrastructure, with expectations for further increases to address capacity constraints and growth opportunities [8][9] - The market has reacted negatively to the rising capital expenditures, which may pressure free cash flow despite strong demand [9][12] Demand Indicators - Azure's performance exceeded expectations, and commercial remaining performance obligations increased by 51% to $392 billion, nearly doubling over the past two years [10] Valuation Considerations - The stock is currently valued at 33 times forward earnings, which is not considered overpriced given the company's growth prospects, although there are concerns about maintaining margin discipline amid rising expenditures [12][13] - The recent stock price decline is viewed as excessive, driven more by concerns over future funding than by underlying business weaknesses [14]

Core Viewpoint - Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is recognized as a strong investment opportunity, particularly due to its robust growth in the Azure platform and overall cloud services, despite a slight reduction in the price target by BMO Capital from $650.00 to $625.00 [1][2]. Group 1: Financial Performance - In Q1 2026, Microsoft reported Intelligent Cloud revenue of $30.9 billion, reflecting a 28% increase, with Azure and other cloud services revenue rising by 40% (39% in constant currency) [2]. - The overall Microsoft Cloud revenue reached $49.1 billion, marking a 26% increase (25% in constant currency) [3]. - The commercial remaining performance obligation surged by 51% to $392 billion, indicating strong future revenue potential [3]. Group 2: Operational Efficiency and Investment - Microsoft has demonstrated impressive margin expansion, showcasing operational efficiency despite facing headwinds [3]. - The company has invested heavily in capital expenditures, establishing over 2 gigawatts of data center capacity in the past year, with gross property, plant, and equipment reaching nearly $370 billion, up $260 billion from fiscal 2020 [4]. - Gross cash flow increased significantly from $60 billion annually in 2020 to over $140 billion in 2025, reflecting attractive returns on capital in the high 20s [4]. Group 3: Market Outlook - The potential of AI is highlighted as a key driver for long-term growth and durable opportunities within Microsoft's portfolio, supporting a favorable outlook for the company [3].

Core Insights - The world's largest technology companies reported strong quarterly results, driven by AI capabilities and cloud infrastructure demand [1] - Despite robust operational performance, one-time charges and regulatory fines present challenges for Big Tech [2] Meta Platforms - Meta Platforms achieved a revenue growth of 26% year on year to US$51.2 billion for the quarter ended September 30, 2025, fueled by strong advertising demand [3] - Ad sales reached US$50 billion, with ad impressions increasing by 14% and average price per ad rising by 10% [4] - Net income fell 83% to US$2.7 billion due to a one-time, non-cash tax charge of US$15.9 billion, resulting in diluted EPS of US$1.05; excluding this charge, net income would have been US$18.6 billion with diluted EPS of US$7.25 [4] - Operating profit grew 18% to US$20.5 billion, while free cash flow declined 32% to US$10.6 billion due to higher capital expenditures [4] - Reality Labs reported a loss of US$4.4 billion, attributed to weaker headset sales, but Meta continues to invest heavily in AI and data centers, with full-year capex expected to reach US$72 billion [5] - Meta's balance sheet remains strong with US$44.5 billion in cash and marketable securities against US$28.8 billion in long-term debt; management anticipates 4Q2025 revenue of US$56 to 59 billion [5] Alphabet - Alphabet reported record revenue of US$102.3 billion, up 16% year on year, with net income increasing by 33% to US$35.0 billion and diluted EPS rising by 35% to US$2.87 [6] - Free cash flow grew 39% to US$24.5 billion despite increased capital expenditures; Google Services revenue rose 14% to US$87.1 billion [6][8] - Google Cloud revenue accelerated by 34% to US$15.2 billion, driven by AI infrastructure and generative AI solutions [7] - Operating income reached US$31.2 billion, which included a US$3.5 billion fine from the European Commission; Alphabet declared a quarterly dividend of US$0.21 per share [8] - Management expects 2025 capital expenditures of US$91-93 billion to support growing AI and Cloud customer demand, with a US$155 billion backlog indicating strong future growth potential [8] Microsoft - Microsoft reported a revenue growth of 18% year on year to US$77.7 billion for the first quarter of fiscal 2026 [9] - Operating income surged 24% to US$38.0 billion, with GAAP diluted EPS reaching US$3.72, up 13% year on year [9] - Microsoft Cloud revenue increased by 26%, driven by strong demand for Azure, reflecting growing customer adoption [10] - The company is committed to capturing AI opportunities, with a new OpenAI deal giving Microsoft a 27% stake, enhancing its competitive position in generative AI technologies [11] - Microsoft continues to increase investments in AI across both capital and talent to leverage the massive opportunities from AI-driven transformation [12]

Core Insights - Microsoft reported strong fiscal Q1 results, exceeding Wall Street expectations with adjusted earnings of $4.13 per share on sales of $77.67 billion, compared to analyst estimates of $3.67 per share and $75.38 billion in sales [2] - Despite the positive earnings report, Microsoft stock fell 3.7% in after-hours trading, indicating market reaction may not align with financial performance [4] Financial Performance - Year-over-year, Microsoft’s earnings rose by 23% and sales increased by 18% [2] - The Azure cloud computing segment saw a revenue increase of 40% year-over-year, surpassing the consensus estimate of 38% growth [3] - Microsoft’s overall cloud revenue grew by 26% to $49.1 billion, with commercial remaining performance obligations increasing by 51% to $392 billion [5] Future Outlook - Microsoft anticipates December-quarter revenue of $80.05 billion, slightly below the consensus estimate of $80.08 billion, representing a year-over-year sales increase of 15% [3] - The company expects Azure growth of 37% in constant currency for the fiscal second quarter [3] Stock Performance - Microsoft stock closed at $541.55 during regular trading and is currently in a cup base with a buy point of $555.45, which is also its all-time high [4] - The stock's decline in after-hours trading suggests potential volatility despite strong earnings [4]

Core Insights - Microsoft reported a record revenue of $77.7 billion for the first quarter of its fiscal year, exceeding Wall Street expectations, with an 18% year-over-year growth [2][10] - The company highlighted a significant investment of $34.9 billion in infrastructure to meet the growing demand for AI and cloud services [4][12] - Despite strong revenue growth, Microsoft's stock fell over 3% in after-hours trading due to concerns about supply limitations in AI and cloud computing resources [2][11] Financial Performance - Revenue for the first quarter reached $77.7 billion, with operating income increasing by 24% to $38.0 billion [10] - Microsoft Cloud revenue was $49.1 billion, growing 26% year-over-year, driven by strong demand [11][12] - Commercial remaining performance obligation (RPO) grew over 50% to $392 billion, nearly doubling over the past two years [12] Investment and Infrastructure - The company invested a record $34.9 billion in capital expenditures on computing resources, including GPUs, CPUs, and datacenter infrastructure [4][12] - Microsoft plans to spend $30 billion in capital expenditures in the first quarter to expand capacity [4] Strategic Partnerships - Microsoft signed a new deal with OpenAI, acquiring a 27% stake in OpenAI's for-profit business, valued at approximately $135 billion [5][11] - The partnership with OpenAI is described as a game-changing development for the industry, although it had no impact on the current quarter's results as the deal was signed after the quarter ended [6][11] Product and Service Highlights - Azure and other cloud services revenue grew 39% in constant currency, indicating strong customer adoption of Microsoft's full stack of cloud infrastructure and AI solutions [12] - Microsoft 365 commercial cloud revenue increased by 17%, reflecting growth in average revenue per user (ARPU) and a 6% increase in subscriptions [12] - Consumer cloud revenue for Microsoft 365 rose by 26%, with subscriptions exceeding 90 million [12] Market Position and Outlook - The company is focused on capturing the accelerating demand for AI and cloud services, with plans to bring new products to market and expand capacity rapidly [5][15] - The earnings call is anticipated to provide further insights into the company's performance and future outlook [13]

Core Insights - The Q3 earnings season has commenced, with major tech companies, including Microsoft, set to report results, highlighting the company's significant market cap of nearly $4 trillion [1] - Analysts predict Microsoft's Q1 revenue to reach $75.4 billion, reflecting a 15% year-over-year growth, with adjusted earnings expected to rise by 11% to $3.66 per share [2] - Microsoft's guidance for fiscal 2026 is anticipated to show revenue growth from $281.7 billion in fiscal 2025 to $323.3 billion in 2026, with adjusted earnings projected to increase from $13.64 to $15.52 per share [3] Company Performance - Microsoft has demonstrated strong momentum in its AI and cloud portfolio, capping a record fiscal year [4] - In fiscal 2025, Microsoft Cloud achieved over $168 billion in annual revenue, growing 23%, while Azure revenue reached $75 billion, up 34% [5] - The integration of GPT-5 into Microsoft 365 Copilot is a significant advancement in the company's AI strategy, enhancing its capabilities [5][6] Product and Market Expansion - Microsoft 365 Copilot has seen substantial adoption, with major enterprises like Barclays and UBS deploying it to tens of thousands of employees [6] - The security business has surpassed $20 billion in annual revenue, with nearly 1.5 million customers, and has significantly increased its threat monitoring capabilities [7] - The Sentinel business generates $1 billion in revenue, and a large portion of security customers are utilizing Purview for data governance, creating synergies with AI [7]