Why Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) Is Up Today

We recently compiled the list of the 10 Stocks That Are Upgraded by Wall Street Analysts. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) stands against the 10 stocks whose price targets were recently raised by analysts. But first, we are going to take a look at what the markets are doing.

Global financial markets reacted with volatility today as the yen stumbled against the dollar, marking a significant decline after the Bank of Japan's cautious stance on reducing bond purchases. European stock futures, in contrast, showed signs of recovery following Thursday's substantial selloff, while Asian markets painted a mixed picture with losses in Australian and Chinese shares juxtaposed against gains in Korean equities. The yen experienced a notable decline against the dollar following the Bank of Japan's announcement of a delay in detailing its plans for reducing bond purchases, leading to a surge in Japanese sovereign bond futures.

This move came amidst contrasting market reactions across different regions on Thursday. While European stock futures saw gains recovering from the previous day's heavy sell-off, Asian markets faced mixed fortunes: Australian and Chinese shares retreated, while Korean stocks advanced. Specifically, the yen dropped by as much as 0.6% to 157.98 against the dollar initially, although it later recovered some of its losses. This development triggered significant movements in bond markets, where benchmark 10-year bonds saw yields plummeting to 0.915% as futures surged, marking the most substantial increase since late December. The Bank of Japan's decision to delay specifics on reducing debt purchases until its next policy meeting underscored lingering uncertainties in the financial landscape. This cautious approach prompted traders to recalibrate expectations for an imminent rate hike, as reflected in reduced bets within the swaps market. In parallel, Japanese equities displayed resilience amid the broader regional downturn, with the Topix Index surging by up to 0.9%. The overall market sentiment reflected a cautious optimism tempered by the central bank's deferred actions, highlighting the nuanced responses in global financial markets amidst ongoing economic adjustments and policy recalibrations.

In the current quarter, Bitcoin is facing stiff competition from traditional assets like stocks and bonds, which have outperformed the cryptocurrency amidst growing skepticism about its rebound prospects. JPMorgan strategists have raised concerns over a potential slowdown in inflows into the crypto market, highlighting broader doubts about its sustained growth. As of midday Friday in Singapore, Bitcoin has seen a decline of approximately 5% since the beginning of April, trailing behind global equity indices, fixed income benchmarks, and even commodities like gold. This underperformance underscores a shifting sentiment in financial markets, where investors appear to be favoring more established asset classes over the volatility and uncertainty associated with digital currencies. The contrast in performance between Bitcoin and traditional investments reflects a cautious stance among market participants, who are closely monitoring developments in both economic policy and regulatory environments that could further impact the trajectory of cryptocurrencies. This dynamic landscape suggests a recalibration of investment strategies amid evolving market conditions and changing perceptions of risk.

Thailand’s Government Pension Fund is banking on a diversified strategy centered around gold, commodities, and private equity to offset lackluster performance in domestic stocks, amid challenging market conditions in recent times. According to Songpol Chevapanyaroj, the secretary-general of the state pension fund, the portfolio is poised to deliver returns exceeding 3% for the year 2024, a notable improvement from the 1.5% achieved in 2023. This optimistic outlook reflects strategic shifts within the fund, including increased allocations to gold and commodities. These investments are positioned as hedges against inflationary pressures and persistent geopolitical uncertainties, enhancing the fund's resilience against market volatilities. The decision underscores a proactive approach by Thailand’s Government Pension Fund to navigate through economic uncertainties and optimize returns in a diversified investment landscape. By diversifying into alternative assets alongside traditional holdings, the fund aims to strengthen its financial position and achieve sustainable growth amid evolving global economic dynamics.

During the week leading up to Wednesday, investors shifted their focus within the U.S. equity market, favoring growth stocks while shedding value stocks, reports BofA Global Research. This movement coincided with unexpected stability in the U.S. consumer price index data for May, which contributed to a decline in bond yields and heightened expectations of potential interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. According to BofA, there was a significant influx of $1.8 billion into U.S. growth stock funds, contrasted by $2.6 billion in outflows from U.S. value stocks during the same period. This trend underscores a preference among investors for sectors and companies expected to thrive in a low-interest-rate environment, where growth stocks historically perform well.

In addition to these equity shifts, the report highlights broader movements in financial markets. Investors allocated approximately $40 billion into cash, reflecting a cautious stance amidst market uncertainties. Concurrently, there was notable demand for U.S. Treasuries, with $1.8 billion flowing into these safe-haven assets, alongside $7.7 billion directed towards investment-grade bonds. The Federal Reserve's revised forecast of potentially one rate cut this year, down from earlier expectations of three cuts, further influenced market sentiment. This adjustment in monetary policy outlooks likely played a role in reshaping investor strategies and asset allocations throughout the week. Overall, the dynamics observed in U.S. equity flows and bond markets reflect a nuanced response to economic data and central bank signals, highlighting investors' adaptability amidst evolving financial conditions and expectations.

In our original article we listed 10 companies whose price targets were raised by analysts and ranked them by their upside potential by comparing their current market price with the raised price target.

03. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT)

Upside Potential: 25%

On June 13, Tigress Financial increased its price target for Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) by $75 to $550 per share, indicating a substantial potential upside of 25%. This bullish adjustment reflects Tigress Financial's confidence in Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) strategic positioning within the competitive technology and AI markets, as well as its robust financial performance. Analyst Ivan Feinseth emphasized Microsoft Corporation's (NASDAQ:MSFT) proactive integration of AI capabilities, particularly evident in products such as ChatGPT, which is anticipated to drive significant growth and innovation across various business operations.

Microsoft Corporation's (NASDAQ:MSFT) recent financial results have further bolstered this optimism. In Q1 2024, the company surpassed expectations with earnings per share (EPS) of $2.99, underscoring strong revenue growth, especially within its cloud computing segment. The robust performance of Azure and increasing demand for Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) AI-powered solutions are key drivers fueling Tigress Financial's positive outlook on the stock.

The strategic investments Microsoft continues to make in AI and cloud technologies, coupled with its strategic acquisition of Activision Blizzard, are viewed as crucial elements for future growth and market expansion. Analysts maintain a strong buy consensus for Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), recognizing its leadership in technological innovation and its ability to capitalize on evolving industry trends. This upward revision in price target underscores Tigress Financial's belief in Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) continued trajectory of success and its potential to deliver sustained value to shareholders in the foreseeable future.

Baron Fifth Avenue Growth Fund stated the following regarding Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) in its first quarter 2024 investor letter:

“Our second largest purchase during the quarter was the software platform, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), which we continued to add to, after initiating a position in the fourth quarter of 2023. Microsoft continues to report strong quarterly results, with revenue growth of 16% year-over-year in constant currency thanks to better-than-expected demand in its intelligent cloud segment, which saw revenue growth of 19% year-over-year, driven by Azure growth of 28% with AI contributing 6pts to growth compared with 3pts in the prior quarter. While the adoption of GenAI remains in its early stages, Microsoft has disclosed positive initial data points with 53,000 Azure AI customers as of its December quarter up from 18,000 in the prior quarter, 1.3 million paid GitHub Copilot subscribers (up 30% sequentially) and more than 230,000 organizations who have used AI capabilities in the power platform (up 80% sequentially). Management also noted that large cloud optimizations that started a year or so ago have largely finished. Profitability also continues to be strong with 44% non-GAAP operating margins, which was 120bps better than expected.”

Overall, MSFT ranks 3rd among the 10 stocks whose price targets were recently raised by analysts. You can visit Wall Street Analysts See Upside Potential for 10 Stocks with Rising Price Targets to see the other stocks whose price targets analysts recently raised. While we acknowledge the potential of MSFT as a major AI play, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than MSFT but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

 

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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.