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On Thursday, Evercore ISI updated its outlook on Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), raising the price target to $500 from the previous $435 while maintaining an Outperform rating on the stock. With Microsoft currently trading at $395.26 and a market capitalization of $2.94 trillion, InvestingPro analysis suggests the stock is slightly overvalued relative to its Fair Value. The adjustment follows Microsoft’s impressive third fiscal quarter results, particularly the performance of its Azure cloud services.
The firm’s analysts indicated that the strong quarter, driven by Azure’s better-than-expected growth and a forecast for stable capital expenditure (capex) by fiscal year 2026, is likely to shift investor sentiment positively. According to InvestingPro data, Microsoft maintains an impressive 69.4% gross profit margin and has achieved 15% revenue growth over the last twelve months. Despite uncertainties in the macroeconomic environment, Azure’s return to a "beat and raise" pattern is seen as a positive sign, reflecting robust demand for AI services and a solid infrastructure to support enterprise cloud migration.
Microsoft’s cloud platform Azure reported a currency-adjusted growth of 35%, with AI-related services contributing 16 percentage points to this growth. This is an increase from the 31% growth and 13 percentage points from AI seen in the previous quarter. Management noted that AI capacity had been added ahead of schedule, although some supply chain constraints are anticipated in the coming quarter.
The enterprise segment of non-AI Azure revenue is accelerating, and commercial bookings, which grew by 17% on a currency-adjusted basis, were bolstered by an Azure commitment from OpenAI and consistent execution. Microsoft’s management expects the fourth fiscal quarter to be another robust period for bookings. The company’s commercial remaining performance obligations (RPO) stood at $315 billion, marking a 33% currency-adjusted increase.
Capital expenditures for Microsoft decreased to $21.4 billion from $22.6 billion in the previous quarter, suggesting a normalization in growth. However, management anticipates a sequential increase in capex for the fourth fiscal quarter. InvestingPro analysis reveals the company’s strong financial health with an overall score of "GREAT" and robust cash flows that easily cover its moderate debt levels. Despite projecting a higher loss on the operating income line due to the investment in OpenAI, Evercore ISI’s estimates for Microsoft have increased. InvestingPro subscribers have access to 12 additional key insights about Microsoft’s financial position and growth prospects through the comprehensive Pro Research Report.
Additionally, Microsoft’s Copilot has continued to show solid growth and is now the second-largest contributor to Average Revenue Per Customer (ARPC) growth in Microsoft 365 Commercial, following the E5 suite. Looking forward, management continues to guide towards year-over-year operating margin expansion in fiscal year 2025.
In other recent news, Microsoft Corporation reported third-quarter financial results that exceeded expectations, with total revenue reaching $70.1 billion, marking a 15% year-over-year growth in constant currency. The company’s Azure cloud service was a standout performer, achieving a 35% growth rate, surpassing Microsoft’s guidance of 31%-32% and the consensus estimate of 31%. This robust performance led several analysts to raise their price targets for Microsoft. JPMorgan increased its target to $475, while Goldman Sachs and Mizuho (NYSE:MFG) Securities raised theirs to $480 and $500, respectively, all maintaining positive ratings on the stock.
The analysts attributed the strong results to Microsoft’s advancements in AI and cloud services, alongside its Copilot and Agents products gaining significant traction. Microsoft’s guidance for the fourth quarter suggests continued revenue growth, with Azure expected to grow between 34%-35% in constant currency. In addition, the company plans to expand its European data center capacity by 40% over the next two years. Despite facing some AI capacity constraints, analysts remain optimistic about Microsoft’s long-term growth potential.
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