Coerente Capital Management Holds Significant Stake in Microsoft

Coerente Capital Management recently made adjustments to its investment in Microsoft Co. (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report) by slightly decreasing its holdings by 0.2% during the third quarter. According to their latest Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, they now own 120,196 shares of Microsoft after selling 264 shares in that period. Notably, Microsoft represents about 9.6% of Coerente Capital Management's total investment portfolio, establishing it as their largest position. As of the end of this reporting period, the value of their Microsoft holdings was approximately $51,720,000.

Other institutional investors have also been active in managing their stakes in Microsoft lately. For instance, Christopher J. Hasenberg Inc. notably increased its Microsoft holdings by 169.2% in the prior quarter and now holds 70 shares worth about $31,000 after acquiring an additional 44 shares. Quarry LP took a new position in Microsoft during the second quarter, valued at $45,000, while Innealta Capital LLC also initiated a new stake estimated at $75,000. In a recent adjustment, Carolina Wealth Advisors LLC increased its Microsoft position by 10.1% in the third quarter, amassing a total of 338 shares valued at roughly $145,000. Likewise, Bbjs Financial Advisors LLC expanded its holdings in Microsoft by 241.4% in the previous quarter, now owning 379 shares worth around $169,000. Overall, hedge funds and other institutional investors currently hold 71.13% of Microsoft's outstanding stock.

Analysts Predict Future Growth

Market analysts are showing optimism regarding Microsoft's stock, with several firms providing updated price targets. For example, BMO Capital Markets has revised its price objective on Microsoft from $500.00 to $495.00, maintaining an “outperform” rating. Wedbush reiterated its “outperform” rating, setting a target price of $550.00 for Microsoft shares. Similarly, Citigroup decreased its price target from $500.00 to $497.00 while retaining a “buy” rating. KeyCorp also raised its target from $490.00 to $505.00 and gave Microsoft an “overweight” designation. Furthermore, Royal Bank of Canada has reaffirmed an “outperform” rating with a price target of $500.00. With three analysts granting hold ratings and a notable 26 analysts issuing buy ratings, MarketBeat.com indicates a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” with an average price target of $508.46.

Insider Transactions at Microsoft

In recent activities involving Microsoft stock, insider EVP Christopher David Young sold 7,200 shares on November 12, generating a total transaction value of approximately $3,050,352, at an average price of $423.66 per share. This sale reduced his ownership stake by 6.51%, leaving him with 103,366 shares valued at around $43,792,039. Additionally, CMO Takeshi Numoto sold 2,500 shares on December 9 for an amount around $1,118,525, decreasing his shareholding by 4.82% and currently owning 49,352 shares valued at about $22,080,578. Over the past three months, insiders have sold 41,200 shares valued at $17,383,892, with insiders holding only 0.03% of the shares currently.

Current Microsoft Market Performance

As of the latest trading session, shares of Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) opened at $436.60. The company boasts a market capitalization of $3.25 trillion, a PE ratio of 36.02, and a P/E/G ratio of 2.37. Its stock performance shows a 12-month low of $366.50 and a high of $468.35. Furthermore, Microsoft recently reported its quarterly earnings on October 30, revealing an earnings per share (EPS) of $3.30, surpassing analysts' expectations of $3.10. Total revenue for the quarter amounted to $65.59 billion, exceeding the consensus estimate of $64.57 billion and reflecting a 16.0% increase compared to the previous year.

Dividends and Share Buybacks Announced

In addition to its solid earnings report, Microsoft recently declared a quarterly dividend of $0.83 per share, scheduled for payment on March 13, with an ex-dividend date of February 20. This dividend amounts to an annualized payout of $3.32, yielding around 0.76%, and Microsoft maintains a payout ratio of 27.39%. The company also announced a substantial stock repurchase program in September, allowing for the buyback of up to $60.00 billion in shares—a move that typically indicates management’s belief that the stock is undervalued.

Overview of Microsoft Corporation

Microsoft Corporation is a global leader in software, services, and solutions development. Its offerings include widely-used products such as Microsoft 365, Windows, Office, Dynamics 365, and Azure cloud services. The firm caters to a diverse range of clients from individual consumers to multinational corporations, ensuring a robust market presence across various sectors.

Microsoft, Investment, Dividends