DA Davidson Upgrades Microsoft to "Buy"

Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) recently received a notable upgrade from DA Davidson, moving its rating from "neutral" to "buy". This upgrade was shared in a research report published on Thursday. In addition to the change in rating, DA Davidson also raised its price target for Microsoft's stock from $425.00 to $450.00. This new price target suggests there could be a 17.41% increase in the stock's value from its current price level.

Apart from DA Davidson's report, several other analysts have also weighed in on Microsoft. UBS Group recently lowered its target price from $525.00 to $510.00 while maintaining a "buy" rating for the company. Similarly, Royal Bank of Canada also reiterated its "outperform" rating with a price target of $500.00. On the other hand, Mizuho adjusted its target down from $510.00 to $500.00 while still holding an "outperform" rating. In contrast, StockNews.com lowered its rating on Microsoft from "buy" to "hold". Guggenheim maintained a "neutral" stance. Across the board, three analysts have recommended holding the stock, while twenty-seven analysts advocate for a buy, resulting in a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a price target averaging around $510.43.

Current Stock Performance

As of Thursday, shares of Microsoft opened at $383.27. The stock’s 50-day moving average stands at $413.92 while the 200-day moving average is $421.06. Microsoft has a market capitalization of approximately $2.85 trillion, and it operates with a P/E ratio of 30.86, a PEG ratio of 2.21, and a beta of 0.92. Furthermore, Microsoft's current ratio is 1.35, and the quick ratio is 1.34, with a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13. The stock has seen a 52-week low of $376.91 and a peak of $468.35.

In its most recent earnings report announced on January 29th, Microsoft posted earnings of $3.23 per share, surpassing the consensus estimate of $3.15 by $0.08. The company experienced a return on equity of 33.36% and a net margin of 35.43%. This time last year, Microsoft reported $2.93 earnings per share. Analysts predict Microsoft will achieve earnings of $13.08 per share for the current year.

Investor Insights

Recent activities from institutional investors show varying responses to Microsoft shares. For instance, Ball & Co Wealth Management purchased a new position in Microsoft valued at around $31,000. Fiduciary Advisors Inc. also acquired a new stake valued at approximately $38,000. Moreover, Christopher J. Hasenberg Inc. increased its ownership in the company by 35.7%, taking its total to 95 shares worth approximately $39,000 after acquiring an additional 25 shares recently. Similarly, IFS Advisors LLC raised its stake in Microsoft by 53.8%, now owning 100 shares valued at $42,000 after increasing its holdings by 35 shares. In total, institutional investors and hedge funds own about 71.13% of Microsoft's stock.

About Microsoft

Microsoft Corporation is a global leader in developing and supporting a vast range of software, services, devices, and solutions. Their offerings include its well-known suite of productivity software, Microsoft Office, along with services like Microsoft Teams and Microsoft 365 security and compliance solutions.

Microsoft, Investment, StockMarket