A key area of Microsoft’s business is software and OS development. The corporation was founded in 1975. Microsoft is the brainchild of Bill Gates and Paul Allen. Currently, the scope of the company is much broader. It includes the development and implementation of cloud technology, artificial intelligence, and computer games.
The company’s main products include the Windows operating system, the MS Office suite of office programs, the Bing search service, the Xbox gaming platform, and the One cloud service. The corporation also made many profitable acquisitions. Among them are the popular Skype service and the professional social network Linkedln.
Currently, the position of general director is Satya Nadella. Previously, the corporation was headed by Steve Ballmer, and before him – Bill Gates. The current leader has brought a lot to the corporation’s business model. Now Microsoft is more focused on providing services than on electronic systems. Direct evidence of this is the evolution of MS Office into a subscription service. Also, the company abandoned the Windows Phone system, which was losing the competition to the more successful Android and iOS.
Microsoft shares have risen sharply since 2014. The increase was 260%, and market capitalization exceeded USD 1 trillion in 2019. Many investors view Microsoft stock as a cyclical asset. They are characterized by strong growth in times of economic stability and a sharp decline in value in times of crisis. This feature is inherent in most technology companies.
Over the past five years, the corporation has significantly diversified its business. Currently, it is no longer a purely technological project. Now the company receives income from a variety of sources, which significantly increased its financial stability. Holders of Microsoft shares receive dividends even in times of economic downturn.
The transformations that affected the company in 2014 made it a stable corporation capable of redistributing funds between investors. In this regard, Microsoft is different from most representatives of the IT sector, who prefer to reinvest funds.
The company regularly pays dividends. Most technology projects strive to channel funds into developing new projects to accelerate their growth. Microsoft has consistently paid dividends since 2004. Moreover, its size is continuously growing. In the first quarter of 2019, Microsoft securities holders received USD 0.46 per share. This is a small amount, but there is confidence that this figure will grow.
From 2004 to 2019, Microsoft’s quarterly dividends increased from USD 0.08 to USD 0.46 per share. Thus, over 15 years, they grew by 475%. Interestingly, the company continued to pay dividends even during the global crisis of 2007-2011. Moreover, their size increased. Most technology companies during this period paid nothing to the holders of their shares.
To trade Microsoft stocks, we recommend applying the rules of money management. Do not risk the amounts that are a significant part of this deposit. We also recommend that you always use pending Stop – Loss and Take – Profit orders.