Microsoft's $450B one-day surge sets Wall Street record
What's the story
Microsoft has witnessed a massive surge in its stock price, with shares jumping over 15% on Thursday. The jump has added nearly $450 billion to the company's market capitalization. This is the largest single-day increase ever recorded for a company, according to LSEG data cited by Reuters. The spike was largely driven by Microsoft's latest earnings report and an optimistic outlook for its cloud computing business, Azure.
Cloud success
Azure's stellar revenue growth boosts investor confidence
The main driver of the stock surge was Microsoft's cloud computing business, Azure, which saw a whopping 43% revenue increase in its fiscal fourth quarter.
The figure surpassed Wall Street expectations and beat analysts' forecast of around 40.9%.
More importantly, Microsoft expects Azure's growth to accelerate even further to 45% on a constant-currency basis in the first quarter of fiscal 2027.
Investment strategy
Microsoft to spend $175B in calendar 2026
Microsoft has been investing heavily in data centers, advanced chips, networking gear, and other infrastructure required for AI services.
The company expects capital expenditure of around $50 billion in its fiscal Q1 2027 and about $175 billion for calendar 2026.
Notably, Microsoft did not significantly raise its spending plans while delivering stronger cloud-growth guidance. This eased concerns that the tech giant might have to keep ramping up its AI spending just to meet demand.
Financial stability
Microsoft remains cash-generative amid AI investments
Despite its huge investments in AI, Microsoft has maintained its ability to generate cash.
The company expects to remain cash-generative through its new fiscal year, allaying fears that the AI infrastructure boom could become a long-term cash drain.
This is especially important for investors who want to see revenue growth and cash returns from heavy spending on AI infrastructure.
Market response
Brokerages raise price targets for Microsoft post-earnings report
Following the earnings report, at least nine brokerages raised their price targets for Microsoft, with the average target rising to about $560.90.
The upgrades indicate that analysts now see greater potential in Microsoft's cloud and AI businesses to drive earnings growth.
The market's reaction also highlights how quickly sentiment can shift when a company proves its AI spending is translating into real commercial growth.