Microsoft's Cloud Momentum Fuels Stock Gains
Stock Performance
Microsoft (MSFT) has seen its stock climb significantly this year, with shares up 19% year-to-date. This notable increase is largely attributed to the company's robust performance in its cloud computing segment, which continues to be a major driver for growth.
Cloud and Q4 Highlights
The company's cloud division, including Azure and other cloud services, reported strong figures. Azure and other cloud services revenue grew 31%. Overall, Microsoft Cloud revenue reached $35.1 billion. The gross margin percentage for Microsoft Cloud also saw an improvement, increasing 3 points year-over-year to 74%. Furthermore, the company's cloud backlog has grown substantially, reaching $398 billion.
Beyond cloud, Microsoft's overall financial results for the fourth quarter were also strong. The company reported Q4 revenue of $68.7 billion, up 17%. Diluted earnings per share stood at $3.29, an increase of 20%. These figures underscore the broad strength of Microsoft's operations.
