FINWIRES · TerminalLIVE
FINWIRES
Microsoft

Microsoft

$MSFT
NASDAQTechnology

279 stories mentioning MicrosoftUpdated just now

Rose with tech stocks in a broad rally; its Xbox studio Compulsion Games is reportedly planning to shut down.

Wire

Microsoft Appears to Have Made More Concessions Than Gains Under Amended Deal With OpenAI, UBS Says

Microsoft (MSFT) appears to have made more concessions than gains under the recently amended agreement between the company and OpenAI, UBS said in a research note emailed Tuesday.Microsoft effectively loses its application programming interface, or API, exclusivity, with OpenAI now allowed to host all its products on other cloud providers, UBS said, adding that this development appears to be a major win for Amazon (AMZN).Microsoft's access to OpenAI's intellectual property continues to run through 2032, but it is now non-exclusive, representing another concession, according to UBS.In its view, UBS said that OpenAI needs more compute and Microsoft may be unable or unwilling to provide as it works to become a larger compute partner to Anthropic and fulfil its internal needs.UBS said that both Microsoft and OpenAI are increasingly becoming direct knowledge work rivals and soon even artificial intelligence coding model opponents, and that OpenAI is scaling so fast that current revenue share terms were likely untenable.UBS maintained its buy rating with a $510 price target on Microsoft.Price: $427.58, Change: $+2.76, Percent Change: +0.65%

$AMZN$MSFT
Japan

Semiconductor Sell-Off Pushes S&P 500, Nasdaq Lower

US equity indexes were mixed in Tuesday's midday trading, with the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite sliding, as slumping semiconductor shares sent technology lower, and worsening Middle East geopolitics lifted crude oil futures.The Nasdaq Composite dropped 1.3% to 24,568.2, and the S&P 500 slid 0.7% to 7,124.6. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, home mostly to old economy shares, climbed 0.2% to 49,259.3.Microsoft-backed (MSFT) OpenAI recently missed its own targets for new users and revenue, The Wall Street Journal reported late Monday, citing people familiar with the matter. Chief Financial Officer Sarah Friar expressed concern that OpenAI may not be able to pay for future computing contracts if sales fail to grow fast enough, the news report said, citing the people.Among companies with a market capitalization of more than $200 billion, the worst performers were largely semiconductor names, including Arm Holdings (ARM), Applied Materials (AMAT), Lam Research (LRCX), Arista Networks (ANET), and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), according to data compiled by Finviz.Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates will leave the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its more expanded version, OPEC+, effective May 1, the Emirates News Agency reported.This comes as Iran's latest proposal to end the war in the Middle East has still not won President Donald Trump's backing, leaving the deadly conflict in a continuing state of deadlock, Reuters said in a Tuesday report, citing an unnamed US official.West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures jumped 3.6% to $99.80, and Brent crude futures advanced 2.6% to $111.08.

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$AMAT$ARM$LRCXMAMD$MSFT
Wire

Top Midday Stories: OpenAI Reportedly Misses Internal Revenue, User Targets; Spotify Shares Fall After Tepid Guidance

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up slightly, while the S&P 500 Index and Nasdaq Composite were down in late-morning trading Tuesday due, in part, to a downbeat report on OpenAI.In company news, Microsoft-backed (MSFT) OpenAI recently missed its own targets for new users and revenue, The Wall Street Journal reported late Monday, citing people familiar with the matter. The company missed an internal goal of hitting 1 billion weekly active ChatGPT users by the end of the last year, and it missed its yearly revenue target for ChatGPT, as well, the people reportedly told The WSJ. Chief Financial Officer Sarah Friar has expressed concern to other company leaders that OpenAI might not be able to pay for future computing contracts if revenue doesn't grow fast enough, the report said, citing the people. Microsoft shares were up 0.3% around midday.Spotify Technology (SPOT) reported Q1 earnings Tuesday of 3.45 euros ($4.03) per diluted share, up from 1.07 euros a year earlier and above the FactSet consensus analyst estimate of 2.95 euros. First-quarter revenue was 4.53 billion euros, up from 4.19 billion euros a year ago and matching the FactSet consensus estimate. For Q2, Spotify said it expects revenue of 4.8 billion euros, above the FactSet consensus of 4.77 billion euros. The company also said it expects 299 million premium subscribers in Q2, below the FactSet consensus of 300.4 million. Spotify shares were down 13.7%.Coca-Cola (KO) reported Q1 adjusted earnings Tuesday of $0.86 per share, up from $0.73 a year earlier and above the FactSet consensus of $0.81. First-quarter revenue was $12.47 billion, up from $11.13 billion a year ago and above the FactSet consensus of $12.24 billion. For full-year 2026, the company expects organic revenue growth of 4% to 5% and comparable earnings growth of 8% to 9%. Coca-Cola shares were up 5.9%.General Motors (GM) reported Q1 adjusted earnings Tuesday of $3.70 per diluted share, up from $2.78 a year earlier and above the FactSet consensus of $2.60. First-quarter revenue was $43.62 billion, down from $44.02 billion a year ago but above the FactSet consensus of $43.51 billion. For full-year 2026, the automaker now expects adjusted EPS of $11.50 to $13.50, up from $11 to $13 and compared to the FactSet consensus of $12.20. The company's board declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.18 per share, payable June 18 to shareholders of record as of June 5. General Motors shares were down 1.6%.United Parcel Service (UPS) reported Q1 adjusted earnings Tuesday of $1.07 per diluted share, down from $1.49 a year earlier but above the FactSet consensus of $1.01. First-quarter revenue was $21.20 billion, down from $21.55 billion a year ago but above the FactSet consensus of $20.98 billion. For full-year 2026, the company said it expects revenue of about $89.70 billion, above the FactSet consensus of $89.62 billion. UPS shares were down 4.2%.Walt Disney's (DIS) broadcast licenses may be headed for review by the Federal Communications Commission, Semafor reported Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. Disney shares were down 0.6%.Price: $426.28, Change: $+1.46, Percent Change: +0.34%

$DIS$GM$KO$MSFT$SPOT$UPS
Sectors

Sector Update: Tech Stocks Lower Pre-Bell Tuesday

Technology stocks were lower pre-bell Tuesday, with the State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) retreating by 2.4% and the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) falling 4.2%.Microsoft (MSFT) stock was down 1% premarket after Raymond James and BMO Capital cut their price targets for the company. The Wall Street Journal reported that Microsoft-backed OpenAI recently missed its own targets for new users and revenue.Intel (INTC) shares were down more than 3% before the bell. Bloomberg reported the company has launched an investment-grade bond sale to help finance its $14.2 billion plan to regain full ownership of its Irish chip manufacturing facility.ON Semiconductor (ON) shares were down more than 2% in premarket activity. The company said it has expanded its strategic collaboration with Geely to accelerate development of next-generation electric and hybrid vehicles, with a focus on high-voltage 900V architectures.

$INTC$MSFT$ON$XLK$XSD
Asia Markets

US Equity Futures Mostly Lower Pre-Bell Amid Continued Middle East Standoff, AI Spending Concerns

US equity futures were mostly lower pre-bell Tuesday as the US-Iran standoff continues with no end in sight, while concerns about heavy spending on data centers were brought into focus amid reports of OpenAI's missed targets.Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were 0.1% higher, S&P 500 futures were down 0.8%, and Nasdaq futures were 1.4% lower.President Donald Trump was unhappy with Iran's latest proposal to end the Middle East conflict, Reuters reported, citing a US official. Iran had proposed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by deferring nuclear talks to a later date, while Trump wants nuclear issues dealt with from the outset.Microsoft-backed (MSFT) OpenAI recently missed internal targets for new users and revenue, raising concerns among company leaders about being able to support its massive spending on data centers, according to a Wall Street Journal report that cited sources familiar with the matter.Traders digested the latest round of earnings. Coca-Cola (KO) reported higher Q1 adjusted earnings and revenue, while Novartis (NVS) posted a decline in Q1 core earnings and net sales.Oil prices were higher, with front-month global benchmark North Sea Brent crude up 2.5% at $104.21 per barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude 3.6% higher at $99.84 per barrel.The February S&P Case-Shiller home price index, scheduled for release at 9 am ET, is expected to show a 0.2% gain following a similar increase in the preceding month, according to estimates compiled by Bloomberg.The April consumer confidence index, due at 10 am ET, is projected to fall to 89.0 from 91.8.In other world markets, Japan's Nikkei closed 1% lower, Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended 1% lower, and China's Shanghai Composite finished 0.2% lower. Meanwhile, the UK's FTSE 100 was down 0.1%, and Germany's DAX index was 0.5% lower in Europe's early afternoon session.In equities, Microsoft, which is OpenAI's biggest investor, and Oracle (ORCL), which relies on the ChatGPT creator for its cloud computing plans, saw their shares decline 1.3% and 7.6%, respectively. Novartis stock was down 1.4% after the company released its Q1 financial results.On the winning side, Eni (E) stock was up 2.7% after the European energy firm and Repsol said they are planning to boost output at Venezuela's Cardon IV offshore gas field, according to a Reuters report. Bed Bath & Beyond (BBBY) shares were up 29% after the company reported a narrower Q1 adjusted loss and higher revenue. Coca-Cola stock was up 3% after the company published its Q1 financial results.

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$BBBY$E$KO$MSFT$NVS$ORCL
Sectors

Sector Update: Tech

Technology stocks were lower pre-bell Tuesday, with the State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) retreating by 2.2% and the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) falling 3.3%.Microsoft (MSFT) was down more than 1% premarket after Raymond James and BMO Capital cut their price targets for the company. The Wall Street Journal reported that Microsoft-backed OpenAI recently missed its own targets for new users and revenue.

$MSFT$XLK$XSD
Japan

US Equity Futures Mixed Pre-Bell Amid Continued Middle East Standoff, AI Spending Concerns

US equity futures were mixed pre-bell Tuesday as the US-Iran standoff continues with no end in sight, while concerns about heavy spending on data centers were brought into focus amid reports of OpenAI's missed targets.Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were 0.2% higher, S&P 500 futures were down 0.6%, and Nasdaq futures were 1.1% lower.President Donald Trump was unhappy with Iran's latest proposal to end the Middle East conflict, Reuters reported, citing a US official. Iran had proposed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by deferring nuclear talks to a later date, while Trump wants nuclear issues dealt with from the outset.Microsoft-backed (MSFT) OpenAI recently missed internal targets for new users and revenue, raising concerns among company leaders about being able to support its massive spending on data centers, according to a Wall Street Journal report that cited sources familiar with the matter.Traders digested the latest round earnings. Coca-Cola (KO) reported higher Q1 adjusted earnings and revenue, while Novartis (NVS) posted a decline in Q1 core earnings and net sales.Oil prices were higher, with front-month global benchmark North Sea Brent crude up 4% at $105.74 per barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude 5.4% higher at $101.75 per barrel.The February S&P Case-Shiller home price index, scheduled for release at 9 am ET, is expected to show a 0.2% gain following a similar increase in the preceding month, according to estimates compiled by Bloomberg.The April consumer confidence index, due at 10 am ET, is projected to fall to 89.0 from 91.8.

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$KO$MSFT$NVS
US Markets

Nasdaq, S&P 500 Reach New Peaks; Oil Rises

The Nasdaq Composite and the S&P 500 notched fresh record closing highs on Monday even as oil prices moved higher amid stalled peace talks between the US and Iran.The Nasdaq edged up 0.2% to 24,887.1, while the S&P 500 gained 0.1% to 7,173.9, recording their highest finish ever for a second consecutive session. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.1% to 49,167.8. Most sectors were in the red, led by consumer staples, while communication services paced the gainers.Brent crude was last up 2.5% at $107.95 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate crude rose 1.8% to $96.08.Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi visited Pakistan twice over the weekend, while President Donald Trump called off US officials' previously announced trip to Islamabad.Iran has submitted a new proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz that includes delaying nuclear negotiations, Axios reported, citing a US official and two other sources."The lack of progress (in peace talks) means the market is tightening every day, requiring oil prices to reprice at higher levels," ING Bank said in a note on Monday.Trump was scheduled to meet with top national security officials on Monday to discuss the new Iranian proposal, CNN reported."US stocks enter April's final week with cautiously optimistic momentum, driven by (artificial intelligence) earnings beats and resilient macro prints," Ivan Feinseth, chief market strategist of Tigress Financial Intelligence, said in a report e-mailed to. "However, heightened volatility looms ahead of the conclusion of the (Federal Open Market Committee) meeting on Wednesday, with expectations that the Fed will keep rates unchanged at (3.50% to 3.75%)."With the FOMC decision unlikely to surprise, the market is expected to focus on the policy statement and post-meeting remarks of Chair Jerome Powell, said David Doyle, head of economics at Macquarie Group."Given that elevated oil prices have persisted for nearly two months now, future guidance may shift somewhat," he said in a report e-mailed to. "This would be in contrast to March where there were limited changes made. Our view remains that the next policy move is likely to be a hike with the most likely timing in (the first half of 2027)."US Treasury yields were higher, with the 10-year rate up 3.1 basis points at 4.34% and the two-year rate rising 1.5 basis points to 3.81%.S&P 500 companies' quarterly earnings growth decelerated compared with figures from a week ago, but remained well ahead of expectations, Oppenheimer Asset Management's data showed Monday."The quarter appears to be off to a strong start," Oppenheimer Asset Management Chief Investment Strategist John Stoltzfus said, noting that earnings growth reported by 79% of the firms that have released their quarterly results exceeded analyst estimates.Technology giants Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL), Apple (AAPL), Microsoft (MSFT), Amazon (AMZN) and Meta Platforms (META) are slated to release their latest financial results later this week.In company-specific news, Verizon Communications (VZ) lifted its full-year earnings outlook on Monday and reported a first-quarter bottom line above market estimates, while the telecommunications giant unexpectedly added postpaid phone subscribers in the three-month period. The company's shares rose 1.6%, the second-biggest gain on the Dow.Shares of Domino's Pizza (DPZ) tumbled 8.8%, the steepest decline on the S&P 500. The company reported weaker-than-expected first-quarter results on Monday, with the company's chief executive saying consumer uncertainty and inflation weighed on demand late in the quarter.Organon (OGN) shares surged nearly 17% after the healthcare company agreed to be acquired by Indian pharmaceutical firm Sun Pharmaceutical Industries in an all-cash deal with an enterprise value of about $11.75 billion.Gold was last down 1% at $4,694.80 per troy ounce, while silver shed 1.2% to $75.47 per ounce.

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$AAPL$AMZN$DPZ$GOOG$GOOGL$META$MSFT$OGN$VZ
Sectors

Sector Update: Tech Stocks Slide Late Afternoon

Tech stocks declined late Monday afternoon, with the State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) fractionally lower and the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) falling 3.2%.The Philadelphia Semiconductor index dropped 1.4%.In corporate news, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) shares fell 3.4% after Northland downgraded the company's stock to market perform from outperform.The European Commission on Monday proposed measures that would require Alphabet's (GOOGL) Google to open its Android ecosystem to rival AI services and launched a public consultation under the EU's Digital Markets Act. Alphabet shares were up 2.1%.Microsoft (MSFT) and OpenAI have amended their partnership under which the tech giant will no longer pay a revenue share to the ChatGPT maker, among other things, with Wedbush Securities calling the development a net positive for Microsoft. Microsoft shares rose 0.3%.Meta Platforms' (META) $2 billion acquisition of AI startup Manus was blocked by China's National Development and Reform Commission, media outlets reported Monday, citing the Chinese regulator. Meta shares were up 0.6%.

$AMD$GOOGL$META$MSFT
Wire

S&P 500 Companies' Quarterly Profit Growth Eases, But Remains Well Above Expectations, Oppenheimer Says

S&P 500 companies' quarterly earnings growth decelerated compared with figures from a week ago, but remained well ahead of expectations, Oppenheimer Asset Management's data showed Monday.Some 28% of companies in the benchmark equity index have reported results in the latest cycle, with earnings up about 25% from a year earlier and revenue growing 10%. Last week's report by the brokerage showed profit growth of 32% and sales increase of 13%, based on financials reported by 9% of the index constituents.Ahead of the reporting season, FactSet put expected earnings growth at 12.6% from a year earlier, according to Oppenheimer."The quarter appears to be off to a strong start," Oppenheimer Asset Management Chief Investment Strategist John Stoltzfus said, noting that earnings growth reported by 79% of the firms that have released their quarterly results exceeded analyst estimates.Among sectors, materials and technology outperformed in terms of earnings, with profit roughly doubling year over year. Tech led the chart for revenue growth, with a nearly 30% increase, followed by real estate's 14% jump.This week, a busier earnings calendar has 179 S&P companies releasing their quarterly financials, according to Oppenheimer. Among the big-cap companies reporting this week are five of the so-called Magnificent 7 stocks; Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL), Apple (AAPL), Microsoft (MSFT), Amazon (AMZN) and Meta Platforms (META).Visa (V), Coca-Cola (KO), T-Mobile US (TMUS), and Eli Lilly (LLY) also report this week.On Friday, the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite hit all-time peaks as tech stocks rallied, ahead of a second round of US-Iran peace talks. The two sides, however, didn't have direct negotiations in Pakistan over the weekend."Resolution to the conflict in our view persists as a potential negative overhang to market performance on a day-to-day basis tied to news flows from the front, developments in negotiations taking place and supply chain disruptions that carry inflation risks," Stoltzfus said. "That said, stocks are showing thus far an appreciation for fundamentals that matter to revenue and profit growth."Price: $349.73, Change: $+7.41, Percent Change: +2.16%

$AAPL$AMZN$GOOG$GOOL$KO$LLY$META$MSFT$TMUS$V
US Markets

Equities Mixed Intraday, Oil Rises Amid Stalled US-Iran Talks

US benchmark equity indexes were mixed intraday, while oil prices rose as investors wavered after peace talks between Washington and Tehran apparently stalled.The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.1% at 49,161.3 after midday Monday, while the Nasdaq Composite edged up 0.1% to 24,856.1. The S&P 500 gained 0.1% to 7,169.8. Among sectors, consumer staples saw the biggest drop, while communication services paced the gainers.Brent crude was up 3.2% at $108.73 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate crude rose 2.4% to $96.63.Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi visited Pakistan twice over the weekend, while President Donald Trump called off US officials' previously announced trip to Islamabad.Iran has submitted a new proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz that includes delaying nuclear negotiations, Axios reported, citing a US official and two other sources."Brent crude trades at a three-week high as efforts to revive peace talks have stalled, with an Iranian proposal reportedly calling for nuclear negotiations to be postponed to a later stage," Saxo Bank said in a report.The strait, the world's most important chokepoint for crude flows, remains at a near-complete halt, with Iran and the US imposing their respective blockades of maritime traffic, Bloomberg News reported Sunday.Trump was scheduled to meet with top national security officials on Monday to discuss the new Iranian proposal, CNN reported."Oil is trading stronger this morning after attempts to get US-Iran peace talks back on track broke down, erasing hopes for a resumption of energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz anytime soon," ING Bank said in a note on Monday. "The lack of progress means the market is tightening every day, requiring oil prices to reprice at higher levels."US Treasury yields were higher intraday, with the 10-year rate up 3.8 basis points at 4.35% and the two-year rate rising 2.7 basis points to 3.82%.In company news, Verizon Communications (VZ) lifted its full-year earnings outlook on Monday and reported a first-quarter bottom line above market estimates, while the telecommunications giant unexpectedly added postpaid phone subscribers in the three-month period. The company's shares were up 2.6% intraday, the biggest gain on the Dow.Shares of Domino's Pizza (DPZ) were down 9.5%, the steepest decline on the S&P 500. The company reported weaker-than-expected first-quarter results on Monday, with the company's chief executive saying consumer uncertainty and inflation weighed on demand late in the quarter.Organon (OGN) shares surged 17% after the healthcare company agreed to be acquired by Indian pharmaceutical firm Sun Pharmaceutical Industries in an all-cash deal with an enterprise value of about $11.75 billion.Technology giants Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL), Apple (AAPL), Microsoft (MSFT), Amazon (AMZN) and Meta Platforms (META) are slated to release their latest financial results later this week.Gold was down 1.1% at $4,688.80 per troy ounce, while silver shed 1.6% to $75.20 per ounce.

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$AAPL$AMZN$DPZ$GOOG$GOOGL$META$MSFT$OGN$VZ
Sectors

Sector Update: Tech Stocks Lower Monday Afternoon

Tech stocks declined Monday afternoon, with the State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) decreasing 0.1% and the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) falling 3.7%.The Philadelphia Semiconductor index dropped 1.8%.In corporate news, Microsoft (MSFT) and OpenAI have amended their partnership under which the tech giant will no longer pay a revenue share to the ChatGPT maker, among other things, with Wedbush Securities calling the development a net positive for Microsoft. Microsoft shares rose 0.2%.Meta Platforms' (META) $2 billion acquisition of AI startup Manus was blocked by China's National Development and Reform Commission, media outlets reported Monday, citing the Chinese regulator. Meta shares were up 0.7%.Alphabet (GOOGL) unit Google's 560 employees have signed an open letter to CEO Sundar Pichai, urging him to block the use of its AI technology by the US government for military operations, the Financial Times reported Monday, citing the letter. Alphabet shares added 2.5%.

$GOOGL$META$MSFT
Sectors

Sector Update: Tech

Tech stocks were lower Monday afternoon, with the State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) decreasing 0.3% and the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) falling 3.9%.The Philadelphia Semiconductor index dropped 1.9%.In corporate news, Microsoft (MSFT) and OpenAI have amended their partnership under which the tech giant will no longer pay a revenue share to the ChatGPT maker, among other things, with Wedbush Securities calling the development a net positive for Microsoft. Microsoft shares were easing 0.1%.

$MSFT
US Markets

Microsoft, OpenAI Amend Partnership; Wedbush Says Move Net Positive for Tech Giant

Microsoft (MSFT) and OpenAI have amended their partnership under which the technology giant will no longer pay a revenue share to the ChatGPT maker, among other things, with Wedbush Securities calling the development a net positive for Microsoft.Under the amended partnership, revenue share payments from OpenAI to Microsoft will continue through 2030, independent of the artificial intelligence firm's "technology progress, at the same percentage, but subject to a total cap," the companies said Monday. Microsoft will continue to have a license to OpenAI intellectual property for models and products through 2032, while its license will now be nonexclusive, according to a joint statement."We view this as a net positive for Microsoft, as the company locks in a six-year IP control over OpenAI technology and maintains a significant share of OpenAI while ending the back-and-forth between Redmond and OpenAI and setting the stage for Microsoft to get all revenue generation on its core platform," Wedbush analysts, including Dan Ives, said in a note to clients.Microsoft will remain the primary cloud partner of OpenAI. The AI firm's products will ship first on Microsoft Azure, unless the tech giant "cannot and chooses not to support the necessary capabilities," the companies said. OpenAI will now be able to serve all its products to customers "across any cloud provider," they added."The greater predictability in the amended agreement strengthens our joint ability to build and operate AI platforms at scale while providing both companies the flexibility to pursue new opportunities," Microsoft and OpenAI said.The amended partnership puts OpenAI on "a strong path forward to going public" via an initial public offering given its "clearer opportunity in the cloud environment while reducing significant barriers" from its original Microsoft partnership, the Wedbush analysts said."In essence, the training wheels are off for (Microsoft) with OpenAI and now it's about a step-up in AI monetization on its core platform looking forward," the analysts wrote.Microsoft is scheduled to report its fiscal third-quarter financial results Wednesday.Price: $424.15, Change: $-0.45, Percent Change: -0.11%

$MSFT
Research

Research Alert: Microsoft And Openai Restructure Deal; Much-needed For Long-term Sustainability

CFRA, an independent research provider, has providedwith the following research alert. Analysts at CFRA have summarized their opinion as follows:OpenAI and Microsoft announced significant changes to their partnership agreement, allowing OpenAI to cap revenue share payments to Microsoft and serve customers across any cloud provider, including Amazon and Google. OpenAI will continue paying Microsoft a 20% revenue share through 2030 subject to a total cap, while MSFT will no longer pay a revenue share to OpenAI. Despite the loss of exclusivity, the company retains its license to OpenAI's intellectual property and remains OpenAI's primary cloud provider with right of first refusal for hosting new workloads. The restructuring is expected to improve MSFT's margins on AI services like Copilot by eliminating revenue payments to OpenAI. We believe this more balanced partnership structure enhances long-term sustainability, while MSFT's 27% stake in OpenAI and continued IP access ensure it remains strategically positioned to benefit from OpenAI's success despite increased competition from Amazon and Google in hosting OpenAI workloads.

$MSFT
Wire

Microsoft to Get Support From Azure, Bookings, M365 Pricing, Oppenheimer Says

Microsoft (MSFT) likely will benefit from stronger Azure growth and bookings in the second half of 2026, a Microsoft 365 price increase, tighter cost control, and recent AI management changes, Oppenheimer said in a note Monday.Azure could be a main driver, with its model pointing to about 39.9% fiscal Q3 constant currency growth, which would come in above guidance and could lift the shares, Oppenheimer said.The company reports fiscal Q3 results April 29.Microsoft 365 should remain steady, helped by deep customer use, security, integration across products, and the recent price increase, the investment firm said, adding that it also expects bookings to improve later in calendar 2026 as more data center capacity comes online and supports more AI-related demand.Risks include management concerns about whether AI can generate good returns could restrain capital investments aimed at faster growth, data center limits that could slow growth, and if M365 customers might look to build agents outside the Microsoft platform, Oppenheimer analysts noted.Oppenheimer reiterated its outperform rating and $515 price target. Fiscal Q3 earnings look favorable with the Azure business showing upside and the company seeing and low expectations after the stock's 13% year-to-date decline and disappointing Q1 earnings, it said.Price: $422.56, Change: $-2.04, Percent Change: -0.48%

$MSFT
Wire

Microsoft's Amended Agreement With OpenAI a 'Net Positive,' Wedbush Says

Microsoft's (MSFT) amended agreement with OpenAI is a "net positive" as the company locks in a six-year intellectual property control over OpenAI's technology and maintains a significant share of OpenAI, Wedbush Securities said in a note Monday.The agreement represents an important moment for Microsoft as it looks to develop tech independence from OpenAI, while building its Copilot assistant and leveraging AI models from Anthropic in its 365 tools, the brokerage said.Under the new deal, Microsoft will continue to hold a license to OpenAI technology through 2032, although the license is no longer exclusive, according to the note. Microsoft will no longer pay a revenue share to OpenAI while revenue share payments from OpenAI to Microsoft will continue through 2030 at the same percentage, subject to a total cap, Wedbush said.The amended agreement also puts OpenAI on a "strong path forward" amid its upcoming initial public offering, giving it a clearer opportunity in the cloud environment while reducing barriers from its original partnership with Microsoft, the brokerage said.Wedbush maintained its outperform rating on Microsoft with a $575 price target.Price: $422.15, Change: $-2.45, Percent Change: -0.58%

$MSFT
Wire

Top Midday Stories: Microsoft, OpenAI Amend Agreement; Qualcomm Reportedly Collaborating With OpenAI on Smartphone AI Chip

All three major US stock indexes were down in late-morning trading Monday, as investors parse ongoing developments in peace talks between the US and Iran.Iran has offered to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for an end to the US' blockade of the country and an end to the war, media outlets reported Monday, citing officials.In company news, Microsoft (MSFT) and OpenAI said Monday they have amended their agreement so that Microsoft will no longer pay a revenue share to OpenAI, and its license will now be non-exclusive. Microsoft will remain OpenAI's primary cloud partner, and its Azure will receive the first shipments of OpenAI products, unless Microsoft cannot and chooses not to support the necessary capabilities, the companies said. Separately, industry checks indicate that OpenAI is working with Qualcomm (QCOM) and MediaTek to develop smartphone processors, a TF International Securities analyst said. Microsoft shares were down 0.7% around midday, while Qualcomm shares were down 0.2%.ARC Resources said Monday it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Shell (SHEL) in a cash-and-share deal valued at about 22 billion Canadian dollars ($16.17 billion). Under the terms of the deal, ARC shareholders will receive 0.40247 of a Shell share and CA$8.20 in cash consideration in exchange for each ARC share they own, representing a total consideration of CA$32.80 per ARC share. The deal is expected to close in H2, ARC said. Shell shares were down 1.3%.Meta Platforms' (META) $2 billion acquisition of AI startup Manus was blocked by China's National Development and Reform Commission, media outlets reported Monday, citing the Chinese regulator. Meta shares were down 0.1%.Eli Lilly (LLY) said Monday it has agreed to acquire Ajax Therapeutics for up to $2.3 billion in cash. The deal includes an upfront payment and subsequent payouts based on the achievement of certain clinical and regulatory milestones, the company said. Eli Lilly shares were down 0.5%.Verizon Communications (VZ) reported Q1 adjusted earnings Monday of $1.28 per diluted share, up from $1.19 a year earlier and above the FactSet consensus analyst estimate of $1.21. First-quarter operating revenue was $34.44 billion, up from $33.49 billion a year ago but below the FactSet consensus of $34.82 billion. For 2026, the company said it expects adjusted EPS of $4.95 to $4.99, above the FactSet consensus of $4.90. Verizon shares were up 3.6%.Price: $422.11, Change: $-2.49, Percent Change: -0.59%

$LLY$META$MSFT$QCOM$SHEL$VZ
Wire

Customers Bank Collaborates With OpenAI to Deploy AI Across Commercial Banking

Customers Bancorp (CUBI) said Monday its bank subsidiary, Customers Bank, is deploying artificial intelligence across its commercial banking operations through a multiyear strategic collaboration with Microsoft-backed (MSFT) OpenAI.The collaboration will involve direct onsite engagement with OpenAI's technical teams and resources, rather than off-the-shelf AI tools, to build custom AI capabilities on the bank's processes, data and institutional knowledge, according to a statement.Financial terms of the collaboration were not disclosed.Price: $77.91, Change: $+3.53, Percent Change: +4.75%

$CUBI$MSFT
Sectors

Sector Update: Tech Stocks Mixed Premarket Monday

Technology stocks were mixed premarket Monday, with the State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLK) down 0.2% and the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) 0.1% higher.Qualcomm (QCOM) shares were up more than 8% after a TF International Securities analyst said that industry checks suggest Microsoft-backed (MSFT) OpenAI is working with the semiconductor company and MediaTek to develop smartphone processors.Tower Semiconductor (TSEM) and Axiro Semiconductor said Axiro's Ku- and X-band radar beamforming integrated circuits are now ready for deployment in critical defense systems. Tower Semiconductor stock was up more than 1% pre-bell.WeRide (WRD) and Lenovo expect to jointly deploy 200,000 autonomous vehicles, including Robotaxis, worldwide over the next five years, WeRide said. Shares of WeRide were up more than 3% premarket.

$MSFT$QCOM$TSEM$WRD$XLK$XSD

Showing 201-220 of 279

Track with the FINWIRES app suite

FolioX
FolioX
Track Microsoft in your portfolio
WheelAI
WheelAI
Analyze Microsoft options with the wheel strategy
StockInsider
StockInsider
See market sentiment on Microsoft