Microsoft stock set for biggest quarterly gain in 28 years

Microsoft has quietly put together one of its most remarkable quarters in nearly three decades. Shares rose approximately 37% between late June and late September 2026, moving from roughly $372 to around $509, a run that would mark the company’s strongest quarterly performance since 1998. What actually moved the stock The catalyst was Microsoft’s fiscal fourth-quarter 2026 earnings report, released on July 29. Revenue came in at $90.0 billion, up 18% year-over-year and ahead of what analysts had penciled in. Net income reached $35.8 billion, a 31% increase under GAAP accounting standards. Microsoft’s cloud computing platform grew revenue 43% year-over-year, beating the roughly 40% consensus estimate and clocking its fastest growth rate since early 2022. For the first time, Azure’s annual revenue crossed $100 billion. Microsoft’s broader cloud business, which includes Azure alongside products like Office 365 commercial and Dynamics, posted revenue of $59.3 billion, up 27%. Shares jumped roughly 15% to 16% on July 30, the largest single-day percentage gain for the stock since 2008. The move added approximately $450 billion to Microsoft’s market capitalization in a single session, the...