Sei Investments Co. Increases Microsoft Stake to $2.47 Billion

Sei Investments Co. has raised its investment in Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) by 1.7% during the third quarter, as revealed in its latest 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. After acquiring an additional 96,922 shares during this period, Sei Investments now holds a total of 5,741,840 shares in the technology giant. This investment represents approximately 3.2% of Sei Investments’ overall portfolio, making Microsoft its largest position with a valuation of $2,470,709,000 as stated in their recent SEC disclosure.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also adjusted their holdings in Microsoft. For instance, Christopher J. Hasenberg Inc increased its stake by 169.2% in the second quarter, now owning 70 shares worth about $31,000 after purchasing 44 additional shares. Quarry LP acquired a new stake in Microsoft valued at approximately $45,000 during the same quarter. In addition, MidAtlantic Capital Management Inc. entered a new investment position in Microsoft valued at around $62,000 in the third quarter, while Innealta Capital LLC purchased shares worth about $75,000 in the second quarter. Likewise, Carolina Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its holdings by 10.1% in the third quarter, owning 338 shares currently worth $145,000 after an addition of 31 shares during this timeframe. Overall, institutional investors own 71.13% of Microsoft’s stock.

Insider Transactions

In related activity, Takeshi Numoto, Chief Marketing Officer at Microsoft, sold 1,000 shares on November 22nd at an average price of $414.72, resulting in a transaction amount of $414,720. Following this sale, Numoto retains ownership of 57,511 shares valued around $23,850,961.92, reflecting a 1.71% reduction in his holdings. This transaction was documented in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Additionally, Executive Vice President Christopher David Young sold 7,200 shares on November 12th for $3,050,352. Following this sale, he now owns 103,366 shares worth approximately $43,792,039.56, marking a decrease of 6.51% in his holdings. Over the past 90 days, insiders have sold a total of 41,200 shares valued at $17,383,892. Company insiders currently hold 0.03% of Microsoft’s total stock.

Analyst Ratings Updates

Several research firms recently updated their ratings and price targets for Microsoft. Morgan Stanley lowered their price target from $548.00 to $540.00 while maintaining an “overweight” rating on the shares. Guggenheim retained a “neutral” rating after issuing their report on January 24th, while Piper Sandler reaffirmed an “overweight” rating, setting a target price of $520. Loop Capital raised their target from $500.00 to $550.00, granting the company a “buy” rating. Additionally, Sanford C. Bernstein decreased their price target from $501.00 to $500.00, also assigning an “outperform” rating. Currently, three analysts have placed a hold rating on the stock, while twenty-seven analysts suggest buying, and one analyst recommends a strong buy. As per MarketBeat.com, Microsoft holds an average rating of “Moderate Buy” alongside a consensus target price of $512.66.

Microsoft Stock Performance

Current Stock Metrics

Microsoft shares opened at $447.24 on a recent Wednesday. The company boasts a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15, a current ratio of 1.30, and a quick ratio of 1.29. With a market capitalization of $3.33 trillion, Microsoft shows a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.90, a PEG ratio of 2.40, and a beta of 0.90. The 50-day moving average stands at $431.42, while the 200-day moving average is $425.08. Over the past year, Microsoft’s stock has seen a low of $385.58 and a high of $468.35.

On October 30th, Microsoft reported its latest earnings results, showing an earnings per share (EPS) of $3.30 for the quarter, surpassing the consensus estimate of $3.10 by $0.20. The company achieved a net margin of 35.61% and a return on equity of 34.56%. With quarterly revenue reported at $65.59 billion, this exceeded the estimated revenue of $64.57 billion. Compared to the same quarter last year, revenue rose by 16.0%, marking an increase from the $2.99 EPS reported in the previous year. Analysts predict Microsoft will post an EPS of 12.9 for the current fiscal year.

Dividend Announcement

Recently, Microsoft announced a quarterly dividend scheduled for payment on March 13th. Shareholders of record as of February 20th will receive a dividend of $0.83 per share. The ex-dividend date is set for February 20th. This dividend equates to an annualized payment of $3.32, yielding 0.74%. Currently, Microsoft maintains a dividend payout ratio (DPR) of 27.39%.

Company Overview

Microsoft Corporation is a global leader in developing and supporting software, services, devices, and solutions. Its Productivity and Business Processes division offers a variety of products including Microsoft 365, Microsoft Teams, and various office solutions. The company aims to provide comprehensive tools that enhance productivity and facilitate collaboration for users and businesses alike.

investment, portfolio, Microsoft