Microsoft Today

$521.91 -8.23 (-1.55%)

As of 10/30/2026 04:00 PM Eastern

52-Week Range $349.20 ▼

$551.15

Dividend Yield 0.75%

P/E Ratio 27.24

Price Target $609.54

Microsoft Corp NASDAQ: MSFT , the software and cloud giant, has offered a voluntary exit package to around 60,000 employees, more than a quarter of its global workforce, in its boldest signal yet that it believes AI can run the business with far fewer people. When a company this profitable opens the door to that many staff at once, it’s worth asking what it knows.

The shares, trading near $525 following the company's fiscal year 2027 Q1 results on Oct. 28, gave back their initial post-earnings gains. However, they're still up roughly 10% in 2026 and about 50% above their June 2026 low. In other words, Microsoft isn't offering buyouts because its business is shrinking; it's doing so from a position of financial strength.

That’s the heart of the debate for investors.…