Frequently Asked Questions
Microsoft Stock
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A. Microsoft pays a quarterly dividend of $0.83 per share. Read the Dividend FAQ for more information.
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A. Our common stock ticker symbol is MSFT. Microsoft common shares are traded on The Nasdaq Stock Market.
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A. Microsoft common shares are traded on The Nasdaq Stock Market. The ticker symbol is MSFT.
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A. MSN® Money can provide a 15 minute delayed price, as well as other information regarding Microsoft stock.
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A. Microsoft went public March 13, 1986 at $21.00 per share.
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A. The offering price was $21.00 per share at the IPO on March 13, 1986.
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A. You should contact Microsoft's transfer agent, Computershare, by one of these methods:
• Internet: https://www.computershare.com/Microsoft
• E-mail: [email protected]
• Phone: (800) 285-7772 Option 1
(425) 706-4400 Option 1 (International)
For Written Shareholder Inquiries
By Mail:
Computershare
P.O. Box 43006
Providence RI 02940-3078
By Overnight/Certified/Registered Delivery
Computershare
150 Royall St., Suite 101
Canton, MA 02021
United States of America -
A. 594918104
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A. The 2024 annual shareholders meeting will be held virtually on December 10, 2024.
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A. The 2023 Annual Shareholders Meeting was held on December 7, 2023. The meeting can be viewed here.
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A. Microsoft no longer offers preferred shares.
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A. As of July 30, 2023, there were 7,429,763,722 shares outstanding.
Related Information
Microsoft Corporate
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A. This corporate information page contains a variety of links regarding Microsoft.
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A. This link will take you to Microsoft's Board of Directors. Click on each member's name to read their full biography.
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A. Microsoft's independent auditor is Deloitte & Touche.
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A. The Important Dates section provides a good overview of Microsoft’s history.
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A. Microsoft's mission, as well as how we intend to deliver on our mission, are outlined on Mission and Values page.
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A. Lots of information is available at the jobs site.
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A. Microsoft was incorporated in the state of Washington on June 25, 1981; reincorporated in the state of Delaware on September 19, 1986; and reincorporated in the state of Washington on September 22, 1993.
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A. Microsoft's past and current headcounts can be found on our Fast Facts About Microsoft page.
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A. View our investments and acquisitions.
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A. The general public is allowed to visit the Microsoft Visitor Center. Click here for hours and locations.
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A. Visit our online Product Support Services. You can choose from a variety of options.
Dividends for shareholders
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A. Computershare, Microsoft's transfer agent, administers a direct stock purchase plan and a dividend reinvestment plan for the company. To find out more about these programs you may contact Computershare directly at (800) 285-7772, Option 1, between the hours of 8 A.M. and 8 P.M. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, and Saturday 9 A.M and 5 P.M. Eastern Time. Alternatively, you can the view program online by going to Computershare's website.
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A. Microsoft pays a quarterly dividend of $0.83 per share. Read the press release.
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A. This table lists the dividend payments, amounts, and key dates:
Quarterly Dividend
Annual Dividend
| Dividend Period | Amount | Announcement Date | Ex-Dividend Date | Record Date | Payable Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 |
$0.08
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Jan 16, 2003
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Feb 19, 2003
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Feb 21, 2003
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Mar 7, 2003
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| 2004 |
$0.16
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Sep 12, 2003
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Oct 15, 2003
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Oct 17, 2003
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Nov 7, 2003
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Special Dividend
| Dividend Period | Amount | Announcement Date | Ex-Dividend Date | Record Date | Payable Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Special |
$3.00
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Jul 20, 2004
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Nov 15, 2004
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Nov 17, 2004
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Dec 2, 2004
|
Microsoft stock splits
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A. The Board of Directors makes the decision for any stock split. The most current split was a 2-for-1 common stock split announced on January 16, 2003. The stock will commence trading at the new split price February 18, 2003. This was our ninth stock split since going public March 13, 1986. Read the press release: Microsoft Declares Annual Dividend and Announces Two-for-One Split on Common Stock.
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A. The most recent split was a 2-for-1 common stock split announced on January 16, 2003. The stock traded at the new split price on February 18, 2003. This was Microsoft's ninth stock split going public March 13, 1986. For more information, read the press release: Microsoft Declares Annual Dividend and Announces Two-for-One Split on Common Stock. After this most recent split, one original share equals 288 shares. This chart summarizes Microsoft's nine common stock splits since the initial public offering on March 13, 1986:
Payable Date Type of Split* Closing Price Before Closing Price After September 18, 1987 2 for 1 $114.50 (Sep 18) $53.50 (Sep 21) April 12, 1990 2 for 1 $120.75 (Apr 12) $60.75 (Apr 16) June 26, 1991 3 for 2 $100.75 (Jun 26) $68.00 (Jun 27) June 12, 1992 3 for 2 $112.50 (Jun 12) $75.75 (Jun 15) May 20, 1994 2 for 1 $97.75 (May 20) $50.63 (May 23) December 6, 1996 2 for 1 $152.875 (Dec 6) $81.75 (Dec 9) February 20, 1998 2 for 1 $155.13 (Feb 20) $81.63 (Feb 23) March 26, 1999 2 for 1 $178.13 (Mar 26) $92.38 (Mar 29) February 14, 2003 2 for 1 $48.30 (Feb 14) $24.96 (Feb 18) *Type of split:
2 for 1 = One additional share for every share held (multiply the number of shares by 2 for a new total)
3 for 2 = One additional share for every two shares held (multiply the number of shares by 1.5 for a new total) -
A. A 2-for-1 split means the investor will have twice as many shares as he had before, at half the market price. Here's an example: As of the record date (January 27, 2003) if an investor owns 100 shares of MSFT and the market price is $50.00/share, that investor's total value is $5,000.00. After the split, the investor will have 200 shares of stock, but the market price will be approximately $25.00/share. The investor's total investment value in MSFT remains the same at $5,000.00 until the stock price moves up or down.
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A. The decision to split the stock was made by Microsoft's Board of Directors, based on a desire to make our stock more accessible to a broader range of investors.
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A. This is the ninth time the company has split the stock since Microsoft went public back in March 1986. One original share will equal 288 shares after this split is effective.
Financials and SEC filings
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A. The next earnings release will be announced soon. A webcast of the conference call will be available from the Microsoft Investor Relations page.
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A. Microsoft's fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30.
Q1 October 30, 2024 Read Press Release. Q2 TBA Earnings will be released after the stock market closes. There will also be a webcast of the call with financial analysts. Q3 TBA Earnings will be released after the stock market closes. There will also be a webcast of the call with financial analysts. Q4 TBA Earnings will be released after the stock market closes. There will also be a webcast of the call with financial analysts. -
A. No, because of increased printing and distribution costs, as well as the commitment to the use of our own technologies, Microsoft no longer issues printed quarterly reports but focuses on electronic media instead. You can look at all earnings releases on this website.
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A. Here is our 2024 Microsoft Annual Report online. You can also download a Microsoft Word version of the 2024 Annual Report.
Microsoft debt
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A. The Microsoft corporate credit rating is AAA and Aaa by Standard & Poor's Rating Services and Moody's Investors Service Inc., respectively. The commercial paper is rated A-1+ by Standard & Poor's and P-1 by Moody's.
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A. To purchase Microsoft bonds, please consult your financial advisor or broker.
