Microsoft shares jump 8 percent after report – Azure and Copilot hit records
Microsoft exceeded expectations in its fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings report. Shares rose more than 8 percent in after-hours trading, driven by strong growth in Azure and Copilot.
What happened?
Microsoft reported revenue of USD 90.01 billion and earnings per share of USD 4.74 for the fourth quarter of the 2026 fiscal year. The cloud service Azure grew by 43 percent during the quarter, surpassing an annual revenue run rate of USD 100 billion. Concurrently, the AI assistant Microsoft Copilot reached 30 million paying users.
Key facts
| Kvartalsomsättning | 90,01 miljarder USD |
|---|---|
| Azure-tillväxt | 43 % |
| Copilot betalande licenser | 30 miljoner |
| Kommersiell RPO-ökning | 84 % (678 miljarder USD) |
Why it matters
Unlike competitors such as Alphabet and Meta, Microsoft presented a stable forecast for capital expenditure (CapEx) combined with clear revenue generation from AI. The combination of economies of scale in Azure and the commercial rollout of Copilot confirms that demand for AI infrastructure is rising in line with investments.
Who is affected?
The results affect investors as well as enterprises and developers who build their IT systems on Microsoft Azure and Copilot. Stable levels of capital investment provide predictability for customers dependent on Microsoft's large-scale AI infrastructure.
Impact on the EU
Microsoft's AI services and cloud infrastructure are distributed globally, including within the EU, where the company is subject to strict data protection regulations such as GDPR and the EU AI Act. Increased Azure capacity in European data centres is a prerequisite for meeting the growing demand for AI services in the region.
What else you should know
The report indicates that Microsoft's commercial Remaining Performance Obligations (RPO) increased by 84 percent to USD 678 billion. This indicates a strong future revenue stream for the company's AI and cloud services in the coming quarters.
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