Microsoft Corporation recently announced an increase in its quarterly dividend, alongside notable insider trading activity involving key executives. The technology giant, headquartered in Redmond, Washington, will pay a dividend of $0.91 per share on March 12, 2024. This payment will benefit investors who are on record as of February 19, 2024. This dividend represents an annualized payout of $3.64, translating to a yield of 0.7%. Currently, Microsoft’s dividend payout ratio stands at 25.89%.
Insider Trading Activity
In addition to the dividend announcement, insider trading has drawn attention. On December 4, 2023, Takeshi Numoto, Executive Vice President, sold 2,850 shares of Microsoft stock at an average price of $478.72. The total transaction amounted to approximately $1,364,352. This sale resulted in Numoto holding 55,782 shares valued at around $26,703,959.04, reflecting a 4.86% decrease in his position.
Further, on November 3, 2023, Bradford L. Smith, another insider, sold 38,500 shares at an average price of $518.64, totaling about $19,967,640. Following this transaction, Smith’s holdings decreased by 7.70%, leaving him with 461,597 shares valued at approximately $239,402,668.08. Over the last 90 days, Microsoft insiders have collectively sold 54,100 shares, valued at $27,598,872. Currently, corporate insiders own 0.03% of the company’s stock.
Overview of Microsoft’s Operations
Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, Microsoft develops and supports a wide array of software products, services, and devices for consumers, businesses, and government entities globally. Its diverse operations include personal computing, productivity software, cloud infrastructure, enterprise applications, developer tools, and gaming.
Microsoft’s flagship products encompass the Windows operating system and the Microsoft 365 suite, which includes popular applications such as Office, Outlook, and Teams. The company continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the technology landscape, focusing on innovation and customer-centric solutions.
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