Microsoft Q4 Revenue Hits $90 Billion, Exceeding Expectations; Azure Cloud Revenue Surpasses $100 Billion for the First Time

Odaily Microsoft (MSFT.O) reported strong growth in its cloud business, with an increase in the number of AI paying users. Meanwhile, investors remain focused on whether the tech giant's spending on data centers will yield returns. Microsoft's fourth-quarter earnings per share were $4.81, up from $3.65 in the same period last year and above Wall Street's estimate of $4.24. Quarterly revenue reached $90 billion, surpassing the expected $87.6 billion, representing an 18% year-over-year increase. Azure remains one of the most closely watched metrics by investors, serving as a bellwether for overall AI demand. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella stated: "Azure revenue surpassed $100 billion for the first time, and paid seats for Microsoft 365 Copilot exceeded 30 million, reflecting that customers trust us to power their AI transformation." Microsoft's Azure cloud business generated $39.3 billion in revenue in the fourth fiscal quarter, with a growth rate of 43%, exceeding the expected 40% growth. Microsoft's stock rose as much as 4% in after-hours trading. So far this year, Microsoft's stock has accumulated a decline of about 18%. (Jin Shi)