Microsoft Is Down 24% This Year While Spending $30B a Quarter on AI

Microsoft Is Down 24% This Year While Spending B a Quarter on AI

By David Beren
Publication Date: 2026-03-27 17:15:00

  • Microsoft (MSFT) posted Q2 FY2026 revenue of $81.27B (up 17% year-over-year) with Azure growing 39%, but capital expenditures surged 66% to $37.5B and are projected to reach $146B for fiscal 2026, sparking investor concerns about whether spending is outpacing returns.

  • Microsoft announced a hiring freeze across its cloud and sales units as the stock slides 24% year-to-date, driven by debate over whether massive AI infrastructure spending will ultimately deliver justified returns despite a $625B commercial remaining performance obligation backlog.

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One of the largest tech names the world has ever known, Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) sits at the center of one of tech investing’s biggest debates: whether its AI infrastructure bet is genius or a capital allocation problem the market is pricing in. Shares are down 24%…