By Kevin Gandiya
Publication Date: 2026-01-29 02:57:00
Image source: Getty Images
Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:MSFT) shares fell around 6% in after-hours US trading after the software giant reported its latest quarterly results.
The market reaction was in stark contrast Metaplatform (NASDAQ: META), whose shares rose sharply despite both companies committing to massive AI capital expenditure (capex) programs.
The move is of great importance for Australian investors. Both Microsoft and Meta are significant holdings in several ASX-listed ETFs including BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF (ASX:NDQ), VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF (ASX:MOAT), ETFS FANG+ ETF (ASX: FANG) and Global X Artificial Intelligence ETF (ASX:GXAI).
What did Microsoft report?
At first glance, Microsoft’s earnings looked strong. Revenue rose 17% year over year to $81.3 billion, cloud revenue topped $50 billion for the first time and adjusted profit rose more than 20%.
Demand for AI-powered services remains robust, particularly in Azure and Copilot, and management…
