Why is MSFT stock down?

MSFT is down 4.8% over five trading days, closing at $507.12 on Nov. 2, 2026. Investors first ask whether the problem lies with the company or with the whole group it trades with.

To answer that, we compare MSFT with its closest peers. We also check the calendar for earnings and Fed dates, and we review Microsoft Corp's latest SEC filings and insider trades.

The chart below tracks MSFT's daily closing price from May 7, 2026 to Nov. 2, 2026. Over that stretch it is up 21.0%, from $419.07 to $507.12. The high was $543.45 on Oct. 13, 2026 and the low was $352.16 on June 25, 2026. Each red circle marks a week in which company insiders sold shares on the open market. There were 7 such weeks in this period; bigger circles mean more money. There are no green diamonds: no insider bought on the open market in this window.

MSFT vs peers this week

The table below shows how MSFT stacks up against its peers this week. Over 5 days, AVGO did best (-2.1%) and AMD worst (-12.1%). MSFT ranks 3 of 7.

What could be behind the MSFT move

The company reported earnings 6 days ago (Oct. 28, 2026).

Across the broader market, the backdrop is an uptrend under stress, with the VIX volatility index at 21.15. The Federal Reserve's next rate decision is on Dec. 9, 2026, 36 days away. Market pricing puts the odds at 26% for a hold, 73% for a hike and 1% for a cut.

Also worth knowing about MSFT

Live MSFT data, updated every 30 minutes: MSFT insider trades, ownership and filings →

In Microsoft Corp's own words

“We are delivering greater capability, choice, control, and cost efficiency for customers across our entire stack”

— Satya Nadella, chairman and chief executive officer of Microsoft · SEC filing

From the company's earnings release filed with the SEC on 2026-10-28 (Form 8-K).

What would change the picture for MSFT

These are the specific events and levels to watch. None of them is a prediction.

• The Jan. 26, 2027 earnings report (84 days away). Microsoft Corp beat estimates in all 4 of the last 4 quarters (average surprise +4.1%); a miss would break that pattern.
• An open-market purchase by an insider at Microsoft Corp. There has been none in 90 days; Form 4 filings would show one within two business days of the trade.
• Analyst ratings: the average score moved from 4.27 to 4.26 over three months. The scale runs from 5 for strong buy to 1 for strong sell. A run of downgrades after earnings usually shows up here first.
• Price levels: a close above $543.45 would be a new 52-week high. That level is 7.2% above the latest close of $507.12. A close below $352.16 would be a new 52-week low. That level is 30.6% below it.
• Growth: revenue rose 17.9% year over year in the quarter ending Sep 2026 (trend: steady). At a P/E of 26.5, a slowdown would matter more than at a lower multiple.
• New shares: dilution risk is low now. A new shelf registration (S-3) or a prospectus supplement (424B) for an offering would raise it.

How MSFT compares with its peers

Over the past month MSFT ranks 2 of 5 in this group (-2.0%); the best was AAPL (+1.4%) and the weakest GOOGL (-18.8%).

MSFT's P/E of 26.5 is above the peers' median of 20.3. Investors pay more for each dollar of its profit, usually for faster expected growth.

MSFT history: what happened after similar moves

Since 2023, MSFT fell 10% or more in a month 6 times (separate episodes, not counting the current one). Three months later it was higher in 3 of 6 cases; the median change was +1.6%.

Past moves don't predict the next one; they show how volatile the stock has been.

Questions people also ask

What is MSFT's 52-week high and low?

Over the past year MSFT closed as high as $543.45 and as low as $352.16. At $507.12 (Nov. 2, 2026) it is down 6.7% from the high and 44.0% above the low.

Do analysts think MSFT is a buy?

64 of the 69 analysts who cover Microsoft Corp rate it a buy or strong buy, for a consensus of Buy. Ratings describe analysts' views, not a guarantee, and they change after earnings. More →

Are MSFT insiders buying or selling?

Insiders sold $75.4 million of MSFT on the open market in 90 days and bought none. Sales are often routine (taxes, diversification, pre-planned plans); purchases with their own money are the stronger signal. More →

Is Microsoft Corp profitable?

Yes. Microsoft Corp had $346.4 billion of revenue over the last 12 months with a net margin of 41.2% and a P/E of 26.5. More →

Who is the largest shareholder of MSFT?

Among investment managers that file Form 13F, BlackRock Inc. reported the largest MSFT position ($226.6 billion). 6213 institutions reported holding MSFT for Q2 2026. More →

When does Microsoft Corp report earnings next?

The next report is expected on Jan. 26, 2027, 84 days from now. Microsoft Corp beat the average estimate in all 4 of the last 4 reports. More →

Dates to watch for MSFT

Insider trades can come any day: they must be filed on Form 4 within two business days.

Key terms on this page

P/E ratio

Price divided by the last 12 months of earnings per share. A P/E of 20 means investors pay $20 for each $1 of yearly profit. It is only defined when the company is profitable.

Form 4

The SEC form a company's officers, directors and 10% owners must file within two business days of buying or selling its stock.

Open-market trade

A purchase or sale on the exchange at the market price, paid with the insider's own money (code P or S on Form 4), as opposed to option exercises, grants or gifts.

Form 13F

A quarterly SEC report listing the U.S. stock holdings of every investment manager with more than $100 million. It is due 45 days after each quarter ends, so it shows positions with a delay.

Dilution

When a company issues new shares, each existing share owns a smaller piece of the company. Common sources: stock offerings, convertible debt and large stock-based pay.

Form 8-K

The SEC form for material events between quarterly reports: earnings releases, deals, executive changes, stock offerings and similar news.

52-week high / low

The highest and lowest daily closing price over the past year (about 252 trading days).

Where these numbers come from

Every number on this page is computed from the data when the page is refreshed (usually daily); nothing is typed in by hand. This is information, not investment advice.

• Price: daily closing prices through Nov. 2, 2026; changes use 5, 21 and 63 trading days; the 52-week range uses the last 252 closes.
• Insider trades: SEC Form 4 filings for the last 90 days count only open-market purchases (code P) and sales (code S). Option exercises, grants, gifts and filings with data errors are left out.
• Analyst ratings: counts of current ratings from 69 analysts, compared with three months ago.
• Earnings dates and estimates: a market-data calendar; reported vs expected EPS for the last 4 quarters.
• Valuation and growth: revenue, earnings, margins and share counts come from the company's SEC filings (XBRL data, latest quarter Sep 2026). P/E and price/sales use the latest close.
• Fund ownership: SEC Form 13F filings for Q2 2026.
• Dilution: share-count changes and offering-related SEC filings (shelf registrations, prospectus supplements, convertible notes) over two years, scored 0-100.
• History: 21-trading-day moves over about three years of daily closes, counted once per episode.