Microsoft becomes the second $4 trillion company
Microsoft has reached this milestone thanks to better-than-expected earnings, and the company reporting its Azure revenue for the first time. Microsoft revealed last night that its Azure cloud computing business had generated more than $75 billion during its 2025 fiscal year, and the company's stock price immediately started soaring in after-hours trading on the Nasdaq. Microsoft's share price is up around 4 percent today, helping it maintain its $4 trillion market valuation.
Microsoft has spent more than a decade building up its Azure cloud business, which is ahead of Google's in revenue but still second place to Amazon Web Services. Azure now touches every corner of Microsoft's businesses, including powering its AI projects, its Office software, parts of Windows, Xbox, and more.
Microsoft's investment in cloud computing has positioned it well to take advantage of the computing needs for the future of AI, too. Earlier this year there were plenty of questions over the $100 billion investment into The Stargate Project, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella was quick to defend the company's own $80 billion spend on cloud and AI data center projects. 'All I know is, I'm good for my $80 billion,' said Nadella at the time.
Microsoft CFO Amy Hood revealed yesterday that Microsoft is now planning to spend $30 billion on its AI infrastructure investments in the next quarter. If Microsoft keeps up that level of spending then the company will total $120 billion or more on cloud and AI infrastructure over the next fiscal year.
Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.
See All by Tom Warren
Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.
See All AI
Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.
See All Microsoft
Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.
See All News
Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.
See All Tech
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Entrepreneur
a few seconds ago
- Entrepreneur
Boost Team Productivity and Security With Windows 11 Pro, Now $15 for Life
Ideal for entrepreneurs and small-business owners who are looking to streamline their PC setup. Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you'll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. If you run your business from a PC—or manage a team that does—then your operating system isn't just background software. It's your daily control hub, the foundation for security, productivity, and system compatibility. That's why I recently upgraded to Microsoft Windows 11 Pro, now available for only $14.97 (reg. $199) as a lifetime license. Windows 11 Pro isn't just a cosmetic upgrade. It builds on the Windows 10 foundation with performance improvements, enhanced multitasking features, and business-level security—all of which make a noticeable difference when you're managing clients, projects, or internal systems. I've personally seen faster boot times, smoother app switching, and stronger integration with cloud platforms like OneDrive and Microsoft 365. The productivity features alone have been a big win. Snap Layouts and virtual desktops make it easier to organize workstreams—whether I'm reviewing contracts on one screen or tracking project timelines on another. And with built-in BitLocker encryption and remote desktop access, I can safely access files and devices when I'm on the go or working remotely. From an IT and business management perspective, the Pro version gives you access to key features like Group Policy, Hyper-V virtualization, and enterprise-grade identity management. It's ideal for small business owners scaling their operations or freelancers managing client data. There's also an upgraded AI assistant, Copilot. It's powered by ChatGPT-4o and can help with image and article generation, answer your questions, and even help you study for certification exams. Best of all, this is a one-time purchase—no subscription or recurring fees ever again. That means predictable costs, fewer licensing headaches, and software that won't suddenly become inaccessible due to missed renewals. Whether you're looking to upgrade your own PC, equip a small team, or prep a new workstation without blowing your software budget, this deal offers a low-lift way to future-proof your setup. Equip your work or office devices when you grab one of these Windows 11 Pro lifetime licenses now for just $14.97 (reg. $199), a fraction of the standard cost, for a little while longer. Microsoft Windows 11 Pro See Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.
Fast Company
a few seconds ago
- Fast Company
Just 7% of small-business owners say the child care crisis is a critical problem. Here's why
Child care costs are growing. Access is declining. But small businesses aren't too concerned about the impact on business. The National Federation of Independent Business recently released its quadrennial report on the most pressing problems for small-business owners in the U.S. For the first time, it asked about the 'cost and availability of child care,' which owners ranked as their 66th most pressing concern of the 75 assessed. Moreover, only 7% of small-business owners considered the problem 'critical,' and 40% didn't consider it a problem at all. This might be surprising, considering that child care costs increased 32% for American households from 2019 to 2023, and the share of parents without access to child care grew from 17.7% at the end of 2023 to 22.2% in the early months of 2024. But as Holly Wade, executive director of the NFIB Research Center, says, the results suggest that the problem is relatively limited in scope right now, at least in the eyes of business owners: 'For some employers, they're able to work around child care issues fairly easily, accommodate scheduling conflicts — [so it doesn't rise] to the level of issues, for instance, like the cost of health insurance.' Indeed, in the NFIB report, health insurance costs ranked at the top of small-business owners' concerns, as it has since 1986. The costs of supplies and inventories, economic uncertainty, and federal taxes were among other top issues for owners this year. Plus, if businesses have a 'younger demographic of employees or an industry that has higher turnover [or] seasonal employment,' child care issues might not be a pain point for them at all, Wade adds. Other recent reports, however, still indicate that these pressures are impacting workforces. 29% of job switchers identified a lack of child care benefits as their top motivation in looking for another job, according to a 2024 report from Women's labor force participation is now lagging compared to pre-pandemic levels — and taking care of 'the home or family' is the primary reason mothers are not working, according to the Pew Research Center. And as Inc. previously reported, there are still small-business owners who already believe that a lack of child care is negatively impacting their business — even if it may not be their top concern. — By Sarah Lynch
Geek Wire
a few seconds ago
- Geek Wire
Have we hit ‘Peak AI'? Microsoft, Amazon, and a pivotal week for Seattle tech
This week on the GeekWire Podcast: Microsoft soars past Wall Street expectations, briefly hitting a $4 trillion valuation, while Amazon faces sharper scrutiny over its AI strategy. We break down the contrasting earnings results, analyst reactions, and what it all means for the future of AI — and Seattle's place in it. Plus: insights from Microsoft's Mustafa Suleyman on the future of Copilot, a throwback lesson from the Zune era, and a guestbook entry that shows just how mainstream ChatGPT has become. Related stories and links Recommended listens (final segment) Subscribe to GeekWire in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
