Bond Funds Aren’t Like Stock Funds. They Often Beat the Indexes.
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Oct 09 2024
0mins
Source: Barron's
Active Bond Funds Performance: More than two-thirds of active bond funds outperformed comparable index funds over the past year, with nearly 75% of intermediate-core bond funds beating their index counterparts, attributed to their shorter durations and higher credit risk.
Long-term Success of Active Management: Over a decade, 46% of intermediate-core active bond funds surpassed passive funds, with asset-weighted returns showing active funds yielding better results compared to index funds, highlighting the complexities of the bond market that favor active management.
Trade with 70% Backtested Accuracy
Stop guessing "Should I Buy MSFT?" and start using high-conviction signals backed by rigorous historical data.
Sign up today to access powerful investing tools and make smarter, data-driven decisions.
Analyst Views on MSFT
Wall Street analysts forecast MSFT stock price to rise
34 Analyst Rating
32 Buy
2 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 397.360
Low
500.00
Averages
631.36
High
678.00
Current: 397.360
Low
500.00
Averages
631.36
High
678.00
About MSFT
Microsoft Corporation is a technology company. The Company develops and supports software, services, devices, and solutions. The Company’s segments include Productivity and Business Processes, Intelligent Cloud, and More Personal Computing. The Productivity and Business Processes segment consists of products and services in its portfolio of productivity, communication, and information services. This segment primarily comprises: Office Commercial, Office Consumer, LinkedIn, and Dynamics business solutions. The Intelligent Cloud segment consists of server products and cloud services, including Azure and other cloud services, SQL Server, Windows Server, Visual Studio, System Center, and related Client Access Licenses (CALs), and Nuance and GitHub; and Enterprise Services, including enterprise support services, industry solutions and Nuance professional services. The More Personal Computing segment primarily comprises Windows, Devices, Gaming, and search and news advertising.
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
- Significant AI Growth: In Q3 of fiscal 2026, Microsoft's AI business achieved an annual revenue run rate of $37 billion, growing 123% year-over-year, demonstrating strong market demand particularly in cloud computing and core product integration, thereby solidifying its leadership in the AI sector.
- Surge in Cloud Revenue: Azure's revenue increased by 40% year-over-year, reflecting robust demand for cloud services essential for processing and training AI workloads, which provides strong support for Microsoft's overall performance.
- Low Stock Valuation: Despite the impressive performance of its AI business, Microsoft's stock trades at a low cash flow valuation not seen since 2019, indicating a market underestimation of its future growth potential, which may present a buying opportunity for investors.
- Peer Comparison: Microsoft's valuation is comparable to Amazon's but significantly lower than Alphabet and Apple, suggesting that given its strong AI growth, there is reason to believe Microsoft's valuation could rebound, potentially offering capital appreciation for investors.
See More
- Stock Performance Decline: Microsoft's stock has fallen approximately 17% this year while the S&P 500 has risen about 7%, indicating a decline in market confidence and raising concerns among investors about its future performance.
- Significant AI Growth: In Q3 of fiscal 2026, Microsoft's Azure cloud revenue increased by 40% year-over-year, and its AI business saw a remarkable annual revenue growth rate of 123%, reflecting strong demand for AI infrastructure.
- Low Valuation: Microsoft's price-to-cash-from-operations valuation is at its lowest since 2019, suggesting that the stock is undervalued within the AI sector, potentially offering a buying opportunity for investors.
- Peer Comparison: Microsoft's valuation is comparable to Amazon's but significantly lower than that of Alphabet, Apple, and Nvidia, leading analysts to believe that Microsoft could return to similar valuation levels as its peers, enhancing its attractiveness as an investment.
See More
- Market Performance: The S&P 500 Index rose by 0.20%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by 0.43%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index gained 0.53%, indicating a market recovery driven by chipmakers and AI-related stocks, despite Oracle's stock plummeting over 10% due to higher-than-expected capital expenditures.
- Economic Data Impact: Weekly US jobless claims unexpectedly rose to 229,000, a four-month high, reflecting a weaker labor market, while the May Producer Price Index increased by 6.5% year-over-year, surpassing expectations, suggesting persistent inflationary pressures that may influence Federal Reserve policy decisions.
- Oil Price Volatility: WTI crude oil prices exhibited extreme volatility as President Trump threatened continued attacks on Iran and control over the Kharg Island oil terminal, leading to heightened concerns about global energy supply, with prices rallying more than 1% at one point.
- International Market Dynamics: European stock markets showed mixed results, with the Euro Stoxx 50 up 0.41% and China's Shanghai Composite down 0.16%, reflecting global market sensitivity to geopolitical tensions that could impact investor confidence.
See More
- Massive Dividend: Microsoft paid a quarterly dividend of $0.91 per share on June 11, 2026, resulting in Steve Ballmer receiving approximately $303 million from his 4% stake, a figure that surpasses most historical lottery jackpots, highlighting the company's robust cash flow and profitability.
- Cloud Growth: The latest quarter saw Microsoft achieve revenues of $82.89 billion, an 18.3% year-over-year increase, with Intelligent Cloud revenue at $34.68 billion and Azure growing by 40%, providing a solid foundation for future dividend increases and demonstrating the company's sustained competitiveness in the cloud sector.
- Shareholder Return Strategy: With a dividend yield slightly under 1%, Microsoft has raised its dividend from $0.08 per quarter in 2003 to $0.91, reflecting the company's commitment to shareholders and ongoing profitability, with expectations for continued dividend growth in the future.
- Ballmer's Wealth Growth: Despite not selling any Microsoft shares since stepping down as CEO in 2014, Ballmer's net worth has reached approximately $126 billion, surpassing Bill Gates, illustrating the long-term value of holding stock and the compounding effect, emphasizing the importance of shareholder retention.
See More
- Significant Stock Drop: Oracle's shares plummeted 12% on Thursday, erasing approximately $72 billion in market value, and if losses continue, it would mark the largest single-day drop since January last year, highlighting investor concerns over cash burn.
- Surging Capital Expenditure: The company anticipates net capital expenditures of around $70 billion for the current fiscal year to accelerate AI data center development, which will deepen its free cash flow deficit to $23.7 billion, a substantial increase from a $394 million deficit in fiscal 2025.
- Debt Financing Strategy: To support its capital spending, Oracle plans to raise an additional $40 billion in debt and equity, including a previously announced $20 billion stock issuance, raising questions about its financial health amid pressures on its traditional software business.
- Intensifying Competition: Despite securing significant data center deals with OpenAI and Meta, Oracle faces fierce competition in the cloud computing space, and its lack of sufficient cash flow puts it at a disadvantage against rivals like Amazon and Microsoft.
See More
- Investment Advice: The video highlights four stocks considered better investment options than chasing the SpaceX IPO, reflecting a cautious market sentiment towards emerging tech companies.
- Market Dynamics: Stock prices referenced were from June 9, 2026, indicating the diversity of investor choices amidst the IPO frenzy.
- Video Content: The video aims to provide viewers with alternative investment options compared to the SpaceX IPO, assisting them in making more informed investment decisions.
- Subscription Call: The video encourages viewers to subscribe to the channel and click on a special offer link, indicating the content creator's desire to enhance channel engagement through increased viewer interaction.
See More










