Truist Securities Keeps Buy Rating on Microsoft and Increases Price Target to $675
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Aug 18 2025
0mins
Source: Benzinga
Real-time Intelligence: Benzinga Pro offers the fastest news alerts for traders to stay updated on market movements.
Exclusive Content: The platform provides exclusive stories and insights generated by Benzinga reporters.
Community Engagement: Over 10,000 serious traders are part of the Benzinga Pro community, sharing strategies and intelligence.
Market Winning Tool: Traders utilize Benzinga Pro's resources to enhance their trading success in the stock market.
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: 378.910
Low
500.00
Averages
631.36
High
678.00
Current: 378.910
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.
- New Fund Launch: Bill Ackman launched a $5 billion closed-end fund, Pershing Square USA, in April, benefiting from permanent capital that allows for a focus on long-term investment decisions, enhancing flexibility and strategic depth in his investment approach.
- Portfolio Transparency: Ackman disclosed that Pershing Square USA has purchased eight out of twelve stocks since its IPO, indicating a high overlap with his previous fund, Pershing Square Holdings, which reflects consistency in his investment strategy and keen market opportunity recognition.
- Market Opportunity Identification: Ackman highlighted that tech giants like Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta are undervalued in the current market, despite strong performances from semiconductor and neo-cloud companies, suggesting significant buying opportunities that could yield substantial returns for investors.
- Management Fee Consideration: The new fund charges a 2% annual management fee, which, while not excessive, necessitates careful evaluation by investors as most active funds fail to outperform the market after fees, raising concerns about the fund's overall investment value and potential risks.
See More
- Fund Launch: Ackman launched the closed-end fund Pershing Square USA in April, raising $5 billion and investing 85% of the capital within seven weeks, demonstrating his commitment to long-term investment strategies.
- Portfolio Overlap: The new fund's portfolio significantly overlaps with his other publicly traded fund, Pershing Square Holdings, with eight out of twelve disclosed stocks being long-term holdings, indicating Ackman's continued confidence in these companies.
- Market Opportunities: Ackman highlighted that tech giants like Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta are undervalued in the current market, suggesting significant upside potential for these stocks, especially as investors focus on emerging tech companies.
- Management Fee Consideration: With a 2% annual management fee and a 5% decline in net asset value since its IPO, Pershing Square USA presents a potential entry point for patient investors who align with Ackman's long-term investment approach.
See More
- Market Valuation Surge: SpaceX's market capitalization reached approximately $2.5 trillion on its debut, tying it with Amazon as the world's fifth-largest company, indicating strong market expectations for its future potential.
- Financial Performance Review: In 2025, SpaceX reported revenues of $18.7 billion, a 33% year-over-year increase; however, this performance appears inadequate against its $2.5 trillion valuation, raising concerns about its market pricing.
- Revenue Stream Breakdown: The connectivity division, primarily driven by Starlink internet services, saw a 50% revenue increase, contributing over half of total revenue, while the space and AI segments grew only 8% and 22%, respectively, indicating a shift in business focus.
- Valuation Risk Warning: With a staggering price-to-sales ratio of 130 times, significantly higher than peers like Microsoft and Amazon, investors are advised to exercise caution to avoid potential risks associated with overvaluation.
See More
- Lackluster Revenue Growth: In 2025, SpaceX reported total revenue of $18.7 billion, a 33% year-over-year increase, but this growth appears insufficient when juxtaposed with its staggering $2.5 trillion valuation, leading investors to question its future profitability.
- Business Structure Analysis: The connectivity division, primarily driven by Starlink internet services, saw a 50% revenue increase and accounted for over half of total revenue, while the space segment only grew by 8% and the AI division reported losses, indicating a concerning reliance on a single revenue stream.
- High Valuation Risks: With a market capitalization of $2.5 trillion and a price-to-sales ratio of 130, SpaceX's valuation significantly exceeds that of peers like Microsoft and Amazon, prompting investors to carefully weigh its future growth potential against its current valuation.
- Cautious Investment Recommendations: While there is optimism regarding SpaceX's long-term goals, analysts advise investors to exercise caution and avoid overcommitting, especially in light of potential market volatility, suggesting that seeking more reasonably valued investment opportunities may be wiser.
See More
- Earnings Complexity: FedEx is set to report its fiscal 2026 Q4 earnings on Tuesday, covering the March-to-May period, with the complexity arising from the spin-off of FedEx Freight, which complicates direct financial comparisons and may impact market expectations for the company’s future.
- Profitability Expectations: Analysts forecast FedEx to report revenues of $24.04 billion and earnings per share of $5.96, although the combination of the fiscal year calendar change and the spin-off may lead to mixed market reactions, necessitating a focus on profitability metrics.
- Freight Business Outlook: FedEx Freight is expected to achieve modest revenue growth post-spin-off, despite facing pressure on adjusted operating margins due to spin-off-related costs such as technology investments, with the market keenly awaiting insights during Thursday's investor day.
- Inflation Data Impact: The personal consumption expenditures price index (PCE) will be released on Thursday, and while the May consumer price index (CPI) hit a three-year high of 4.2%, the recent drop in oil prices may alleviate future inflation pressures, influencing the Fed's rate hike outlook.
See More
- Escalating Financial Losses: OpenAI reported an operational loss of $20.92 billion in 2025, significantly worse than the $8.78 billion loss in 2024, indicating substantial financial pressure to maintain its AI leadership, which may impact investor confidence.
- Significant Revenue Growth: Despite the massive losses, OpenAI's revenue reached $13.07 billion in 2025, reflecting a 253% year-over-year increase, suggesting strong market demand and growth potential that could attract long-term investor interest.
- Collaboration with Nvidia: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman confirmed the company's reliance on Nvidia's AI chips, highlighting Nvidia's critical role in AI training, and indicating that OpenAI's spending will likely further boost Nvidia's revenue, solidifying its market position.
- Microsoft's Cloud Computing Edge: Despite OpenAI's losses, Microsoft, as its primary cloud partner, stands to benefit, with expectations that Microsoft's cloud business will continue to post strong growth, further solidifying its leadership in the cloud computing market.
See More











