Investing.com - Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is set to announce its quarterly earnings after the market closes on Tuesday, with Wall Street keenly watching for indications that the company's substantial investments in artificial intelligence (AI) have been beneficial to its pivotal Azure cloud computing division.
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In the fourth quarter, Microsoft reported a sequential drop in Azure growth. However, analysts predict the company will reverse this trend in the first quarter.
Revenue for the period is anticipated to reach $54.5 billion, which is a nearly 9% year-over-year increase compared to the same quarter last year, according to Bloomberg data. Analysts are predicting adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $2.66, up from $2.35 in Q1 2023.
Over the past year, Microsoft has positioned AI as a key component of its business strategy, announcing a significant $10 billion investment in ChatGPT developer OpenAI and launching generative AI-enhanced versions of its Bing search engine and Edge browser in February.
Subsequently, the company launched its generative AI-powered Copilot apps for Outlook, Windows 11, and Microsoft 365. These applications can summarize emails, assist in drafting documents and creating PowerPoint presentations, and provide insight into Windows 11 features. Microsoft plans to consolidate the Copilots into a single app in the future.
Investors are interested in whether these investments will translate into growth across Microsoft's cloud and productivity segments.
Analysts predict the company will report Productivity & Business Processes revenue of $18.3 billion, an 11.1% year-over-year increase. Intelligent Cloud is predicted to generate $23.6 billion, a 16.2% year-over-year increase, while the More Personal Computing segment is expected to bring in $12.9 billion, a 3.3% decline.
Analysts estimate that the company's Azure segment will grow by 27.2%. This would represent a sequential increase from Q4, when Microsoft reported Azure growth of 26%. Azure business growth has been declining sequentially for over a year, so even a slight uptick could reassure investors.
In addition to data on the performance of Microsoft's various AI initiatives, investors will be looking for more information about the company's $69-billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ:ATVI). Microsoft finalized the deal on Oct. 13, but the Federal Trade Commission could still attempt to break up the companies on antitrust grounds.
This deal, the largest in Microsoft's history, instantly positions it as the third-largest video game company in the world by revenue, trailing behind Tencent and Sony. CEO Satya Nadella could provide insight into how Microsoft plans to roll out Activision Blizzard’s titles under the Microsoft brand or integrate them into its Game Pass subscription service.