Gaming Stocks Dive as Recession Fears Weigh Down NTDOY, SONY & MSFT
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Mar 10 2025
0mins
Should l Buy MSFT?
Source: Business Insider
Impact of Tariffs and Recession Fears: Gaming stocks plummeted due to investor concerns over a potential recession, exacerbated by President Trump's comments and increased tariffs on China, which affect major gaming companies' manufacturing and production costs.
Shift Towards Digital Offerings: The rising costs from tariffs may lead game publishers to favor digital releases over physical copies, as ongoing inflation and recession fears could further impact the luxury gaming 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 over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for MSFT is 631.36 USD with a low forecast of 500.00 USD and a high forecast of 678.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
34 Analyst Rating
32 Buy
2 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 401.140
Low
500.00
Averages
631.36
High
678.00
Current: 401.140
Low
500.00
Averages
631.36
High
678.00
About MSFT
Microsoft Corporation is a technology company that develops and supports software, services, devices, and solutions. Its Productivity and Business Processes segment consists of products and services in its portfolio of productivity, communication, and information services, spanning a variety of devices and platforms. It comprises Microsoft 365 Commercial products and cloud services; Microsoft 365 Consumer products and cloud services; LinkedIn, and Dynamics products and cloud services. The Intelligent Cloud segment consists of its public, private, and hybrid server products and cloud services. It comprises server products and cloud services, including Azure, and enterprise and partner services, including Enterprise Support Services. Its More Personal Computing segment primarily comprises Windows and Devices, including Windows OEM licensing; Gaming, including Xbox hardware and Xbox content; Search and news advertising, comprising Bing and Copilot, Microsoft News, and Microsoft Edge.
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.
Microsoft's Azure Cloud Business Continues Impressive Growth
- Azure Revenue Growth: Microsoft's Azure cloud computing business has achieved a year-over-year growth rate of 39%, indicating strong demand for its computing resources, which further solidifies Microsoft's market position in the AI era and is expected to drive future revenue growth.
- Strong Overall Performance: Microsoft's total revenue increased by 17% year-over-year to $81.3 billion, with its Productivity and Business Processes division growing by 16% and consumer cloud revenue rising by 29%, demonstrating excellent performance across its customer base and the positive impact of AI feature integration on business growth.
- Opportunity in OpenAI Investment: Microsoft holds a 27% stake in OpenAI, and while OpenAI's contribution to Microsoft's overall business is limited, investing in Microsoft provides indirect exposure to generative AI, enhancing the attractiveness of Microsoft stock for investors.
- Attractive Valuation for Investment: Microsoft's current operating price-to-earnings ratio is near its lowest levels since 2020, and despite trading at a premium in the past, this valuation correction presents a compelling buying opportunity for investors, with significant upside potential expected over the next few years.
See More
OpenAI's ChatGPT Sees Over 10% Monthly Growth
- Significant User Growth: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed in an internal message that ChatGPT is experiencing over 10% monthly growth, with approximately 800 million weekly active users, demonstrating strong appeal despite fierce competition in the market.
- Product Update Plans: Altman also mentioned that OpenAI plans to release an updated chat model this week, and its AI coding tool Codex has grown by about 50% in the past week, which will further enhance its product competitiveness.
- Ad Testing Launch: OpenAI is set to begin testing ads in ChatGPT today, facing criticism from competitor Anthropic; Altman emphasized the goal of making AI accessible to a broad user base that cannot afford subscription fees.
- Market Valuation Surge: OpenAI's valuation is expected to soar above $800 billion, while Anthropic's latest funding round could elevate its valuation to $350 billion, indicating strong growth potential for both companies in the AI sector.
See More
Investment Opportunity Analysis for Microsoft Stock
- Cloud Business Growth: Microsoft's cloud computing segment, Azure, has seen a 39% year-over-year growth, indicating strong market demand that enhances the company's competitiveness in the AI era, and is expected to continue attracting investor interest.
- OpenAI Investment Advantage: By holding a 27% stake in OpenAI, investing in Microsoft provides indirect exposure to this leading AI company, and while OpenAI's contribution to Microsoft's overall business is limited, it still offers potential profit opportunities for investors.
- Strong Overall Business Performance: Microsoft's total revenue increased by 17% year-over-year to $81.3 billion, with the Productivity and Business Processes division growing by 16%, showcasing the positive impact of AI feature integration on its customer base and further solidifying the company's market position.
- Attractive Stock Valuation: Microsoft is currently trading at one of its lowest price-to-earnings ratios since 2020, and although high valuations previously prevented share repurchases, the current low valuation presents a good buying opportunity for investors, with significant upside expected in the future.
See More
Procter & Gamble's Stock Rebounds, Optimistic Outlook Ahead
- Stock Rebound: Procter & Gamble's shares have risen 10% this year, a sharp contrast to the 13% decline in 2025, indicating a recovery in market confidence towards consumer goods, with expectations for this trend to continue.
- Strong Market Performance: The consumer staples sector rose nearly 6% last week and is up over 12% year-to-date, marking the best start since 1997, reflecting investors' shift towards defensive stocks amid economic uncertainty.
- Improving External Environment: The weaker dollar and lower oil prices are benefiting Procter & Gamble's international sales, with an estimated foreign exchange tailwind of approximately $200 million expected for fiscal year 2026, enhancing the company's profitability.
- Strategic Investment: New CEO Shailesh Jejurikar has stated plans to increase brand investment to drive market growth while looking to cut costs where possible, with expectations for stronger growth in the first half of 2026.
See More
Databricks Raises $7 Billion, Approaches IPO
- Massive Funding Round: Databricks has successfully raised $7 billion, achieving a valuation of $134 billion, which not only reflects market confidence in its future growth but also solidifies the groundwork for its upcoming IPO.
- AI-Driven Database Development: Currently, 80% of the databases on the Databricks platform are built by AI agents, indicating a rapid adoption of AI in software development, particularly among large enterprises, which could reshape the competitive landscape of the industry.
- Extensive Customer Base: Databricks now boasts over 20,000 customers across various sectors, demonstrating strong market demand for its products and providing robust support for the company's future growth.
- Significant Industry Impact: As AI agents increasingly play a role in software construction, CEO Ali Ghodsi emphasizes that this will have profound implications for the entire software industry, prompting companies to rethink how AI can transform traditional development models.
See More
Schwab Trading Activity Index Hits Highest Level Since February 2025
- Significant Index Growth: The Schwab Trading Activity Index (STAX) rose by 3.05% in January to 49.96, marking its highest level since February 2025, indicating a gradual recovery in investor confidence in the market.
- Tech Stocks Lead Buying: Net buying in January was predominantly in the information technology sector, with Schwab clients purchasing popular stocks like Microsoft, Tesla, and Amazon, demonstrating the strong performance of tech stocks positively impacting the overall market.
- Divergent Sector Performance: While five S&P 500 sectors saw net inflows, consumer staples and industrials experienced the highest net outflows, indicating a clear disparity in market sentiment across different sectors, which could influence investment strategies.
- Consistent Market Outperformance: STAX has outperformed the S&P 500 in five of the last six months, highlighting the close relationship between retail investor trading behavior and market trends, potentially providing crucial insights for future investment decisions.
See More
Microsoft's Azure Cloud Business Continues Impressive Growth
- Azure Revenue Growth: Microsoft's Azure cloud computing business has achieved a year-over-year growth rate of 39%, indicating strong demand for its computing resources, which further solidifies Microsoft's market position in the AI era and is expected to drive future revenue growth.
- Strong Overall Performance: Microsoft's total revenue increased by 17% year-over-year to $81.3 billion, with its Productivity and Business Processes division growing by 16% and consumer cloud revenue rising by 29%, demonstrating excellent performance across its customer base and the positive impact of AI feature integration on business growth.
- Opportunity in OpenAI Investment: Microsoft holds a 27% stake in OpenAI, and while OpenAI's contribution to Microsoft's overall business is limited, investing in Microsoft provides indirect exposure to generative AI, enhancing the attractiveness of Microsoft stock for investors.
- Attractive Valuation for Investment: Microsoft's current operating price-to-earnings ratio is near its lowest levels since 2020, and despite trading at a premium in the past, this valuation correction presents a compelling buying opportunity for investors, with significant upside potential expected over the next few years.
See More
OpenAI's ChatGPT Sees Over 10% Monthly Growth
- Significant User Growth: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed in an internal message that ChatGPT is experiencing over 10% monthly growth, with approximately 800 million weekly active users, demonstrating strong appeal despite fierce competition in the market.
- Product Update Plans: Altman also mentioned that OpenAI plans to release an updated chat model this week, and its AI coding tool Codex has grown by about 50% in the past week, which will further enhance its product competitiveness.
- Ad Testing Launch: OpenAI is set to begin testing ads in ChatGPT today, facing criticism from competitor Anthropic; Altman emphasized the goal of making AI accessible to a broad user base that cannot afford subscription fees.
- Market Valuation Surge: OpenAI's valuation is expected to soar above $800 billion, while Anthropic's latest funding round could elevate its valuation to $350 billion, indicating strong growth potential for both companies in the AI sector.
See More
Investment Opportunity Analysis for Microsoft Stock
- Cloud Business Growth: Microsoft's cloud computing segment, Azure, has seen a 39% year-over-year growth, indicating strong market demand that enhances the company's competitiveness in the AI era, and is expected to continue attracting investor interest.
- OpenAI Investment Advantage: By holding a 27% stake in OpenAI, investing in Microsoft provides indirect exposure to this leading AI company, and while OpenAI's contribution to Microsoft's overall business is limited, it still offers potential profit opportunities for investors.
- Strong Overall Business Performance: Microsoft's total revenue increased by 17% year-over-year to $81.3 billion, with the Productivity and Business Processes division growing by 16%, showcasing the positive impact of AI feature integration on its customer base and further solidifying the company's market position.
- Attractive Stock Valuation: Microsoft is currently trading at one of its lowest price-to-earnings ratios since 2020, and although high valuations previously prevented share repurchases, the current low valuation presents a good buying opportunity for investors, with significant upside expected in the future.
See More
Procter & Gamble's Stock Rebounds, Optimistic Outlook Ahead
- Stock Rebound: Procter & Gamble's shares have risen 10% this year, a sharp contrast to the 13% decline in 2025, indicating a recovery in market confidence towards consumer goods, with expectations for this trend to continue.
- Strong Market Performance: The consumer staples sector rose nearly 6% last week and is up over 12% year-to-date, marking the best start since 1997, reflecting investors' shift towards defensive stocks amid economic uncertainty.
- Improving External Environment: The weaker dollar and lower oil prices are benefiting Procter & Gamble's international sales, with an estimated foreign exchange tailwind of approximately $200 million expected for fiscal year 2026, enhancing the company's profitability.
- Strategic Investment: New CEO Shailesh Jejurikar has stated plans to increase brand investment to drive market growth while looking to cut costs where possible, with expectations for stronger growth in the first half of 2026.
See More
Databricks Raises $7 Billion, Approaches IPO
- Massive Funding Round: Databricks has successfully raised $7 billion, achieving a valuation of $134 billion, which not only reflects market confidence in its future growth but also solidifies the groundwork for its upcoming IPO.
- AI-Driven Database Development: Currently, 80% of the databases on the Databricks platform are built by AI agents, indicating a rapid adoption of AI in software development, particularly among large enterprises, which could reshape the competitive landscape of the industry.
- Extensive Customer Base: Databricks now boasts over 20,000 customers across various sectors, demonstrating strong market demand for its products and providing robust support for the company's future growth.
- Significant Industry Impact: As AI agents increasingly play a role in software construction, CEO Ali Ghodsi emphasizes that this will have profound implications for the entire software industry, prompting companies to rethink how AI can transform traditional development models.
See More
Schwab Trading Activity Index Hits Highest Level Since February 2025
- Significant Index Growth: The Schwab Trading Activity Index (STAX) rose by 3.05% in January to 49.96, marking its highest level since February 2025, indicating a gradual recovery in investor confidence in the market.
- Tech Stocks Lead Buying: Net buying in January was predominantly in the information technology sector, with Schwab clients purchasing popular stocks like Microsoft, Tesla, and Amazon, demonstrating the strong performance of tech stocks positively impacting the overall market.
- Divergent Sector Performance: While five S&P 500 sectors saw net inflows, consumer staples and industrials experienced the highest net outflows, indicating a clear disparity in market sentiment across different sectors, which could influence investment strategies.
- Consistent Market Outperformance: STAX has outperformed the S&P 500 in five of the last six months, highlighting the close relationship between retail investor trading behavior and market trends, potentially providing crucial insights for future investment decisions.
See More
