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Microsoft Corp.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 29 October 2025: press release. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose 18% to $77.7 billion: Revenue was $77.7 billion, up 18% (17% in constant currency), for the quarter ended September 30, 2025. Source
  • Intelligent Cloud grew 28%: Intelligent Cloud revenue was $30.9 billion, up 28% (27% in constant currency), the fastest-growing of the three segments. Source
  • Operating income rose 24%: Operating income was $38.0 billion, up 24% (22% in constant currency), with operating expenses of $15.7 billion. Source
  • Net cash from operations rose to $45.1 billion: Net cash from operations was $45.1 billion against $34.2 billion a year earlier; the accounts receivable change added $16.5 billion. Source
  • $10.7 billion returned to shareholders: Microsoft returned $10.7 billion to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases in the first quarter of fiscal year 2026. Source
  • AI investment rising in capital and talent: Nadella said the company continues to increase AI investment across capital and talent. Source
  • OpenAI losses reduced GAAP net income: Losses from OpenAI investments reduced net income and diluted EPS in the quarter; the company reports these effects as non-GAAP adjustments. Source

“Our planet-scale cloud and AI factory, together with Copilots across high value domains, is driving broad diffusion and real-world impact,”

Satya Nadella, chairman and chief executive officer of Microsoft

What changed from last quarter

  • New: Non-GAAP results now exclude OpenAI investment impacts, a measure the prior-quarter release did not contain. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue rose 18% to $77.7 billion: Revenue was $77.7 billion, up 18% (17% in constant currency), for the quarter ended September 30, 2025. Source
  • Non-GAAP EPS rose 23% to $4.13: Non-GAAP diluted EPS was $4.13, up 23%; GAAP diluted EPS was $3.72, up 13%. Non-GAAP figures exclude OpenAI investment impacts. Source
  • Currency added to reported growth: Constant currency impact was $1,015 million on revenue, $730 million on operating income, $430 million on net income and $0.06 on diluted EPS. Source
  • GAAP net income rose 12%: GAAP net income was $27.7 billion, up 12%; non-GAAP net income was $30.8 billion, up 22%, excluding OpenAI investment impacts. Source

Segments and products

  • Intelligent Cloud grew 28%: Intelligent Cloud revenue was $30.9 billion, up 28% (27% in constant currency), the fastest-growing of the three segments. Source
  • Productivity segment rose 17%: Productivity and Business Processes revenue was $33.0 billion, up 17% (14% in constant currency); LinkedIn rose 10% and Dynamics 365 rose 18%. Source
  • More Personal Computing rose 4%: More Personal Computing revenue was $13.8 billion, up 4%; Windows OEM and Devices rose 6% and Xbox content and services rose 1%. Source

“We delivered a strong start to the fiscal year, exceeding expectations across revenue, operating income, and earnings per share,”

Amy Hood, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Microsoft

Demand and customer trends

  • Customer demand cited for Microsoft Cloud: Management attributed Microsoft Cloud results to growing customer demand for its differentiated platform. Source
  • Search advertising rose 16%: Search and news advertising excluding traffic acquisition costs was up 16%, or 15% in constant currency. Source
  • Consumer Microsoft 365 cloud rose 26%: Microsoft 365 Consumer cloud revenue rose 26%, or 25% in constant currency. Source

Costs, margins and other expense

  • Cost of revenue rose to $24.0 billion: Total cost of revenue was $24.0 billion against $20.1 billion; gross margin was $53.6 billion against $45.5 billion. Source
  • Operating income rose 24%: Operating income was $38.0 billion, up 24% (22% in constant currency), with operating expenses of $15.7 billion. Source
  • Intelligent Cloud cost of revenue rose: Intelligent Cloud cost of revenue was $12.3 billion against $8.6 billion; its operating income was $13.4 billion against $10.5 billion. Source
  • Other expense rose to $3.7 billion: Other expense, net was $3.66 billion against $283 million a year earlier; provision for income taxes was $6.55 billion against $5.60 billion. Source

“Continued strength in the Microsoft Cloud reflects the growing customer demand for our differentiated platform.”

Amy Hood, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Microsoft

Cash flow and capital spending

  • Net cash from operations rose to $45.1 billion: Net cash from operations was $45.1 billion against $34.2 billion a year earlier; the accounts receivable change added $16.5 billion. Source
  • Capital spending rose to $19.4 billion: Additions to property and equipment were $19.4 billion against $14.9 billion a year earlier. Source
  • Cash and short-term investments reached $102.0 billion: Total cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments was $102.0 billion at September 30, 2025, up from $94.6 billion at June 30, 2025. Source

Shareholder returns

  • $10.7 billion returned to shareholders: Microsoft returned $10.7 billion to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases in the first quarter of fiscal year 2026. Source
  • Repurchases and dividends both increased: Cash repurchases were $5,650 million and dividends paid were $6,169 million, against $4,107 million and $5,574 million a year earlier. Source
  • Weighted diluted shares roughly flat: Diluted weighted average shares were 7,466 million against 7,470 million a year earlier; basic shares were 7,433 million in both periods. Source

AI investment and OpenAI accounting

  • AI investment rising in capital and talent: Nadella said the company continues to increase AI investment across capital and talent. Source
  • OpenAI losses reduced GAAP net income: Losses from OpenAI investments reduced net income and diluted EPS in the quarter; the company reports these effects as non-GAAP adjustments. Source
  • Non-GAAP excludes OpenAI investment impact: Non-GAAP net income and EPS exclude OpenAI investment impacts; the prior-year quarter had a $523 million impact and $0.07 per share. Source

Balance sheet and unearned revenue

  • Total assets rose to $636.4 billion: Property and equipment, net, rose to $230.9 billion from $205.0 billion; total assets were $636.4 billion at September 30, 2025. Source
  • Long-term debt declined to $35.4 billion: Long-term debt fell to $35.4 billion from $40.2 billion, while the current portion rose to $7.8 billion from $3.0 billion. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Microsoft Cloud revenue Source$49.1 billion, up 26% (25% in constant currency)
Commercial remaining performance obligation Source$392 billion, up 51%
Azure and other cloud services revenue growth Sourceup 40% (39% in constant currency)

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: Losses on OpenAI investments reduced net income and diluted EPS in the quarter, and the company presents these effects as non-GAAP adjustments. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.