Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) — Quality & forensics

As of 2026-09-18 — refreshed nightly. Closelook readings from an investment research diary, not ratings or advice.

The Closelook module scores

56 /100 composite · 7 modules · software-infra weight set

Valuation 30
Quality 83
Growth 55
Balance sheet 68
Cash quality 40
Capital allocation 43
Momentum 74

Scores are computed nightly across the coverage universe and read relative to it — the methodology lives in the company-scoring explainer.

Financial forensics — the academic screens

8.91 Altman Z-Score

Sits in the safe zone (above 2.99). The Z-Score estimates financial-distress risk from five balance-sheet and earnings ratios.

6/9 Piotroski F-Score

Nine binary fundamental-strength checks across profitability, leverage and operating efficiency.

-2.59 Beneish M-Score

Screens reported earnings for statistical manipulation patterns — below the −1.78 manipulation-risk threshold. A screen, not an accusation.

Continue: the MSFT chart & overview · the earnings record · MSFT on the tape

FAQ · from the current data · as of 2026-09-18

Quick answers

What is Microsoft Corporation's Closelook quality reading?

The composite reads 56/100 across 7 modules, as of 2026-09-18: valuation 30, quality 83, growth 55, balance sheet 68, cash quality 40, capital allocation 43, momentum 74. Closelook scores are research diary readings, not ratings or investment advice.

What is Microsoft Corporation's Altman Z-Score?

8.91, which sits in the safe zone (above 2.99) as of 2026-09-18. The Altman Z-Score estimates financial distress risk from five balance-sheet and earnings ratios.

What is Microsoft Corporation's Piotroski F-Score?

6 of 9, as of 2026-09-18. The F-Score counts nine binary fundamental-strength signals across profitability, leverage and operating efficiency.

What does Microsoft Corporation's Beneish M-Score indicate?

-2.59 — below the −1.78 manipulation-risk threshold, as of 2026-09-18. The M-Score screens reported earnings for statistical manipulation patterns; it is a screen, not an accusation.

Mentioned on Closelook

Where MSFT appears in the diary — 29 pieces, newest first. Every link is our own writing.

Go deeper

Long reads

The Agentic Winners 25Dossier · $49 · 31 Mar 2026Bellwethers — large, liquid names like Microsoft, Salesforce, and Intuit whose price action telegraphs sector sentiment before mid-caps move.
NVIDIA 2030Dossier · $49 · 24 Mar 2026The historical analogy chain — Microsoft (Windows monopoly) → Apple (consumer computing platform) → AWS (global cloud utility) → NVIDIA (global intelligence utility) — frames the scale of what is happening.
Agentic Application Software: The SaaSpocalypse MapDossier · $39 · 27 Feb 2026Palantir (PLTR) · ServiceNow (NOW) · SAP (partial — ERP data locked in) Productivity & Collaboration Adapt or die — copilots vs replacement Microsoft owns the distribution channel: 365 + Copilot captures the vast majority of enterprise…
AI Economy — Three Futures for 2030, and the One the Model Leaves OutReport · 14 Sept 2026Microsoft’s chief executive welcomed deliberate pacing.
Google and RSI — The Loop Nobody Has ClosedReport · 13 Sept 2026
Magnificent Seven — The Seven at the ShelfWeekly Signal · 30 Aug 2026The Magnificent Seven fund was +2.66% on the week against the flat index, Microsoft led the board at +6.3%, and six of the seven were green.
Pattern 03 — NVIDIA Strategic Authority InvestmentReport · 12 May 2026Three rhythmic series run alongside the dated events: Hyperscaler earnings (MSFT / GOOGL / META / AMZN, quarterly) — capex disclosures set NVIDIA's tape.
The SaaS Litmus Test: Is The March Bottom Real?Weekly Signal · 19 Apr 2026

101 and glossary

Agentic AI Adoption Curve: Where We Are and What Comes Next101The 'Cannibalize or Die' companies that pivoted early (Microsoft Copilot, Salesforce Agentforce) start showing agent-platform revenue.
The CapEx Cliff Question: When Does AI Infrastructure Spending Peak?101Hyperscalers (Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Meta) are spending over $200 billion annually on AI infrastructure.

Dailies

Day after the hike — yields fall and the lines are retaken: 10-year 4.95%, chips +3% over $505, S&P ETF above $757.83Midday 10 · 17 Sept 2026Software recovers less than it fell: software ETF +0.9% to $105.93 after three days of selling; Microsoft +1.3% to $496.79, CrowdStrike +1.7% to $245.55, Adobe flat at $250.19 under its $256.29 paid line
Rates — the Fed hikes and the 10-year closes above 5%: the belly sold, the relief unwound, chips back under $505Morning 10 · 17 Sept 2026The other three on the hike: Agentic Winners 40 −1.3% to 921.21 — Applications −1.5%, UiPath −4.2%, CoStar −3.8%, Duolingo −3.7%, Intuit −3.4%, Adobe −2.8%, ServiceNow −1.5%, Microsoft −1.4%, Oracle +2.0%; HALO −0.3% to 1,005.06, Energy…
Fed day — relief before the decision: 10-year 4.96%, Brent under $107.63, chips reclaim $505, Nasdaq-100 above $708.69Midday 10 · 16 Sept 2026Software is the laggard: the software ETF flat at $105.41, Microsoft −0.5%, ServiceNow −0.8%; the security names hold, Palo Alto +1.2%.
AI trade — sellers of compute sold, buyers bought: chips −5.6%, software +5%, SoftBank +7% in TokyoMorning 10 · 15 Sept 2026Microsoft, Alphabet and Meta — the three that buy the most compute — closed up 2% to 3%.
Rates — the 10-year hits 5.01%: Dow −0.9%, Russell −1.2%, the AI sort pauses, Oracle and Adobe hold their linesMidday 10 · 15 Sept 2026The security group keeps its bid — CrowdStrike +2.9%, SentinelOne +2.3%, Zscaler +1.8% — and the buyers of compute give some back: Alphabet −1.6%, Amazon −1.5%, Apple −1.0%, Microsoft −0.8%.
Chips lead the market down as oil tops $105 and the 10-year hits 4.92%: Micron −4%, Intel −4%, Nvidia −2.5% — while software posts its first up day in six and Apple gains 3%Midday 10 · 10 Sept 2026On Wednesday five names with headlines rallied inside a falling fund; today the fund is up 0.5% while the names without news are the ones rising — ServiceNow +2.1% at $134 after a week of selling, Salesforce +0.6%, Datadog +0.5%, Shopify…
Chips up again, software down again — Friday's split is turning into a trendMidday 10 · 8 Sept 2026Shopify is down about 7.2%, Intuit 5.7%, Workday 5.6%, Booking 5.8%, ServiceNow 4.3%, Salesforce 3.5%, Adobe 3.3%, MongoDB 2.7%, Datadog 2.3%, Palantir 1.7% and Microsoft 1.4%.
Chips jump 3% while software falls 2% — the hot jobs report has split the tech trade in twoMidday 10 · 4 Sept 2026Nvidia and Caterpillar are the strongest shares in the Dow, Apple and Microsoft the weakest.