Microsoft (MSFT) is a company that has shown an impressive journey since it’s humble origins, which began as tiny software developer for computers in 1975. It was established by childhood buddies Bill Gates and Paul Allen.
In October 2024, Microsoft (MSFT) was the second-largest corporation in the world by market capitalization. This is a reflection of the spirit of entrepreneurship that drove its rapid growth.
So what are the top Microsoft shareholders right now? Here, we’ll learn who owns Microsoft in 2025.
Key Takeaways |
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Microsoft Performance: Product, Market Cap and Share Price Details
Microsoft’s business has expanded beyond its mainstay Windows operating system. Its offerings include software development tools, business solution applications as well as video games.
It provides a range of services like Azure cloud-based solutions as well as online advertising. It also manufactures and sells products like tablets, computers and gaming consoles, like the Xbox.
As per Companies Market Cap, as of October 2024, the market capitalization of Microsoft was $3.198 trillion, a rise from just $325 billion in the start of 2001. Microsoft’s main competitor, Apple (AAPL), is first in the list with a market capitalization in the range of $3.542 trillion.
Microsoft’s stock was traded at $430.30 when the market closed on September. 30. This was more than 20 times the price of the price at the time of its initial publicly offered (IPO) price in 1986.
The company grew throughout the years, even when Bill Gates was no longer an investor of significant size and was removed from his full-time position as CEO in the year 2008.
Who is the owner of Microsoft? An analysis of Microsoft’s ownership structure
Microsoft’s ownership is controlled by institutional shareholders. They make up 71.74 percent of Microsoft’s outstanding shares according to Nasdaq information on October 1st 2024. The rest of the shares are held by retail and individual investors.
However, Microsoft’s holdings in institutions aren’t as high as the software stocks of its competitors. For instance, the institutional holdings of Synopsys and Adobe represent greater than 80 percent of the stock’s total outstanding value, as per the data provided by WallStreet Jen.
| Institutional investors are an important indicator of the value and liquidity of a company’s stock since they’re typically the largest market players, such as mutual funds, investment bankers as well as pension funds. The more of the stock owned by institutions as well as pension funds, the more stable its price of the stock will be since they usually have stock to hold for a longer time. |
In addition, the selection of stocks usually involves thorough research conducted by a team of highly experienced analysts.
Wallstreetzen’s data indicates that insiders own 6.24 percent of Microsoft and retail investors hold 23.87 percent of the company.
Insiders of companies, such as directors, executives or other beneficial owners who hold 10 percent or more of the company’s common stock, could also influence the stock’s availability to trade. This is due to the fact that other investors think that insiders be privy to extremely private company information.
| Insiders selling a company’s shares may weaken confidence since it raises doubts about their reasons for the sale. On the other hand, insiders buying shares are viewed as a favorable indicator of the company’s performance. |
Top Institutional Microsoft Shareholders
Let’s see who Microsoft’s investors were in 2024.
Top 5 Institutional Microsoft Investors in 2024
Vanguard Group and Blackrock remain the two largest institutional shareholders, with the biggest holdings of Microsoft shares.
Who is the remaining Microsoft owners? This is the discussion section.
Top 5 Institutional Microsoft Investors |
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| Institutional Names investing in Microsoft | Percentage of investment |
| The Vanguard Group | 9.05% |
| Blackrock | 7.42% |
| State Street | 3.98% |
| Fidelity | 2.90% |
| Geode Capital Management | 2.16% |
| Other | 74.49% |
Top Individual Microsoft Shareholders
We look at who owns the largest amount of Microsoft stocks among investors who are not individuals by analyzing data using SEC along with MSFT’s annual filings
Top 5 Individual Microsoft Shareholders |
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| Individual Names investing in Microsoft | Shares |
| Satya Nadella | 864327 |
| Bradford L. Smith | 532347 |
| Amy E. Hood | 496369 |
| Kathleen T. Hogan | 159763 |
| Judson B. Althoff | 104948 |
Final Thoughts
More than 70 percent of Microsoft’s stock is held by stockholders who are institutional investors.
Vanguard as well as Blackrock are Microsoft’s two top institutional investors, with 9.09 percent and 7.45 percent, respectively.
A significant portion investors from institutional stockholders will enjoy more influence on Microsoft’s corporate decision-making.