Key Takeaways
- Microsoft recorded a $3.2 billion gain from its investment in Anthropic during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026.
- This gain adds around $0.33 per share to Microsoft's diluted earnings, compared to $4.81 per share for the quarter.
- OpenAI’s full-year gain was nearly $5 billion, adding $0.67 per share to earnings.
Microsoft has reported a significant financial gain from its investment in Anthropic, with a $3.2 billion profit recorded during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026. This substantial return adds approximately $0.33 per share to Microsoft’s diluted earnings, according to TechCrunch.
The company's total diluted earnings for the quarter stood at $4.81 per share, highlighting the considerable impact of this investment on its financial performance. As part of a broader partnership agreement, Anthropic committed to purchasing $30 billion worth of Azure computing capacity and additional capacity up to one gigawatt.
Microsoft had initially invested up to $5 billion in Anthropic in November 2025, making the recent gain particularly noteworthy as it represents a large portion of its original investment. The partnership is designed to leverage Anthropic’s capabilities for cloud services, with both parties benefiting from increased collaboration and technology sharing.
In comparison, Microsoft's OpenAI investment contributed a $480 million gain in the fourth quarter, adding $0.07 per share to diluted earnings. For the full fiscal year, the OpenAI investment generated nearly $5 billion and added $0.67 per share to earnings. Microsoft holds roughly 27% of OpenAI, with its stake valued at about $135 billion following a recent recapitalization in October 2025.
Despite the impressive gain from Anthropic, it is still important to note that OpenAI’s full-year performance was significantly stronger. The comparison underscores the varying levels of success across different investments and partnerships within Microsoft's broader strategy.
Microsoft ended fiscal 2026 with $331.8 billion in revenue and $133.7 billion in net income, reflecting a robust financial year overall. In the fourth quarter alone, revenue reached $90 billion while net income rose to $35.8 billion.
