Recently, tech giant Microsoft (MSFT) ran afoul of some protesting staff members, and is apparently putting that protest to work. Microsoft President Brad Smith recently came out with some cutting remarks for protesters, which resulted in some more firings. The news was apparently reasonably good as far as investors were concerned. They sent Microsoft shares up fractionally in Monday afternoon’s trading.
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Smith, during an internal meeting, declared, “Let me say this, anybody who is smart enough to get a job at Microsoft is smart enough to know that you don’t get to storm in and break into buildings and occupy other people’s offices and keep your job at Microsoft.” Notions that the protesters were simply protesting were brushed aside, with Smith pointing out that the protesters trespassed and used Microsoft property—furniture, specifically—to barricade themselves in the buildings.
The whole protest appears largely moot anyway, as Smith also noted that Microsoft has policies that prohibit customers from “…using its services for mass surveillance of civilians….” Microsoft is also setting up some new processes that allow employees to report violations of those policies, though it is unclear how much impact such a move will have immediately.
Windows for Xbox?
It is not inaccurate—at least, not completely—to declare an Xbox essentially a gaming PC with a highly-specific user interface. So the idea that, one day, it might run on Windows is not necessarily out of line. Microsoft has been pushing such an angle through its “This is an Xbox” campaign, as well as the new connections to Steam that have been showing up.
So will the next Xbox be a Windows PC? Some believe this is likely to happen. Others believe that this is just a bit too far for even Microsoft to consider. There is nothing to stop it, specifically, except Microsoft’s own decision here. And that is what ultimately will settle this. Still, the fact that it is even a possibility should give investors a note of pause. This might happen.
Is Microsoft a Buy, Hold or Sell?
Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Strong Buy consensus rating on MSFT stock based on 34 Buys and one Hold assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. After a 18.21% rally in its share price over the past year, the average MSFT price target of $625.78 per share implies 22.25% upside potential.
