Microsoft AI Business Doubles to $370B ARR; Plans $190B Capex for 2026

On April 29, Microsoft reported third-quarter fiscal 2026 results for the period ended March 31, beating market expectations. Q3 revenue reached $82.886 billion, up 18% year-over-year and above the expected $81.4 billion; GAAP net profit grew 23% to $31.778 billion; non-GAAP diluted earnings per share came in at $4.27, exceeding the expected $4.06.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella highlighted that the company's AI business achieved annualized revenue of over $37 billion, up 123% year-over-year. Azure cloud growth reached 40%, surpassing market expectations of 37%. For the next quarter, Microsoft guided revenue to $86.7–$87.8 billion, with Azure expected to grow 39–40%. CFO Amy Hood projected full-year 2026 capex at $190 billion, a 61% increase from 2025, driven by data center infrastructure investments and component price increases of approximately $25 billion.