Microsoft vs Nasdaq Inc — how do they compare? Microsoft trades at $492.34 (market cap $3.74T), while Nasdaq Inc trades at $95.37 (market cap $53.11B). The key difference: Microsoft is far larger — about 70.4× Nasdaq Inc's market cap, and Nasdaq Inc pays the higher dividend (1.22%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| MSFT | NDAQ | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $3.74T | $53.11B |
Volume | 36,654,621 | — |
Sector | Technology | Financials |
52-Week High | $542.07 | $100.98 |
52-Week Low | $352.83 | $76.85 |
Enterprise Value | $3.72T | $59.57B |
Dividend Yield | 0.72% | 1.22% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Microsoft (MSFT) trades at $492.85, down 2.61% over the past day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages. The company reported strong earnings beats in recent quarters, with Q2 2026 EPS of $4.74 exceeding the $4.24 estimate. Revenue growth remains robust, reaching $281.72 billion in 2025, while profitability metrics like a 40.31% net income margin and 34.04% ROE highlight operational strength. Recent news emphasizes Microsoft's leadership in AI and cloud computing, though concerns over capital expenditures persist.
The outlook for MSFT is positive, driven by AI integration and cloud demand, with a consensus price target of $555.00 implying ~13% upside. Risks include competitive pressures in AI, high valuation multiples, and macroeconomic volatility. Institutional sentiment is strongly bullish, with 80.49% of analysts rating it a buy, supporting a favorable long-term investment case despite near-term volatility.
Nasdaq (NDAQ) trades at $95.26, down 0.38% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and strong fundamental performance. Revenue grew to $8.26B in 2025, with net income reaching $1.79B and a profit margin of 21.64%. The company has beaten EPS estimates in recent quarters and announced the acquisition of LeveL Markets to expand its market infrastructure. Analyst consensus is strongly positive, with a $109.20 price target indicating ~15% upside.
Outlook remains favorable driven by earnings growth and strategic acquisitions, though risks include market volatility and integration challenges. The stock offers value through consistent profitability and dividend payments, supported by institutional confidence. Investors should weigh execution risks against the potential for continued expansion in financial services technology.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Microsoft Corporation develops, manufactures, licenses, sells, and supports software products. The Company offers operating system software, server application software, business and consumer applications software, software development tools, and Internet and intranet software. Microsoft also develops video game consoles and digital music entertainment devices.
Read more on MSFT →Founded in 1971, Nasdaq is primarily known for its equity exchange, but in addition to its market-services business (about 35% of sales), the company sells and distributes market data as well as offers Nasdaq-branded indexes to asset managers and investors through its information-services segment (30%). Nasdaq's corporate-services business (20%) offers listing services and related investor relations products to publicly traded companies and through the company's market technology group (15%), Nasdaq facilitates the exchange operations of other exchanges throughout the world and provides financial compliance services.
Read more on NDAQ →