News · Yahoo Finance

The Memory Crunch Is Crushing Microsoft Windows PC Sales

Microsoft said on October 28, 2026, that its Windows business will shrink faster in the December quarter than in the September quarter. Windows OEM and devices revenue fell 22%, and Windows OEM alone fell 27% (28% in constant currency), below expectations, which Amy Hood tied to tough comparisons with Windows 10 end-of-support demand, partner inventory drawdowns and weaker PC demand. For the December quarter, she guided Windows OEM and devices revenue to decline in the mid-30s and Devices and Consumer revenue to $15.9 billion to $16.4 billion. Partners had stocked up ahead of memory-driven price increases, and Counterpoint Research counted September-quarter PC shipments down 21% to 57 million, expecting a 27% drop in the December quarter. MSFT rose 2.90% to $546.39 after hours, after closing at $531.01.

Summary written by Upside AI from the original article. Read the source for full details.

Read the original on Yahoo Finance ↗

Keywords

MSFTsemiconductorspersonal computersearnings

Open a keyword to see other news on the same topic.

Related tickers and likely impact

MSFT

▼ Likely negative

Microsoft

Relevance: low

MarketUS stocks
SectorInformation Technology
IndustrySystems Software
Market cap$3.9T
Close on 10/28/2026531.01
Change that session-0.06%
MSFT price, forecasts and signals →

Impact is scored by AI from the headline and may be wrong. It is not investment advice.

Related news

  • Intel stock plunges 20% as chipmaker blames PC slowdown for weak guidance

    Intel shares plunged in extended trading after the chipmaker issued a weak fourth-quarter forecast, citing continued softness in the PC market. In the third quarter, adjusted EPS was 52 cents versus 40 cents expected, and revenue was $16.51 billion, up 21% from $13.7 billion a year earlier. Revenue in the client computing and physical AI group fell 5% to $8.1 billion, while data center and AI revenue jumped 78% to $7.3 billion. Counterpoint Research said global PC shipments fell 4% in the second quarter due to soaring memory and component costs. For the fourth quarter, Intel guided to adjusted EPS of 25 cents and revenue of $15 billion to $16 billion, below the $17.1 billion and 43 cents analysts expected, according to LSEG.

    CNBC·Intelsemiconductorsearnings
  • Can Slightly Higher Processor Revenues Aid Intel's Q3 Earnings?

    Intel is set to report third-quarter 2026 results after the close on October 29. The article expects revenue from the Client Computing Group (CCG), the company's largest segment, to rise slightly despite high customer inventory and cautious ordering of high-value items. Intel expanded its Google Cloud partnership, deploying Gemini Enterprise across its workforce, and extended Core Ultra Series 3 processors, built on its 18A process, to new Googlebook laptops. However, the article flags risks including intense price competition from over-the-top service providers, higher raw material costs tied to Middle East tensions and the Russia-Ukraine war, and rapid product obsolescence that raises operating costs.

    Yahoo Finance·Intelearningssemiconductors
  • PC Sales Just Crashed 21% as AI Eats the World’s Memory Chips

    Counterpoint Research reported that global PC shipments fell 21% year over year in the third quarter to 57 million units, as higher memory and other component costs pushed up PC prices and constrained demand. Gartner counted 55.4 million units, down 22.4%, and IDC 62.7 million, down 20.1%, while Counterpoint expects a 27% decline in the fourth quarter. HP's shipments fell 31% to 10.3 million, the steepest drop among the major makers, with Dell down 25% to 7.6 million and Lenovo down 23% to 15.0 million. The trackers attribute part of the drop to AI server demand, which TrendForce said would push Q4 conventional DRAM contract prices up 10% to 15% and NAND flash up 15% to 20%, and to a year-ago base inflated by Windows 10 pre-buying and tariff stocking. Counterpoint warned that stabilization should not be mistaken for recovery, and HP's next report is estimated for November 24, 2026, though the company has not confirmed the date.

    Yahoo Finance·▼ AAPLsemiconductorsartificial intelligencepersonal computers
  • Intel Drops 4% Ahead of Earnings as Foundry Hopes Fade; Alphabet Tumbles 12%, Microsoft Edges Lower

    Intel fell about 4% to $92.04 ahead of its Q3 2026 report after the close, extending a 20% drop over the past month, after Elon Musk's Terafab confirmed talks with Taiwan Semiconductor about a dedicated fab, undercutting Intel's position as a central foundry partner. Intel Foundry revenue rose 31% to $5.76 billion in Q2 2026, but the unit still posted a $2.1 billion operating loss, and Bernstein models Q4 2026 revenue below consensus on weaker PC demand. Alphabet fell 12% to $284.82 after Q3 revenue of $127.58 billion, up 24.6%, slightly missed expectations, and EPS of $2.12 trailed the $2.97 consensus due to an $8.7 billion equity securities loss, while capex of $51.36 billion pushed free cash flow to negative $9.07 billion. Microsoft edged down 1% to $524.40 even as adjusted EPS of $4.89 beat the $4.72 consensus.

    Yahoo Finance·▼ GOOGL▼ MSFT▼ QQQ▼ SPYGOOGLMSFTIntel
  • 3 Key Things to Monitor When Tech Giants Report Earnings

    The article highlights three factors to watch as Alphabet, Microsoft and Amazon report earnings: AI capital expenditure, revenue growth rates and management guidance. If hyperscalers keep ramping up spending, chipmakers could benefit. Micron posted 379% year-over-year revenue growth in its fiscal Q4 2026, while Google Cloud grew 82% in the second quarter, and the author prefers operating income over net income because large investments in SpaceX and Anthropic distort net results. Amazon reported a trailing 12-month cash outflow of $7.6 billion, mainly due to AI investments, compared with $18.2 billion in positive free cash flow for the 12 months ended June 30, 2025.

    Yahoo Finance·• MSFTearningsMSFTAI investment
  • 3 Quality Stocks With ROE Over 30%

    The article highlights three stocks with return on equity above 30% and solid balance sheets: Exponent, Microsoft and Applied Materials. It notes that the same screen surfaced 22 other businesses that are not covered. Exponent, a science and engineering consultancy, generates about US$541 million from engineering and other scientific services, while Microsoft's Intelligent Cloud segment brings in around US$138b and Applied Materials' Semiconductor Systems about US$22.4b, with a market value of US$324.8b. The piece raises questions about rising costs, such as Microsoft's AI-related spending, and how they could affect future returns on shareholder capital.

    Yahoo Finance·MSFTApplied Materialssemiconductors

Related markets

US stocks →

Latest news

  • Facing Pham Nhat Vuong on home turf: what opportunity for Elon Musk?

    Tesla Motors Vietnam Co., Ltd. was registered in Ho Chi Minh City on September 11, 2026, with charter capital of about 77.7 billion VND (roughly US$3 million), according to business registration records, while Tesla has not announced models, prices, showrooms or launch timing. Analysts see the entity as serving imported vehicle sales and after-sales service, with no sign of local assembly. VinFast holds about 92% of Vietnam's EV market share, according to HSC Securities cited by CNBC, backed by its showroom, service and charging network. Model 3 and Model Y are expected to be the first models, initially targeting high-income buyers. Starlink, SpaceX's satellite internet service, was licensed in February 2026 and began selling in mid-August 2026, with family plans from about 1.13 million VND per month.

    CafeF·• VICTeslaelectric vehiclesElon Musk
  • Amazon.com Q3 Earnings Call Highlights

    Amazon reported third-quarter revenue up 12% to $201.9 billion and operating income up 61% to $28.1 billion, with a record 13.9% operating margin. AWS revenue reached $46 billion, up 39.3%, with a $578 billion backlog, and management expects AWS growth above 40% in 2027 and 2028, driven by AI infrastructure, Bedrock and custom chips. Capital expenditures were $75.9 billion in the quarter and are expected to total about $220 billion in 2026, with further increases in 2027. Amazon forecast fourth-quarter net sales of $240 billion to $247 billion and operating income of $28.5 billion to $33.5 billion. North America revenue rose 6% to $112.9 billion, while management highlighted faster delivery and grocery expansion.

    Yahoo Finance·• AMZNAMZNearningscloud computing
  • Semiconductor Sell-Off: The 1 AI Chip Stock I'd Buy and 1 I'd Avoid

    The article argues a semiconductor sell-off may offer a chance to join the AI boom at a lower price, but not every chip stock is equally suited. Broadcom (AVGO) is viewed positively for AI semiconductor revenue up 221% year over year in fiscal Q3 2026, driven by custom accelerators and AI networking, and a forward P/E of about 18 that the author finds attractive. Its key risk is reliance on a small group of large customers. Intel (INTC) is described as in a turnaround, investing in its Intel 18A process and Intel Foundry, but its forward P/E of about 51 leaves less room for disappointment if execution falls short. The author concludes Broadcom is the stronger choice for investors seeking AI growth at a reasonable price.

    Yahoo Finance·▼ NVDAsemiconductorsNVDAartificial intelligence
  • Binance hack may involve private key 'misuse,' not theft: Blockaid CEO

    Blockaid CEO Ido Ben-Natan preliminarily assesses that attackers may have manipulated Binance's transaction-signing infrastructure rather than stealing private keys, with similarities to the February 2025 Bybit hack. In Blockaid's onchain analysis, the attacker bundled 50 EIP-7702 authorizations into one transaction targeting Binance 14, delegating the affected account to an unverified sweeper contract. Binance has not confirmed the method used to steal over $2.5 billion in crypto, which is described as the largest crypto hack in history. Ben-Natan said the activity may have involved multiple compromised devices, though this is unconfirmed, and its sophistication resembles operations linked to North Korean attackers.

    Cointelegraph·▼ BNB/USDT• BTC/USDTcryptoBinancecybersecurity
  • Is Alphabet Stock a Buy After Its Post-Earnings Drop?

    Alphabet shares fell about 10% in after-hours trading on October 28, despite third-quarter revenue up 25% to $127.6 billion and Google Cloud revenue more than doubling. Earnings per share fell to $2.12 from $2.87, and free cash flow was negative for a second straight quarter as capital spending rose to $51.4 billion. The author argues the EPS decline looks worse than it is: excluding investment gains and losses, EPS rose about 22% to about $2.67, and Google Cloud revenue grew 103% to $30.7 billion. However, the operating margin fell to 31.8%, and the 2026 capex outlook of $195 billion to $205 billion points to continued heavy spending. The author says the stock at about 19 times expected 2027 earnings looks reasonably priced, though free cash flow may worsen before it improves.

    Yahoo Finance·▼ GOOGLGOOGLearningscloud computing
  • Nasdaq 100 Futures Dip On Weak Intel, Amazon Earnings With Bloated Capex Worries Weighing On Sentiment — AMZN, INTC, SBUX, PLTR, ASTS In Focus

    U.S. stock indices closed lower on Thursday and extended declines after hours as Amazon's bloated capital expenditures fed investor fears that the AI capex cycle may have gotten ahead of itself. During the session, the Nasdaq 100 fell 1.4% and the S&P 500 lost 0.3%, while the Russell 2000 gained 1%. Amazon (AMZN) shares dropped about 7% after hours after it spent upwards of $77 billion on property and equipment in the third quarter, producing a free cash outflow of $42.4 billion, even as revenue rose 12% to $201.9 billion. Intel (INTC) shares tumbled about 17% after hours after it forecast weaker-than-expected fourth-quarter revenue and earnings amid a PC sales slump and supply bottlenecks. On the other side, JPMorgan turned bullish on Palantir (PLTR), forecasting a stock rally of more than 30%.

    Yahoo Finance·▼ AMZN▼ QQQ▼ SPYNasdaqAMZNIntel

All news →

Get the briefing on Telegram or Zalo

Join the Upside Telegram channel or Zalo group for the Vietnam stocks and gold briefing at 8:00 and 19:00 (Vietnam time) on trading days, plus a weekly wrap on Saturday morning.