Microsoft reports $3.2B gain on Anthropic investment but sees OpenAI underperform
In its fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings report, Microsoft recorded a significant financial boost from its investment in AI startup Anthropic, marking it as a $3.2 billion gain that increased diluted earnings per share by 33 cents to reach $4.81 for the quarter. The company had invested $5 billion into Anthropic in November 2025 under an agreement where Anthropic would purchase $30 billion worth of Azure services. In contrast, Microsoft's investment in OpenAI performed poorly during the same period, with a reported write-down of about $600 million that reduced diluted EPS by approximately 7 cents. Despite this loss, it was relatively minor compared to Microsoft’s overall strong financial performance for the quarter and fiscal year. For the full fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, Microsoft's OpenAI investment still generated a $5 billion gain, contributing positively to its annual earnings per share by $0.67.
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Topics: Anthropic earnings investments Microsoft OpenAI