Equity
Retained Earnings
Microsoft Retained Earnings increased by 7.7% to $302.53B in Q1 2026 compared to the prior quarter. Year-over-year, this metric grew by 37.7%, from $219.76B to $302.53B. Over 4 years (FY 2021 to FY 2025), Retained Earnings shows an upward trend with a 42.9% CAGR. This is a positive signal — higher values indicate stronger performance for this metric.
Analysis
StatementBalance Sheet Statement
SectionEquity
CategoryProfitability
SignalHigher is better
VolatilityStable
First reportedQ4 2009
Last reportedQ3 2026Apr 29, 2026
How to read this metric
An increase signals strong historical profitability and reinvestment, while a decrease may indicate losses or significant dividend payouts.
Detailed definition
This represents the cumulative net income earned by the company since its inception, minus any dividends paid to shareho...
Peer comparison
A key metric for all established companies; growth rates are compared against peers to gauge long-term success.
Metric ID:
retained_earningsHistorical Data
20 periods
| Q4 '21 | Q1 '22 | Q2 '22 | Q3 '22 | Q4 '22 | Q1 '23 | Q2 '23 | Q3 '23 | Q4 '23 | Q1 '24 | Q2 '24 | Q3 '24 | Q4 '24 | Q1 '25 | Q2 '25 | Q3 '25 | Q4 '25 | Q1 '26 | Q2 '26 | Q3 '26 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value | $57.06B | $66.94B | $75.05B | $79.63B | $84.28B | $92.37B | $99.37B | $108.23B | $118.85B | $132.14B | $145.74B | $159.39B | $173.14B | $188.93B | $203.48B | $219.76B | $237.73B | $254.87B | $280.79B | $302.53B |
| QoQ Change | — | +17.3% | +12.1% | +6.1% | +5.8% | +9.6% | +7.6% | +8.9% | +9.8% | +11.2% | +10.3% | +9.4% | +8.6% | +9.1% | +7.7% | +8.0% | +8.2% | +7.2% | +10.2% | +7.7% |
| YoY Change | — | — | — | — | +47.7% | +38.0% | +32.4% | +35.9% | +41.0% | +43.1% | +46.7% | +47.3% | +45.7% | +43.0% | +39.6% | +37.9% | +37.3% | +34.9% | +38.0% | +37.7% |
Range$57.06B – $302.53B
CAGR+42.1%
Avg YoY Growth+40.4%
Median YoY Growth+38.8%
Current Streak19+ quarters growth
Retained Earnings at Other Companies
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Microsoft's retained earnings?
- Microsoft (MSFT) reported retained earnings of $302.53B in Q1 2026.
- How has Microsoft's retained earnings changed year-over-year?
- Microsoft's retained earnings increased by 37.7% year-over-year, from $219.76B to $302.53B.
- What is the long-term trend for Microsoft's retained earnings?
- Over 4 years (2021 to 2025), Microsoft's retained earnings has grown at a 42.9% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), from $57.06B to $237.73B.
- What does retained earnings mean?
- The total accumulated profits the company has kept and reinvested rather than paying out as dividends.