MSFT - Microsoft Corporation

NasdaqGS - NasdaqGS Real Time Price. Currency in USD
123.37
+1.60 (+1.31%)
At close: 4:00PM EDT
Stock chart is not supported by your current browser
Previous Close121.77
Open122.19
Bid123.37 x 2900
Ask123.48 x 1800
Day's Range121.31 - 123.50
52 Week Range90.28 - 123.52
Volume27,990,998
Avg. Volume25,756,975
Market Cap946.521B
Beta (3Y Monthly)1.01
PE Ratio (TTM)28.62
EPS (TTM)4.31
Earnings DateApr 24, 2019
Forward Dividend & Yield1.84 (1.56%)
Ex-Dividend Date2019-05-15
1y Target Est129.25
Trade prices are not sourced from all markets
  • Console gaming is at a crossroads
    Engadget18 hours ago

    Console gaming is at a crossroads

    Sony and Microsoft have been walking the same path for nearly 20 years, when it comes to gaming hardware. Instead of leaves, shiny silver game discs dangle from the trees, while black and white boxes of varying sizes line the underbrush, covered in decades of debris and Doritos dust. Both companies know this trail well -- but it's about to split in two.

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  • 3 Stocks to Buy and Hold for the Next 50 Years
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    3 Stocks to Buy and Hold for the Next 50 Years

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  • Documents confirm what Microsoft is building in Goodyear
    American City Business Journals17 hours ago

    Documents confirm what Microsoft is building in Goodyear

    Site plans reveal multiple buildings on the southeast corner of the largest of two parcels of land purchased by the tech giant in the West Valley city.

  • American City Business Journals17 hours ago

    Exclusive: Jay Paul unveils big redevelopment plans for San Jose's CityView Plaza

    The plans and renderings come after months of speculation over what sort of massive development Jay Paul Co., which has a reputation of building high-quality buildings and attracting big-name tenants, would put together for a key site in the middle of San Jose’s growing downtown.

  • Can Microsoft (MSFT) Keep the Earnings Surprise Streak Alive?
    Zacksyesterday

    Can Microsoft (MSFT) Keep the Earnings Surprise Streak Alive?

    Microsoft (MSFT) has an impressive earnings surprise history and currently possesses the right combination of the two key ingredients for a likely beat in its next quarterly report.

  • Microsoft staff are openly questioning the value of diversity
    Quartzyesterday

    Microsoft staff are openly questioning the value of diversity

    “Many women simply aren’t cut out for the corporate rat race, so to speak, and that’s not because of ‘the patriarchy,’” a Microsoft employee wrote.

  • Microsoft (MSFT) Stock’s Big Rally Should Continue
    SmarterAnalyst2 days ago

    Microsoft (MSFT) Stock’s Big Rally Should Continue

    Microsoft (NASDSAQ:MSFT) has been on a winning streak given its diversified business portfolio and ability to deliver growth and financial results in a timely manner. Analysts continue to rally around the stock heading into its earnings announcement on April 24, which makes sense given the momentum on the charts, and sustained interest for a variety of Microsoft’s products both for consumers, and within the enterprise as well.The growth narrative tied to Azure Cloud drives much of the upside commentary among analysts despite the growth rate from Azure is expected to decelerate over the next couple-years. MSFT still trades at a fairly reasonable valuation at 31.35x earnings. The company’s current market capitalization is $934 Billion, with psychological resistance at $1 Trillion, or $130.37. Chances are Microsoft can reach $130 within the next couple months, assuming the stock market rally continues, and investors chase stocks at higher valuations.Despite multiple expansion adding to the recent stock price gains, software companies tend to trade at a bit a premium multiple given the defensiveness plus recurring revenue of the business model. Just look at Adobe for example, which trades at 49x earnings right now, despite EPS growth expectations of 20%. Microsoft trades at 30x earnings with consensus expecting 14.1% earnings for FY’19. So, there’s definitely some room for Microsoft to trade at a higher when compared to other software companies in the segment.UBS analyst Jennifer Swanson Lowe remains optimistic on Microsoft heading into Q2’19:> Microsoft shares had a slow start to the year as concerns about slower hardware purchasing from hyperscale providers and tough compares in the transactional portions of the company's weighed on sentiment. However, our checks point to sustained demand for Azure and ongoing Windows upgrade activity as Win7 end of life looms, while a reset in expectations post Q2 should improve the setup into Q3. Stock performance has perked up in recent weeks, but valuation at ~21x EV/CY19 FCF still looks defensive, and MSFT remains one of our favorite names for CY19, offering a balance of top-line growth, margin expansion, and FCF-based valuation support.The analyst has maintained her $125 price target on MSFT, and anticipates commercial cloud revenue growth of 39% in the next quarter:> We forecast Commercial Cloud rev. growth of 39% YoY to $9.6B on the back of 66% growth in Azure and 26% rev growth in Office 365 Commercial. Our checks continue to highlight strong demand for Azure as the platform underpinning digital transformation (growth is partially impacted by relatively mature per-user business while consumption-based business continues to remain healthy. We expect Commercial Cloud gross margin to improve 100 basis points quarter-on-quarter at 63%, based on improvements in Azure partially offset by lower-margin consumption-based services.The stock clearly wants to trend higher, and Microsoft does have a fairly solid track-record of meeting or beating consensus expectations. While Microsoft is a mature growth stock, the current consensus still anticipates the stock to trade at $129 currently, which implies that the stock could reach $1T in market valuation over the next 12-months.Microsoft will need to deliver some pretty solid results and raise financial outlook to get the stock trending up to $130. It seems doable given the stock’s momentum, and the valuation comparisons to some of its other software peers. Despite the catalysts tied to earnings, the summer months should also be interesting, as there’s a number of game software companies riding on this summer’s E3 conference like Electronic Arts and Activision Blizzard.At this year’s E3 2019 Conference, Microsoft is expected to announce the Xbox 2, which will launch next year, but the preview announcement could add some excitement to the stock, as it looks to renew interest in its gaming franchise. Microsoft’s gaming business produced $10.35B revenue in FY’18 making it a big enough of a business, for Microsoft to start pouring resources into it. With the opportunity to refresh its console line-up, it would be a big opportunity for Microsoft to announce more exclusive titles developed in-house to regain momentum versus Sony, and also build a larger installed base of Xbox Live subscribers from 57 million, which has grown fairly stagnant in the past four quarters.Bottom Line:Improvements in gaming related announcements along with the announcement of earnings on April 24th will add some positive sentiment to the stock. Analysts seem relatively optimistic on the company and it’s hard to mess up on the announcement of a next-generation console this year, so the buzz generating commentary will keep Microsoft relevant in the minds of consumers this year. Disclosure: The author has no position in MSFT stock.Read more: Is Microsoft (MSFT) Stock Still a Strong Pick for Growth? More recent articles from Smarter Analyst: * Jeff Bezos Is Leading Amazon (AMZN) in the Right Direction * Why Autonomous Could Be a Strong Driver for Nvidia (NVDA) Stock * Oppenheimer Still Sees 40% Upside for Tesla (TSLA) Stock * The Qualcomm (QCOM) Hype Continues: Canaccord Boosts Price Target on the Stock

  • 3 Trends Emerging from the Q1 Earnings Season
    Zacks2 days ago

    3 Trends Emerging from the Q1 Earnings Season

    3 Trends Emerging from the Q1 Earnings Season

  • Zoom founder dreamed of coming to US after hearing Bill Gates speak — now he's a billionaire
    CNBC2 days ago

    Zoom founder dreamed of coming to US after hearing Bill Gates speak — now he's a billionaire

    Eric Yuan, the founder of Zoom, was inspired by a 1994 Bill Gates speech on the future of the internet. The U.S. rejected the Chinese coder's visa eight times and when Yuan was finally able to emigrate, he didn't yet speak English. Now, his videoconferencing company is worth billions after Thursday's IPO.

  • CNBC2 days ago

    A Bill Gates speech inspired Zoom founder to start an internet business—now he's a billionaire

    When Eric Yuan was in his early 20s, he heard a speech from then-Microsoft CEO Bill Gates about the promise of the internet, and Yuan decided he wanted to move from China to the US to be a part of the Silicon Valley tech boom. Today, Yuan is the 49-year-old founder and CEO of videoconferencing cloud software company Zoom, which debuted on the Nasdaq exchange on Thursday in an IPO that currently values the company at more than $16 billion . In 1994, Yuan was just out of college and working in Japan for a few months at the same time that Gates was in that country to give a speech.

  • InvestorPlace2 days ago

    7 Video Game ETFs That Will Make You a Winner

    For the most part, video game stocks are performing well in 2019. Shares of Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:EA), one of the largest U.S.-based video game makers, are up 24% year-to-date, but the industry also has some laggards. Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ:ATVI), one of EA's most direct competitors, sees its shares lower by 2% this year.Globally, the video game industry is a $140 billion business and it is growing."Video game revenue in 2018 reached a new peak of $43.8 billion, up 18 percent from the previous years, surpassing the projected total global box office for the film industry, according to new data released by the Entertainment Software Association and The NPD Group," reports TechCrunch.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading TipsThe video game industry, while expansive, is also highly fragmented. So while there are a growing number of thematic exchange-traded funds (ETFs) on the market today, the number of video game ETFs, as readers will see here, is quite low. In fact, there are just two funds resembling dedicated video game ETFs. * 10 Best Stocks to Buy and Hold Forever With that in mind, let's look at some of the funds, including some stretches, that have credibility as video game ETFs. ETFMG Video Game Tech ETF (GAMR)Expense Ratio: 0.75%, or $75 annually per $10,000 investedThe ETFMG Video Game Tech ETF (NYSEARCA:GAMR) turned three years old last month and is the first dedicated video game ETF to list in the U.S. For an ETF focused on a somewhat narrow niche, GAMR has been relatively successful as highlighted by the fund's $100 million in assets under management. Home to almost 80 stocks, this video game ETF tracks the EEFund Video Game Tech Index.GAMR is reflective of the global nature of the video game industry as the fund provides exposure to 14 countries. The video game ETF's largest geographic weights will not surprise seasoned gamers. The U.S., Japan, South Korea and China combine for almost 78% of the fund's weight. GAMR provides exposure to several compelling video game themes, including mobile gaming and digital downloads."The percentage of digitally downloaded video games rose from 31% in 2010 to 74% in 2016," according to ETFMG. "This is expected to climb to nearly 93% by 2021."This video game ETF is up nearly 17% year-to-date. VanEck Vectors Video Gaming and eSports ETF (ESPO)Expense Ratio: 0.55%In the video game ETF realm, the VanEck Vectors Video Gaming and eSports ETF (NYSEARCA:ESPO) is the most direct competitor to the aforementioned GAMR. ESPO, which debuted last October, is not just a video game ETF. The fund is one of the best avenues for exposure to the booming e-sports market.ESPO tracks the Global Video Gaming and esports Index. Many of the dedicated esports companies are not yet publicly traded, so ESPO's 25 holdings run the gamut of video game makers, such as Activision Blizzard and Electronic Arts, semiconductor makers and console makers. ESPO's components must derive at least half their sales from video games or esports to be included in the fund.Up 20.28% this year, this video game ETF has recently been hitting new highs, reflecting investors' expectations for the growing esports market. * 6 Cheap Stocks That Cost Less Than $10 "Competitive video gaming audience expected to reach 454 million people globally in 2019," according to VanEck. "Esports revenue growth has increased almost 40% yearly since 2015, supported by a young, affluent audience." iShares PHLX Semiconductor ETF (SOXX)Expense Ratio: 0.47%No, the iShares PHLX Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:SOXX) is not a video game ETF, but remember, there are not many video game ETFs and some semiconductor makers are heavily involved in the video game and competitive gaming markets. That includes Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA), the largest holding in SOXX.Nvidia rival Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD) is also making inroads in the video game space, having recently reported that its chips will power Google's online gaming platform known as Stadia. Shares of Nvidia and AMD combine for about 13% of SOXX's weight.While that is not enough to make this chip fund a video game ETF, it is enough to make SOXX an appropriate option for investors looking for indirect video game exposure via the ETF wrapper. SOXX is higher by 29% this year. First Trust Cloud Computing ETF (SKYY)Expense Ratio: 0.60%Some of the largest companies in the U.S., such as Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) and Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN), have significant video game exposure, but because video games are not the primary drivers of those companies' revenue, they do not reside in video game ETFs.While it is not a proper video game ETF, the First Trust Cloud Computing ETF (NASDSAQ:SKYY) has some legitimated video game credibility. Mobile game maker Zynga (NASDAQ:ZNGA) is SKYY's largest holding at a weight of 6.18%. Facebook (NASDAQ:FB), a platform for social gaming, represents nearly 5% of SKYY's weight while Amazon and Microsoft combine for nearly 7% of the fund's weight. Additionally, there are myriad cloud applications in the video game universe. * 10 Dividend Growth Stocks You Can't Miss "On trend with community gaming, the increasing preference for multiplayer gaming is pushing momentum in the cloud gaming industry," according to ETMG. "Cloud gaming allows gamers access to supercomputers that can render high-end games, exceeding the processing power that normal hardware players are capable of." iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF (IGV)Expense Ratio: 0.47%As its name implies, the iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF (CBOE:IGV) is a software fund, not a dedicated video game ETF. However, IGV does have ample video game exposure because many companies in this space are software makers.Microsoft is IGV's largest holding at a weight of just over 8% … a relevant point because the company is the maker of the Xbox console. Additionally, a point that gets overlooked because of Microsoft's sprawling businesses, including business software and the cloud, is that the company is actually the fourth-largest video game company in the U.S.Video game makers Activision, Electronic Arts and Take-Two Interactive Software (NASDAQ:TTWO) combine for nearly 7% of IGV's weight. Global X Social Media ETF (SOCL) Expense Ratio: 0.65%The Global X Social Media ETF (NASDAQ:SOCL) is a valid alternative for a traditional video game ETF for several reasons. China's Tencent Holdings (OTC:TCEHY) is SOCL's largest holding at a weight of nearly 13% and that company is a significant footprint in China's growing video game market. In fact, China is the world's largest video game market.Bolstering the case for video game growth in China is that the government there approved nearly 800 games in the first quarter, most of which were not traditional poker or gambling-related board games. SOCL's video game ETF status is boosted by exposure to Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG, NASDAQ:GOOGL), Facebook and Zynga, among others.With so many gamers turning to multi-player games and using these games to interact with friends and make new acquaintances, the intersections of social media and gaming are potentially limitless and highly lucrative for advertisers and game makers. Simply put, SOCL is a social media fund, but its video game ETF credentials have the potential to exponentially grow in the years ahead. Communication Services Select Sector SPDR (XLC)Expense Ratio: 0.13%The Communication Services Select Sector SPDR (NYSEARCA:XLC) is the first ETF dedicated to the communication services sector, which debuted last year. As such, this fund features massive exposure to Facebook and the two share classes of Alphabet. Those stocks combine for almost 43% of XLC's weight, giving this fund video game ETF viability.Activision Blizzard is also a top 10 holding in XLC and Electronic Arts and Take-Two also reside in this fund. XLC would see its video game ETF credentials increase if Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) and Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS), which combine for 10.26% of the fund's weight, bolster their video game exposure.Ultimately, XLC has some video game exposure, but the average market value of its 26 components is $358.69 billion, meaning many of these companies' bottom lines are not going to be materially altered by video game exposure over the near to medium term.As of this writing, Todd Shriber did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. More From InvestorPlace * 2 Toxic Pot Stocks You Should Avoid * 5 Dividend Stocks Perfect for Retirees * 7 Reasons the Stock Market Rally Isn't Over Yet * 10 S&P 500 Stocks to Weather the Earnings Storm Compare Brokers The post 7 Video Game ETFs That Will Make You a Winner appeared first on InvestorPlace.

  • Microsoft acquires Express Logic to help its push into the 'internet of things'
    CNBC2 days ago

    Microsoft acquires Express Logic to help its push into the 'internet of things'

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  • Microsoft (MSFT) Q3 Earnings to Gain From Azure & Office 365
    Zacks2 days ago

    Microsoft (MSFT) Q3 Earnings to Gain From Azure & Office 365

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  • TheStreet.com2 days ago

    Microsoft Price Target Raised by Wedbush on Strength of Cloud Business

    cloud business could drive yet another earnings beat when the software giant reports its third quarter 2019 earnings next week on April 24. Beyond this earnings report, the cloud business could be primed to drive the stock higher for the next year or so, Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives wrote in a Thursday note in which he raised his price target to $150 from $140. The new price target represents 25% upside from the stock's current level.

  • Microsoft buyout rejection looks wise as Zoom's valuation soars to over $16B after IPO
    American City Business Journals2 days ago

    Microsoft buyout rejection looks wise as Zoom's valuation soars to over $16B after IPO

    Zoom Video Communications' valuation topped $16 billion on its first day of trading amid reports that Microsoft made many unsuccessful offers to buy the San Jose cloud-based video-conferencing business over the years.

  • Google Cloud hires 27-year SAP veteran to lead customer operations
    American City Business Journals2 days ago

    Google Cloud hires 27-year SAP veteran to lead customer operations

    Google Cloud lags Amazon and Microsoft in market share and customer experience, but new CEO Thomas Kurian, previously a longtime Oracle executive, is trying to change that.

  • Bloomberg2 days ago

    Google Offers Europeans Choice to Download Rival Web Browser

    Starting Thursday and following a software update, users in the EU opening Google’s mobile app store will be presented with a choice of alternatives to Google search and Chrome. The Alphabet Inc. unit said options will vary by market, but Microsoft Corp.’s Bing and Norway’s Opera are notable competitors in the European search and browser market respectively.

  • InvestorPlace2 days ago

    Cloud Strength Will Keep Microsoft Stock On A Winning Path

    As financial markets have rebounded in 2019, so have shares of now-cloud giant Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT). Owing to its operational stability, lack of any prominent headwinds, and robust exposure to secular growth tailwinds in the cloud market, MSFT stock was largely insulated from the late 2018 market sell-off.Until December. Then, markets fell off a cliff. So did MSFT stock. In just a few weeks, it spiraled from $112 to $94.Since then, it's been nothing but up, up and away for MSFT stock. The shares rebounded back above $100 by the end of the year. They cruised past $110 by February and by April, sailed above $120. All together, MSFT stock has rebounded 30% over the past few months to trade at fresh all-time highs today.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips Q3 Numbers Will Be Gut CheckThis rally is about to get a gut check. Microsoft reports third quarter numbers next week. Considering how far and how fast Microsoft stock has come over the past few months, the company needs these numbers to be good in order for the stock to hold onto its year-to-date gains.Will the numbers be good? I think so. Everything I'm looking at suggests that Microsoft's cloud business has been on fire over the past few months. Ultimately, that should lead to headline beating numbers which will keep the rally in MSFT stock alive.Bigger picture, continued cloud strength will keep MSFT stock on a longer-term winning trajectory. Until that cloud strength cools, MSFT stock will keep making new highs. Investors Brushed Off Earlier DisappointmentBroadly speaking, Microsoft's upcoming third quarter earnings report is critical because it has the power to either confirm or negate the big year-to-date rally in MSFT stock. * 10 S&P 500 Stocks to Weather the Earnings Storm To be sure, this isn't the first time we've heard numbers from Microsoft in 2019. Back in late January, the company delivered Q2 numbers that were largely underwhelming. The big negative? Slowing growth. Revenue growth slowed from 18% in Q1 to 12% in Q2, while operating profit lost its mojo, with growth sliding from 28% to 18%. The culprit behind slower top- and bottom-line growth? Slowing cloud expansion, and that wasn't a bullish sign, since the Microsoft growth narrative goes as its cloud businesses go.But, investors largely brushed off those slowing growth concerns, and MSFT stock has rallied ever since. Why? Because investors chalked-up slowing Q2 cloud growth to broadly deteriorating global economic conditions. Those global conditions have meaningfully improved since late 2018, and as such, investors are thinking that maybe the Q2 cloud slowdown at Microsoft was just a blip on the radar. They reason that Q3 numbers should be much better.From this perspective, Microsoft needs to report a solid Q3 in order to satisfy bulls and keep MSFT stock in rally mode. Earnings Will Be GoodFortunately, I think Microsoft will deliver solid third-quarter numbers.Over the past several months, Exxon (NYSE:XOM) has tapped Microsoft as its cloud service provider in what is reportedly the largest cloud computing partnership in the oil industry. Volkswagen struck a similar large cloud deal. Meanwhile, Microsoft has teamed up with Adobe (NASDAQ:ADBE), VMWare (NYSE:VMW), and Slack in separate landmark partnerships, all of which have only broadened the utility and use cases of Microsoft's enterprise cloud solutions. Microsoft has also been named as one of the finalist for the Pentagon's huge JEDI contract, with the other being Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN).In other words, it appears that over the past several months, Microsoft's cloud businesses have re-gained momentum that was lost in late 2018. This momentum will show up through improved Q3 growth rates, which will excite bulls and keep the stock in rally mode. * 7 High-Risk Stocks With Big Potential Rewards Longer term, this trend should continue to play out in favor of MSFT stock. The global cloud growth narrative is still in its first few innings, and Microsoft has established itself as an entrenched and dominant player in that industry. Thus, as cloud becomes a bigger and bigger piece of the total Microsoft pie, overall growth rates and margins will continue to improve. That will lead to healthy profit growth, which will ultimately keep MSFT stock on a winning trajectory. Bottom Line on MSFT StockThe big picture here is very easy to digest. Cloud is a huge growth industry, and Microsoft is right at the heart of all that growth. Thanks to the company's dominant position in the secular growth cloud industry, MSFT stock has secured a bright future for itself.As of this writing, Luke Lango was long ADBE and AMZN. More From InvestorPlace * 2 Toxic Pot Stocks You Should Avoid * 7 Stocks to Buy for Spring Season Growth * This Is How You Beat Back a Bear Market * 7 Dental Stocks to Buy That Will Make You Smile Compare Brokers The post Cloud Strength Will Keep Microsoft Stock On A Winning Path appeared first on InvestorPlace.

  • Financial Times2 days ago

    Investors zoom in on tech IPOs

    FT subscribers can click here to receive #techFT every day by email. Online pinboard provider  Pinterest went up on the boards of the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday and opened 25 per cent above its ...

  • Buffett on Financial Statements: Balance Sheet, Shareholders' Equity
    GuruFocus.com3 days ago

    Buffett on Financial Statements: Balance Sheet, Shareholders' Equity

    For most investors, including Warren Buffett (Trades, Portfolio), the shareholders' equity section may be the most important section of the balance sheet. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 7 Warning Signs with BRK.A. Click here to check it out. In previous chapters of "Warren Buffett and the Interpretation of Financial Statements: The Search for the Company with a Durable Competitive Advantage," authors Mary Buffett and David Clark outlined what the guru looks for when studying the income statement and the asset and liabilities sections of the balance sheet.

  • Sony's PlayStation 5 Sounds Like a Big Bet Against Cloud Gaming
    Motley Fool3 days ago

    Sony's PlayStation 5 Sounds Like a Big Bet Against Cloud Gaming

    Sony’s next console is built for high-end local games instead of cloud-based ones.

  • 5 Dividend Stocks Perfect for Retirees
    InvestorPlace3 days ago

    5 Dividend Stocks Perfect for Retirees

    For those investors in retirement, it all comes down to income. How can you convert your lifetime of savings into a steady stream of paychecks? There's plenty of ways to do that. But one of the best continues to dividend stocks. After all, dividend stocks generally offer higher yields than bonds and give you the ability to see your income rise through increasing dividend payouts as well as grow thanks to capital appreciation. Bonds, CDs, and other traditional fixed income products can't do that.The only problem is, not all dividend stocks are worthy for retirees.Those investors in retirement can't afford to see their payouts get cut or see their capital go up in flames. There's simply not enough time to recoup losses or balance out volatility. To this end, it takes a certain variety of dividend stocks to get you through your golden years. A focus on quality is key.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips * 7 Stocks to Buy for Spring Season Growth Which dividend stocks make the grade for retirement? Here are five dividends stocks that are perfect for retirement portfolios. Snap-on (SNA)Source: Snap-On via Wikimedia (Modified)Dividend Yield: 2.43%Selling screwdrivers, wrenches and other hand tools may not seem that exciting, but this niche has helped make Snap-On Incorporated (NYSE:SNA) one of the best dividend stocks around.SNA manufactures a variety of tools, equipment, and repair information systems for various industrial markets. Many professional mechanics and assembly workers swear by Snap-on's better-made products. And with a simple socket wrench set costing north of $300, SNA isn't exactly going after DIY and weekend warriors here. You need high-performance when you're fixing a bullet train or repairing a wind turbine.This focus on the industrial market has widely insulated SNA from the whims of the consumer market. Because of this, SNA has paid dividends without interruptions or reductions since 1939. Its last increase was a strong 15.85% jump.Part of that jump comes from the reduction in corporate taxes. The other continues to be Snap-On's moves into higher-margined tech products. Modern machinery is chock-full of computers and sensors. SNA is quickly becoming the standard provider for computer-based diagnostics equipment. This has provided a supercharger to its earnings in recent years. EPS surged 12.6% year-over-year in 2018.All in all, Snap-On's continued leadership position in its niche market continues to pay benefits. That makes it one of the best dividend stocks for retirees. Becton Dickinson and Co (BDX)Source: Shutterstock Dividend Yield: 1.25%Admittingly, the headline yield on Becton Dickinson and Co (NYSE:BDX) isn't much to write home about. BDX's current yield of 1.25% is about what you can earn from a savings account these days. However, the story at the medical device maker is one of payout growth. This why retirees should include BDX in their portfolio of dividend stocks.BDX is one of the world's largest producers of needles, syringes, and other sharps-related devices. This catalog of products spans everything from "basics" like insulin needles and catheters to more advanced regional anesthesia and drug delivery products. The beauty is that the bulk of these items are designed to be single use. That means your doctor and hospital has to come back every month to get more of them. Becton's integration of rival Bard has only expanded on this catalog as well.This, plus moves into life science products and more high-tech drug delivery medical devices, has continued to make BDX a cash flow machine. The firm has used that cash flow to reward shareholders by paying down the debt used to buy Bard as well as increase its dividend and conduct buybacks. Over the last decade, Becton has managed to double its dividend based on its strong cash flows. Given its strengths, there's a good chance that BDX will keep that streak going. * 5 Wonderful REITs to Buy Today For retirees, BDX stock offers a chance to grow their income over the long haul. Home Depot Inc. (HD)Source: Shutterstock Dividend Yield: 2.66%It's no secret that retail has been a blood bath. Online shopping has continued to hit many traditional brick and mortar retailers hard. Empty storefronts and dead shopping malls are quickly becoming the norm. But just don't tell that to Home Depot (NYSE:HD). The home improvement retailer is killing it and has proved that its a top dividend stock. Retirees should take notice.Much of HD's recent success comes from its moves into omnichannel retailing. Consumers these days what to buy products when and how they what them. They want them in-store, online, via mobile apps, etc. Home Depot seems to have cracked the code. Spending on technology and beefing-up its operations have worked and customers keep hitting up HD for their home improvement needs. Sales grew nearly 11% last quarter to reach a whopping $26.5 billion based on its omnichannel moves.HD has clearly gotten the message about the changing face of retail.Keeping that going into the future and helping pad its dividend is that HD has also figured out how to attract Millennial and younger customers. Thanks to new classes, videos, and DIY help, Home Depot has continued to attract the customers of tomorrow. That's a demographic that many other retailers are struggling to court.With its strong growth, HD recently was able to increase its dividend by 32% and conduct more than $15 billion in buybacks. Microsoft Corporation (MSFT)Source: Shutterstock Dividend Yield: 1.25%Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) is proving that old school tech can still be a fertile ground for finding dividend stocks -- especially those for retirees. The key has been CEO's Satya Nadella vision to transform Mr. Softy into a software as a service (SaaS) company and reap plenty of reoccurring/subscription revenues.Today, the cloud rules the roost at MSFT. Microsoft's Azure and Dynamics 365 platforms are quickly becoming the standards for many enterprise customers. Growing by double-digits, MSFT has been able to reap plenty of earnings/cash flows from its new cloud model. Better still, is that MSFT has been able to turn that cloud model toward regular Joes as well. Office 365, as well as its Xbox gaming/entertainment units, are also seeing plenty of growth. Total revenues for MSFT jumped by 12% last quarter on the strength of its cloud operations.All of this continues to translate into plenty of profits and growing cash balance. * 10 S&P 500 Stocks to Weather the Earnings Storm And MSFT continues to share those profits with investors. Since 2010, the tech firm has managed to grow its payout by over 253%. That's very impressive. And given its huge cash balance, strong cash flows and high margins, there's a good chance that Microsoft will keep that streak going. For retirees, that makes MSFT one of the best dividend stocks to own for the long haul. Realty Income (O)Dividend Yield: 3.80%When your corporate tag line is the "Monthly Dividend Company," there's a lot of pressure to keep to live up to that promise. Luckily for Realty Income (NYSE:O) it has been able to keep that promise for over 584 consecutive months.That steadfastness of payouts comes from Realty Income's business model. O is one of the largest owners of freestanding real estate in the country -- with more than 5.700 different properties under its wing. Freestanding real state includes everything from convenience stores and restaurants to movie theaters, and automotive parts/services centers. It's the standard fare that dots our suburban landscape. With nearly 500 different tenants and its huge swath of property, O provides unmatched diversification.As if O couldn't get any better, the vast bulk of these properties are so-called triple-net leased. This means the tenants are responsible for taxes, maintenance and other costs related to the property. This allows Realty Income to keep more of its rent checks.Well, not keep. O has been rewarding shareholders for decades. It's latest increase represents its 101st monthly jump to its payout. This follows its 100th increase back in January. A monthly check that keeps growing? If that's not the perfect stock for a retiree, then I don't know what is.With a 3,8% yield, conservative balance sheet and monthly payouts, Realty Income could be a perfect dividend stock for a retirement portfolio.Disclosure: At the time of writing, Aaron Levitt did not hold a position in any of the stocks mentioned. More From InvestorPlace * 2 Toxic Pot Stocks You Should Avoid * 7 Stocks to Buy for Spring Season Growth * This Is How You Beat Back a Bear Market * 7 Dental Stocks to Buy That Will Make You Smile Compare Brokers The post 5 Dividend Stocks Perfect for Retirees appeared first on InvestorPlace.

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