Microsoft Stock (NASDAQ:MSFT) Slips as ’Do Not Update Your PC’ Warning Sparks Investor Jitters
Microsoft just told users to hit pause on updates—and investors aren't thrilled.
NASDAQ:MSFT takes a dip as the tech giant rolls out one of its strangest warnings yet. The 'do not update' advisory clashes with everything we expect from a company that built its empire on continuous improvement—and Wall Street noticed.
Timing couldn't be worse. Rivals are pushing aggressive update cycles while Microsoft backtracks. It’s a bizarre look for a firm that usually preaches digital hygiene like gospel.
Nobody’s panicking—yet. But when a tech titan tells users not to trust its own products, eyebrows rise. Maybe they’re protecting users—or maybe they’re protecting themselves from another botched rollout.
Classic move: prioritize damage control over transparency. Because why admit failure when you can just tell everyone to look the other way?
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This is connected to the ongoing and highly controversial MOVE to halt all security updates for Windows 10. We know that Consumer Reports recently came out against Microsoft’s move, but it also amplified that move. Consumer Reports noted that Microsoft said on one hand that “…Windows 11 is an essential upgrade to boost cybersecurity,” but followed that move up by making it impossible for many Windows 10 PCs to upgrade. Further, Microsoft then tried to charge users $30 for an extra year of security on Windows 10.
But now, an addition to the Windows Update page on PCs features a new button: “Enroll Now.” The button in question leads to the Extended Security Updates (ESU) section, which offers the paid and free options. Not all users have received this yet, though Microsoft assures users that everyone will get in before October 14.
Copilot Hits the House
Meanwhile, Microsoft Copilot has made an appearance in the United States House of Representatives. Copilot will be made available to House members, as well as their staff, and will also include “…heightened legal and data protections.” It is, reports suggest, part of a larger initiative designed to get artificial intelligence tools into government use.
Microsoft is offering up to 6,000 licenses free for a year, and technical staff at the House has apparently already been testing the products since June. Further rollout will follow, and apparently should be fully in place by November.
Is Microsoft a Buy, Hold or Sell?
Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Strong Buy consensus rating on MSFT stock based on 34 Buys and one Hold assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. After a 16.26% rally in its share price over the past year, the average MSFT price target of $625.78 per share implies 22.93% upside potential.
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