Dow Today: Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) Lower

Editor's Note: TheStreet ratings do not represent the views of TheStreet's staff or its contributors. Ratings are established by computer based on metrics for performance (which includes growth, stock performance, efficiency and valuation) and risk (volatility and solvency). Companies with poor cash flow or high debt levels tend to earn lower ratings in our model.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) is trading down 12.0 points at 13,331 as of Monday, Oct 22, 2012, 11:35 a.m. ET. During this time, 237.4 million shares of the 30 Dow components have changed hands vs. an average daily trading volume of 568.4 million. The NYSE advances/declines ratio sits at 1,377 issues advancing vs. 1,485 declining with 144 unchanged.

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Holding back the Dow today is Microsoft Corporation (Nasdaq:MSFT), which is lagging the broader Dow index with a 56-cent decline (-1.9%) bringing the stock to $28.08. This single loss is lowering the Dow Jones Industrial Average by 4.24 points or roughly accounting for 35.3% of the Dow's overall loss. Volume for Microsoft Corporation currently sits at 26.1 million shares traded vs. an average daily trading volume of 39.7 million shares.

Microsoft Corporation has a market cap of $248.67 billion and is part of the technology sector and computer software & services industry. Shares are up 10.3% year to date as of Friday's close. The stock's dividend yield sits at 3.1%.

Microsoft Corporation develops, licenses, and supports software products and services; and designs and sells hardware worldwide. The company has a P/E ratio of 15.9, above the average computer software & services industry P/E ratio of 14.7 and below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7.

TheStreet Ratings rates Microsoft Corporation as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, attractive valuation levels, increase in stock price during the past year, expanding profit margins and notable return on equity. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had sub par growth in net income.

• You can view the full Microsoft Ratings Report.

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For more information on Microsoft Corporation click any of the following:

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• Microsoft Corporation Balance Sheet

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• Microsoft Corporation Income Statement