Hedge Funds Hate These 5 Stocks -- but Should You?

Microsoft

Another tech giant that's getting sold off by hedge funds right now is Microsoft (MSFT). Hedge funds sold 9.15 million shares of the Redmond, Wash.-based software firm in the last quarter. That decreased their collective stake in the stock by more than a quarter -- and around a half billion dollars.

>>5 Hated Stock Set to Soar on Earnings

Microsoft is the firm behind products such as the standard-bearer Windows operating system, the Office suite of productivity tools and a bevy of enterprise applications. Notice that I called Microsoft a software firm; even though MSFT does make hardware like the XBOX and now the Surface tablet, software remains the biggest part of its revenue by far. And the firm's huge installed base means that dominance (and those cash flows) are likely to continue for some time.

Like Apple, Microsoft has a huge cash position. At last count, the firm sported more than $78 billion in cash and investments on its balance sheet, offset by a $12 billion debt load. That's $7.80 per share in net cash, a nice safety net by any measure.

To be clear, MSFT doesn't look like much of a growth stock right now. It operates in a saturated market, and management has been grabbing at straws to find a new niche. But consistent sales, tons of cash and a hefty 3.3% dividend yield make hedge funds' hate of this stock look misplaced.

« First ‹ Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 Next › Last »