Microsoft DCA Calculator
$100 a month in Microsoft (MSFT) for the last 5 years would be worth $9,116 today, from $6,000 invested: a 16.7% annual return.
Microsoft sells Windows, Office and the Azure cloud platform, and has paid a growing dividend for many years. Like any single stock, it can lag the market for long stretches; its returns here include reinvested dividends.
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$100 a month in Microsoft: results by holding period
Each row invests $100 at the start of every month up to Oct 2026, and compares it with investing the same total all at once at the start. Dividends are reinvested (total return).
| Period | Invested | Value today | Annual return | Lump sum instead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year (from Nov 2025) | $1,200 | $1,438 | 38.6% | $1,239 |
| 3 years (from Nov 2023) | $3,600 | $4,517 | 15.3% | $5,777 |
| 5 years (from Nov 2021) | $6,000 | $9,116 | 16.7% | $9,994 |
| 10 years (from Nov 2016) | $12,000 | $39,201 | 22.4% | $119,565 |
| 20 years (from Nov 2006) | $24,000 | $308,445 | 21.7% | $632,632 |
Annual return is the money-weighted return (IRR) of the monthly contributions. Prices are monthly closes from Yahoo Finance, with data from Apr 1986 through Oct 2026. See the methodology. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Microsoft DCA: frequently asked questions
How much would $100 a month in Microsoft be worth today?
Investing $100 a month in Microsoft (MSFT) for the last 5 years (Nov 2021 to Oct 2026) would have turned $6,000 into about $9,116, a money-weighted annual return of 16.7%. Dividends are reinvested (total return). Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Was DCA or a lump sum better for Microsoft?
Over the last 20 years, investing the same $24,000 all at once in Nov 2006 would have grown to $632,632, compared with $308,445 by investing $100 a month. The lump sum came out ahead because it was invested for longer, which is the usual result in a rising market. Most people invest from monthly income, so DCA is the practical choice either way.
What was the best and worst time to start DCA in Microsoft?
Across 428 rolling 5-year periods of investing $100 a month, the best started in Feb 1994 and returned 82.5% a year; the worst started in Mar 2004 and returned −17.2% a year. 89% of those periods ended with more money than was put in.
How far has Microsoft fallen from a peak?
The largest fall in its month-end total-return price since Apr 1986 was −67%, from Dec 1999 to Feb 2009. Buying a fixed amount every month through a fall like that buys more shares at lower prices.