Microsoft Stock After Xbox Price Hike: Buy or Hold?

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) announced that prices for its popular Xbox gaming console will increase due to rising development costs associated with tariffs. The news, while logical, shows that technology stocks aren't completely insulated from the current tariff problems besetting the broader economy. Like most console manufacturers, Microsoft primarily manufactures the Xbox in China.

Microsoft is the latest gaming equipment manufacturer to announce issues associated with tariffs. In late April, Nintendo Corp. (OTCMKTS: NTDOY) announced that the upcoming launch of its Switch 2 will face production delays and delayed pre-orders in the United States. Sony Corp. (NYSE: SONY) also announced it would raise the price of its popular PlayStation console by 25% in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.

What This Price Increase Means for Xbox Prices

Microsoft’s Xbox Series is available on two platforms. The entry-level Xbox Series S will increase to $379.99 from $299.99, a 27% increase. The company’s premium Series X Galaxy Black model will increase to $729.99 from $599.99, a 22% increase.

That’s not an insignificant price hike, as there is some evidence that consumers are beginning to trim their major purchases. For example, in its most recent earnings report for the third quarter in fiscal year 2025, revenue in Microsoft’s Gaming sector increased 4.9% year-over-year (YOY) to $5.721 billion.  

But a deeper analysis of the numbers showed that the increase came mostly from gaming content and services (i.e., Xbox Game Pass and popular titles such as Call of Duty and Minecraft). In contrast, hardware revenue, which includes the Xbox, was down 6%. That means rather than front-running the tariffs, consumers may have already been cutting back.

However, this isn’t a new trend for Microsoft. The company is aware that console market growth has gone stagnant. With that in mind, the company has pivoted to an “Xbox Everywhere” model that is paying off.

For example, in the current quarter, Xbox was the top publisher for both Xbox and PlayStation consoles as measured by pre-orders and pre-installs. On the conference call, Microsoft chief executive officer (CEO) Satya Nadella remarked that Xbox Cloud Gaming had passed 150 million hours of usage for the first time.

Is This Price Increase Significant for MSFT Stock?

The short answer is probably not, and here’s why. Unlike the concerns regarding Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) and its iPhone, which comprises nearly 50% of Apple’s revenue, gaming revenue currently accounts for less than 10% of Microsoft’s total revenue.

Investors and analysts are much more focused on the company’s cloud service revenue. Better-than-expected growth in the cloud sector is pushing MSFT stock more than 10% higher, almost a week after the company reported earnings.

Microsoft is also leading the charge in building out AI infrastructure. The company reiterated its plans to spend over $80 billion in capital on data centers in 2025.

However, the broader impact of tariff issues on the tech industry is an evolving story. Former Microsoft chief executive officer (CEO) Steve Ballmer weighed in on the current tariff war and warned that it could create “significant disruption” across the economy, negatively affecting consumers and investors.

Such disruptions in supply chains and increased production costs could have long-term implications for consumer electronics pricing and availability. As companies navigate these challenges, it remains to be seen how they will balance cost increases with consumer demand and market competitiveness.

Analysts Remain Bullish on MSFT Stock

Another reason investors shouldn’t be overly concerned about higher Xbox prices is that analysts remain bullish on MSFT stock. Since the company’s earnings report, the Microsoft analyst forecasts on MarketBeat show over 15 analysts have raised their price targets for the stock, and several more have reiterated their ratings.

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The article "Microsoft Stock After Xbox Price Hike: Buy or Hold?" first appeared on MarketBeat.