Vendor Updates & Earnings Tracker
Track quarterly earnings, licensing changes, pricing updates, and audit risk indicators from major software vendors. Understand how financial performance impacts compliance enforcement.
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What to watch this quarter
A software support deadline can become a budget problem long before a system stops working. Moving too late can leave your team with fewer purchasing options, rushed migration plans and less time to negotiate. Here are four developments to keep on your Q4 watchlist.
Office LTSC 2021: Support ends October 13
If you still rely on this version, review your replacement plan and licensing rights. Assess whether a newer perpetual version or a subscription fits your needs before committing to a purchase.
Adobe MAX: Watch for changes to AI packaging
Potential announcements could affect how AI features are bundled or charged. Before renewing or enabling new capabilities, confirm what your agreement includes, what costs extra and how usage is measured.
Avi Load Balancer 22.1.x: General support ends December 31
Review your deployed versions, upgrade requirements and support entitlements now. Understanding what your current agreement covers can help you avoid making purchasing decisions under deadline pressure.
Windows Server 2016: Extended support ends January 12, 2027
Use Q4 to assess affected workloads and compare migration, upgrade and extended security update options. Each path can carry different licensing and infrastructure costs.
Identify affected systems, check your contractual rights and build a costed plan before entering renewal or upgrade discussions. A vendor's proposed next step may be only one of the options available to you.
Microsoft
Audit Risk Assessment
FY2027 opened with another beat ($92.3B, +19%; Azure +48%) after FY2026 closed at $90.0B, so enforcement pressure stays low. The exposure is contractual: the July 1, 2026 M365 increases (9-20%) are now in effect, EA/CSP parity has reset large-buyer discounting, and Copilot/agent entitlements plus consumption charges outside per-seat pricing create new true-up and budget risk at renewal.
BEAT: Revenue $92.3B (+19%); operating income $45.9B (+21%); non-GAAP EPS $4.89 (+18%). Microsoft Cloud revenue $63.9B (+30%) and Azure +48%. Microsoft says results exceeded expectations across revenue, operating income and EPS. Continued strength keeps enforcement pressure low; renewal pricing and Copilot/agent entitlements remain the exposure.
Recent Misses (Watch Indicators)
Contract Versions & Agreements
Primary agreement for commercial customers purchasing Microsoft cloud services and software.
Effective: November 2025Volume licensing program for organizations with 500+ users/devices.
Effective: OngoingTransactional licensing for on-premises software and cloud services without organization-wide commitment.
Effective: OngoingEnrollment option under EA for server and cloud products.
Effective: OngoingUse rights and restrictions for all Microsoft commercial products and services. Updated roughly monthly; the summary of changes lists every edit from the past 12 months.
Effective: October 1, 2026 (updated monthly)Archived versions (3)
Prior MCA version, superseded by the November 2025 update.
Effective: October 1, 2024Prior monthly edition. Earlier editions are viewable by changing the effective date on the Product Terms site.
Effective: December 1, 2024The OST no longer exists as a standalone document; historical OST editions are kept in Microsoft’s archive.
Effective: Merged into Product TermsEarnings History (5 Years)
| Quarter | Date | Expected | Actual | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 FY2027 | Oct 28, 2026 | — | $92.3B | |
| Q4 FY2026 | Jul 29, 2026 | $87.6B | $90.0B | |
| Q3 FY2026 | Apr 29, 2026 | $80.8B | $82.9B | |
| Q2 FY2026 | Jan 28, 2026 | $78.0B | $81.3B | |
| Q1 FY2026 | Oct 29, 2025 | $74.0B | $77.7B | |
| Q4 FY2025 | Jul 30, 2025 | $72.0B | $73.2B | |
| Q3 FY2025 | Apr 30, 2025 | $68.4B | $70.1B | |
| Q2 FY2025 | Jan 29, 2025 | $68.8B | $69.6B | |
| Q1 FY2025 | Oct 30, 2024 | $64.5B | $65.6B | |
| Q4 FY2024 | Jul 30, 2024 | $64.2B | $64.7B | |
| Q3 FY2024 | Apr 25, 2024 | $60.8B | $61.9B | |
| Q2 FY2024 | Jan 30, 2024 | $61.0B | $62.0B | |
| Q1 FY2024 | Oct 24, 2023 | $54.5B | $56.5B | |
| Q4 FY2023 | Jul 25, 2023 | $55.5B | $56.2B | |
| Q3 FY2023 | Apr 25, 2023 | $51.0B | $52.9B | |
| Q2 FY2023 | Jan 24, 2023 | $53.0B | $52.7B | |
| Q1 FY2023 | Oct 25, 2022 | $49.6B | $50.1B | |
| Q4 FY2022 | Jul 26, 2022 | $52.4B | $51.9B | |
| Q3 FY2022 | Apr 26, 2022 | $49.0B | $49.4B | |
| Q2 FY2022 | Jan 25, 2022 | $50.7B | $51.7B | |
| Q1 FY2022 | Oct 26, 2021 | $44.0B | $45.3B | |
| Q4 FY2021 | Jul 27, 2021 | $44.2B | $46.2B | |
| Q3 FY2021 | Apr 27, 2021 | $41.0B | $41.7B | |
| Q2 FY2021 | Jan 26, 2021 | $40.2B | $43.1B | |
| Q1 FY2021 | Oct 27, 2020 | $35.8B | $37.2B | |
| Q4 FY2020 | Jul 22, 2020 | $36.5B | $38.0B |
Latest Updates
Q1 FY2027: $92.3B Revenue, Azure Up 48%
Microsoft reported revenue of $92.3B (+19%), operating income of $45.9B (+21%) and non-GAAP EPS of $4.89 (+18%). Microsoft Cloud revenue reached $63.9B (+30%), Azure grew 48%, and Microsoft 365 commercial cloud revenue grew 17% reported. Microsoft says results exceeded expectations across revenue, operating income and EPS. With targets exceeded, expect continued low enforcement pressure; your exposure remains renewal pricing and Copilot/agent entitlement growth.
Read full update on Q1 FY2027: $92.3B Revenue, Azure Up 48%Copilot Business via CSP: Usage-Based Billing On by Default from December 1
Microsoft moved the effective date for default-on usage-based billing on new Microsoft 365 Copilot Business licenses bought through CSP to December 1, 2026. New purchases come with usage-based billing and a default spending policy set up automatically. Microsoft 365 Copilot (Enterprise) is out of scope. Buyer action: before December 1, agree consumption budgets, spending limits and who can approve extra usage with your CSP partner.
Read full update on Copilot Business via CSP: Usage-Based Billing On by Default from December 1AI Builder Credits Reach End of Life: November 1, 2026
AI Builder capacity add-ons and seeded AI Builder credits reached end of life on November 1, 2026. Credits from active add-ons stay usable until those add-ons expire, and seeded credits are honored through the end of the contract term, but future premium licenses no longer include seeded credits. Customers must turn off auto-renew for add-ons. AI Builder features still work, but credits do not convert to Copilot Credits: once AI Builder credits run out, usage draws on Copilot Credits, and is blocked if none are available. Buyer action: list workflows that use AI Builder, record credit sources and expiry dates, and budget Copilot Credits before the current term ends.
Read full update on AI Builder Credits Reach End of Life: November 1, 2026Defender for Servers: Billing Changes Took Effect November 1, 2026
From November 1, 2026, Defender for Servers Plan 1 no longer bills desktop and productivity client devices, such as Windows 10 and 11 PCs, as servers. Across Plans 1 and 2, Microsoft now checks for online machines several times per hour and counts each deployed machine separately, including machines built from a golden image that share an Azure Arc ID. Devices not clearly identified as desktops are billed as servers. Microsoft says billed server counts may change with usage and configuration. Buyer action: keep October as a baseline and reconcile November server counts against actual machines and plans.
Read full update on Defender for Servers: Billing Changes Took Effect November 1, 2026Azure VMware Solution: License-Included PayGo Retired October 31, 2026
Microsoft retired Azure VMware Solution license-included PayGo SKUs on October 31, 2026. License-included Reserved Instance services end on August 30, 2027; to avoid disruption on August 31, 2027, customers must move to a VCF bring-your-own-license SKU or another Azure destination. Azure VMware Solution itself continues; only the SKU that includes the VMware license is changing, following Broadcom's requirement for portable VCF licenses. Buyer action: confirm whether you use PayGo or Reserved Instances, and compare Azure infrastructure, portable VCF licensing from Broadcom, support and migration costs together.
Read full update on Azure VMware Solution: License-Included PayGo Retired October 31, 2026Copilot: Usage-Based Charges Sit Alongside Subscription Fees
The Register reports that Microsoft's Copilot pricing combines user subscriptions with usage-based billing for advanced AI capabilities. Buyer action: review which capabilities your subscription includes, how consumption is metered, and who can authorize additional spending. Track licensed seats and variable usage costs together; this reporting does not mean every Copilot interaction incurs an extra charge.
Read full update on Copilot: Usage-Based Charges Sit Alongside Subscription FeesQ4 FY2026: $90.0B Revenue Beat, Azure Up 43%
Microsoft closed FY2026 with $90.0B revenue (+18%) vs $87.6B expected and non-GAAP EPS of $4.74 vs $4.24 expected. Azure grew 43%, ahead of the ~40% consensus, and operating income reached $40.6B. Results included a $3.2B gain on the Anthropic investment. Shares rose more than 8% after hours. With targets exceeded, expect continued low enforcement pressure—your exposure is renewal pricing (July 1 increases now in effect) and Copilot/agent entitlement sprawl.
Read full update on Q4 FY2026: $90.0B Revenue Beat, Azure Up 43%Q3 FY2026: $82.9B Revenue Beat, Azure Re-Accelerates
Microsoft beat Q3 FY2026 with $82.9B revenue (+18% YoY) vs $80.8B expected. Azure growth re-accelerated. Paid Copilot seats surpassed 20M (4.4% of commercial base). Capex remained elevated as AI infrastructure buildout continues. Strong beat reduces near-term audit pressure, but Copilot licensing complexity is the new compliance frontier.
Read full update on Q3 FY2026: $82.9B Revenue Beat, Azure Re-AcceleratesMicrosoft 365 E7 "Frontier Suite" Launches May 1 at $99/User
Microsoft announced M365 E7, a new premium tier bundling E5, Copilot, Entra Suite, and Agent 365 at $99/user/month. Positioned as the AI-first enterprise bundle. Consumption costs for building and running AI agents sit outside the per-seat price—watch for hidden cost escalation.
Read full update on Microsoft 365 E7 "Frontier Suite" Launches May 1 at $99/UserQ2 FY2026: $81.3B Revenue Beat, But Stock Drops 10%
Microsoft beat estimates ($81.3B vs $78B expected) but stock dropped 10%. Azure growth moderated. $37.5B quarterly capex raised investor concerns. Copilot adoption at only 15M paid seats (3.3% of commercial base). Operating margin guidance came in light.
Read full update on Q2 FY2026: $81.3B Revenue Beat, But Stock Drops 10%July 2026 M365 Price Increases: 9-20% Across Core SKUs
Microsoft confirmed July 1, 2026 price increases: Business Basic +17%, Business Standard +16%, Business Premium +14%, E1 +20%, E3 +13%, M365 E3 +11%, E5 +9%. Largest across-the-board increase in M365 history. Lock in current rates before July.
Read full update on July 2026 M365 Price Increases: 9-20% Across Core SKUsEnterprise Agreement Price Parity with CSP
Microsoft introduced price parity between Enterprise Agreement (EA) and Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) programs. Automatic tiered discounts for large enterprises replaced with a tailored approach. High-volume EA buyers may see cost increases.
Read full update on Enterprise Agreement Price Parity with CSPSecurity Copilot Included in M365 E5
Microsoft Security Copilot with 70+ Microsoft and partner-built agents now included in Microsoft 365 E5 subscriptions. Provides AI-powered security automation for Defender, Entra, Intune, and Purview.
Read full update on Security Copilot Included in M365 E5Teams Re-Bundled with M365 Suites
Following resolution of EU regulatory concerns, Microsoft Teams can again be bundled with Business Premium, E3, and E5 subscriptions, reducing complexity and separate licensing costs.
Read full update on Teams Re-Bundled with M365 Suites Read our analysis: Recent Microsoft Changes: 365, Teams & NCE PricingNCE Annual Subscriptions: 5% Price Increase
New Commerce Experience (NCE) annual-commit subscriptions renewing in early 2026 face a 5% price increase. Organizations should review renewal timing and consider locking in rates before increases take effect.
Read full update on NCE Annual Subscriptions: 5% Price IncreaseKey Dates
Upcoming
January 12, 2027
Windows Server 2016 End of Extended Support
October 13, 2027
SQL Server 2017 End of Extended Support
January 2027
Q2 FY2027 Earnings (Est.)
December 1, 2026
Copilot Business (CSP): Usage-Based Billing Default-On for New Licenses
August 30, 2027
Azure VMware Solution License-Included Reserved Instances Retire
Recent Past
October 13, 2026
Office LTSC 2021 End of Support
November 1, 2026
AI Builder Capacity Add-Ons and Seeded Credits End of Life
November 1, 2026
Defender for Servers Billing Changes Took Effect
October 31, 2026
Azure VMware Solution License-Included PayGo SKUs Retired
October 28, 2026
Q1 FY2027 Earnings (BEAT: $92.3B, Azure +48%)
July 29, 2026
Q4 FY2026 Earnings (BEAT: $90.0B, Azure +43%)
July 1, 2026
Major M365 Price Increase Took Effect (9-20%)
June 30, 2026
FY2026 Ended
May 1, 2026
M365 E7 "Frontier Suite" Launched ($99/user)
April 29, 2026
Q3 FY2026 Earnings (BEAT: $82.9B)
5-Year Summary
24
Beats/Meets
2
Misses
Past Changes That Still Matter
Historical Microsoft licensing, pricing and support changes that continue to shape compliance and renewal risk today.
| Date | Type | Change | Why it still matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 14, 2020 | Support | Windows Server 2008/2008 R2 reached end of extended support. | Customers remaining on these releases needed Azure-hosted or paid ESU coverage, where available, or an upgrade. |
| January 14, 2020 | Support | Windows 7 reached end of extended support. | Legacy Windows 7 devices may still create security exposure and require evidence of historical ESU coverage. |
| October 13, 2020 | Support | Office 2010 reached end of support. | Perpetual Office installations are frequently missed during Microsoft 365 migrations and may remain installed on shared, virtual or specialist devices. |
| March 1, 2022 | Pricing | Microsoft increased commercial Microsoft 365 and Office 365 pricing, including O365 E1/E3/E5 and M365 E3.Microsoft pricing announcementRelated analysis: Recent Microsoft Changes: 365, Teams & NCE Pricing | This made license optimization, suite selection and removal of unused subscriptions more financially meaningful. |
| 2022 | Commercial model | Microsoft's New Commerce Experience became the standard purchasing model for many CSP subscriptions. Monthly commitments carried a premium while annual terms imposed stricter cancellation and reduction rules. | Customers gained less flexibility to reduce licenses midterm, making renewal-date management and accurate seat forecasting essential. |
| July 12, 2022 | Support | SQL Server 2012 reached end of extended support. | Remaining deployments require ESUs, qualifying Azure coverage or migration. SQL discovery is important because forgotten instances can still create licensing and security exposure. |
Windows Server 2008/2008 R2 reached end of extended support.
Why it still matters: Customers remaining on these releases needed Azure-hosted or paid ESU coverage, where available, or an upgrade.
Windows 7 reached end of extended support.
Why it still matters: Legacy Windows 7 devices may still create security exposure and require evidence of historical ESU coverage.
Office 2010 reached end of support.
Why it still matters: Perpetual Office installations are frequently missed during Microsoft 365 migrations and may remain installed on shared, virtual or specialist devices.
Microsoft increased commercial Microsoft 365 and Office 365 pricing, including O365 E1/E3/E5 and M365 E3.Microsoft pricing announcementRelated analysis: Recent Microsoft Changes: 365, Teams & NCE Pricing
Why it still matters: This made license optimization, suite selection and removal of unused subscriptions more financially meaningful.
Microsoft's New Commerce Experience became the standard purchasing model for many CSP subscriptions. Monthly commitments carried a premium while annual terms imposed stricter cancellation and reduction rules.
Why it still matters: Customers gained less flexibility to reduce licenses midterm, making renewal-date management and accurate seat forecasting essential.
SQL Server 2012 reached end of extended support.
Why it still matters: Remaining deployments require ESUs, qualifying Azure coverage or migration. SQL discovery is important because forgotten instances can still create licensing and security exposure.
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