Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) has everything an investor would want in a dividend stock. The company pays a healthy $0.51 per share dividend while it earned $1.71 per share in its most recent quarter.
That's a healthy ratio of paying out to shareholders while also keeping money on hand for investment. What's more important, though, is the foundation on which Microsoft has built its business. The company has completed a major shift of much of its business model, and that makes it a long-term buy for your retirement portfolio.
Microsoft has undergone a dramatic transformation. Image source: Microsoft.