Microsoft's Steve Ballmer received a $303 million（約480億円） dividend check this quarter—and will collect another next quarter—because his 4% stake in the company compounds at a rate few investors experience, even as the stock has pulled back year to date.

What happened: Microsoft paid its June 2026 quarterly dividend of $0.91 per share. Steve Ballmer, who controls roughly 4% of Microsoft according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, collected approximately $303 million（約480億円） from this single distribution. The dividend rate has been in place since late 2025, when Microsoft raised it from $0.83 to $0.91.

Why it matters: Ballmer joined Microsoft in 1980 as one of its earliest hires and stepped down as CEO in 2014—yet his net worth now exceeds Bill Gates'. The difference: Ballmer refused to sell his Microsoft stock, while Gates sold most of his position and donated to philanthropy. Microsoft's business is strong, with Q3 FY2026 revenue of $82.89 billion（約13兆円） (up 18.3% year over year) and operating margin at 46.3%, which underwrites future dividend increases.

What to watch: Ballmer's stock has appreciated roughly 773% over the past ten years, even though shares are down roughly 17.5% year to date and about 15% over the past year. Microsoft's fiscal Q4 report next month will include another dividend declaration and an OpenAI/Azure update that will set the stage for his next quarterly payday.