Microsoft Declares $0.91 Dividend, Cuts 200-400 Azure China Jobs and Restricts Anthropic AI Access
MSFT•Microsoft’s board approved a $0.91 quarterly dividend per share payable Sept. 10 to record holders on Aug. 20, 2026. The company will eliminate 200–400 Azure China jobs from July 6 with up to seven months’ severance and has restricted internal access to Anthropic’s Claude Fable 5 over its 30-day data retention.
1. Quarterly Dividend Declared
Microsoft’s board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.91 per share, payable on September 10, 2026, to shareholders of record as of August 20, 2026, with an ex-dividend date of August 20, 2026.
2. Azure China Staff Reductions
Microsoft plans to cut 200–400 positions in its Azure cloud unit in China effective July 6, offering departing employees up to seven months of severance based on tenure and transfer opportunities to Canadian roles for some.
3. Anthropic AI Access Limited
The company has restricted internal use of Anthropic’s Claude Fable 5 model while its legal and compliance teams review the startup’s 30-day data retention policy to safeguard customer data and confidential information.
