Is Microsoft Stock Overvalued At 28x Earnings?

Microsoft (MSFT) runs the highest operating margin in its peer group and grows revenue faster than every rival there but one. Over the past twelve months its stock returned -0.5%, against 18.5% for the S&P 500 (SPY). At about $491.65 a share, it trades at 27.8 times earnings, second-richest in the group. Microsoft ranks first on profitability and fourth on the return, a gap worth explaining.