No one uses Vista?
Ambitious Microsoft posts strong profit By JESSICA MINTZ, AP Technology Writer
Fri Oct 26, 12:55 AM ET
SEATTLE - After Microsoft Corp. executives laid out plans in July to win at Web search, online advertising, Web-based software and video games, analysts wondered if the world's largest software maker had too many balls in the air. Microsoft's answer, in the form of its fiscal first-quarter results announced Thursday, was a resounding "no."
Microsoft said its profit soared 23 percent to $4.29 billion, or 45 cents per share, from $3.48 billion, or 35 cents per share, during the same period last year, as brisk sales of the new "Halo 3" video game, Windows and Office helped it breeze past Wall Street's expectations.
Investors sent Microsoft shares up 11 percent to $35.66 in after-hours electronic trading.
Analysts, on average, had forecast a profit of 39 cents per share, according to a Thomson Financial poll.
Revenue for the period ended Sept. 30 grew 27 percent to $13.76 billion from $10.81 billion last year, beating analysts' forecast by more than $1 billion.
"It's a very good report," said McAdams Wright Ragen analyst Sid Parakh. "I think people are going to revisit how they look at Microsoft. So far they've been viewing it as value stock. Going forward, they'll think about it as a growth stock."
Microsoft sold 88 million copies of Windows Vista since the operating system went on sale in January — 28 million since the end of July — according to Colleen Healy, general manager of investor relations for Microsoft.
Ambitious Microsoft posts strong profit
10-26-07
Ambitious Microsoft posts strong profit
