Microsoft Corp.'s investment gains offset weak operating income in the fourth quarter, boosting profits by 10 percent, ahead of Wall Street estimates. The Redmond, Wash.-based software giant said profits rose to $2.41
billion, or 44 cents a share in the quarter, compared to $2.2
billion, or 40 cents a share a year earlier. Microsoft was
expected to earn 42 cents a share, according to the consensus
analyst estimate from First Call/Thomson Financial.
Revenues also met expectations at $5.8 billion, compared to
$5.76 billion a year earlier. Most analysts had trimmed
revenue forecasts after Microsoft warned last
quarter that business demand for personal computers looked weak. Full story. -- Sergio G. Non, ZDNet Inter@ctive Investor
