Microsoft Tops Estimates Amid Buoyant Demand From Companies
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Microsoft Corp., the world’s largest software maker, reported fourth-quarter profit and sales that exceeded analysts’ predictions as it benefited from robust demand from corporations and a lower-than-expected tax rate.
Net income in the fiscal period that ended in June rose 30 percent to $5.87 billion, or 69 cents a share, from $4.52 billion, or 51 cents, a year earlier, Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft said in a statement today. That beat the 58-cent estimate of analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. Sales rose to $17.4 billion, compared with the $17.2 billion average projection.