Strong Windows 7 sales boost Microsoft profits
Software maker Microsoft recorded a bigger-than-expected 60 percent jump in quarterly profit, thanks to strong sales of its latest operating system, Windows 7 . The company also said it expected business technology spending to recover this year. "We didn't see enterprise spending growth in our fiscal second quarter just ended," Chief Financial Officer Peter Klein said. "However, our general view is a recovery will occur starting this calendar year and gradually over the next several years," he added. Microsoft's net profit came to US$6.7 billion, or 74 cents per share, for its fiscal second quarter, versus US$4.2 billion, or 47 cents per share, a year ago. "Make no mistake, these were very good results out of Microsoft. Expectations were heightened ever the last few weeks, given Q4 PC shipments and good numbers from Intel," said Andy Miedler, analyst at Edward Jones. The company stopped making specific profit or revenue forecasts in January 2009, ...