Microsoft confounds analysts with soar-away quarter

NEWS Microsoft blew away analysts' estimates for its first fiscal quarter, once again buoyed in part by a controversial corporate licensing plan. The software giant reported net earnings of $2.73bn, or 50 cents per share for the quarter, ended 30 September, compared with $1.28bn, or 23 cents per share, a year earlier. Revenue grew 26 per cent to $7.75bn, from $6.13bn in the same period last year. Sequentially, sales jumped from $7.25bn in the fourth fiscal quarter. Microsoft took a $291m charge to cover investment impairment, which affected results by five cents per share. A consensus of analysts polled by First Call anticipated earnings of 43 cents per share. In July, Microsoft projected revenue between $7bn and $7.1bn, with earnings of around 41 cents to 42 cents per share for the quarter. Joe Wilcox writes for News.com