M
Mick Murphy
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,23596772-15306,00.html
Mr Liddell also said that the current quarter will also give Microsoft a
good reading on whether businesses are moving to Windows Vista. Vista was a
key factor behind Microsoft's lower earnings for the quarter. In the third
quarter of last year, the company got a boost from the recognition of
deferred revenue associated with Vista, which started selling broadly early
last year.
For the current period, the company said it expects earnings in a range of
45 cents a share to 48 cents a share, compared with analysts' average
estimate of 48 cents a share, according to Thomson Reuters. It put revenue at
$US15.5 billion to $US15.8 billion, compared with an average analyst estimate
of $US15.6 billion.
The third quarter was notable for shortcomings at the divisions that oversee
Windows for PCs and the Office suite of software programs. Those two
divisions have been reliable growth drivers for decades. But programs that
boosted revenue at the divisions in the third quarter of last year meant
falls in revenue and profit at both divisions.
The client division - which houses Windows Vista - saw revenue drop 24 per
cent to $US4.03 billion from the year-earlier period, and operating income
fall 26 per cent to $US3.1 billion. The business division, which houses
Office, saw an 8 per cent drop in operating income, to $US3.13 billion.
Revenue at that division dipped 2 per cent to $US4.75 billion in the quarter.
Mr Liddell also said that the current quarter will also give Microsoft a
good reading on whether businesses are moving to Windows Vista. Vista was a
key factor behind Microsoft's lower earnings for the quarter. In the third
quarter of last year, the company got a boost from the recognition of
deferred revenue associated with Vista, which started selling broadly early
last year.
For the current period, the company said it expects earnings in a range of
45 cents a share to 48 cents a share, compared with analysts' average
estimate of 48 cents a share, according to Thomson Reuters. It put revenue at
$US15.5 billion to $US15.8 billion, compared with an average analyst estimate
of $US15.6 billion.
The third quarter was notable for shortcomings at the divisions that oversee
Windows for PCs and the Office suite of software programs. Those two
divisions have been reliable growth drivers for decades. But programs that
boosted revenue at the divisions in the third quarter of last year meant
falls in revenue and profit at both divisions.
The client division - which houses Windows Vista - saw revenue drop 24 per
cent to $US4.03 billion from the year-earlier period, and operating income
fall 26 per cent to $US3.1 billion. The business division, which houses
Office, saw an 8 per cent drop in operating income, to $US3.13 billion.
Revenue at that division dipped 2 per cent to $US4.75 billion in the quarter.