Microsoft beats profit target thanks to Vista, Office sales

Thanks to the simultaneous release of Windows Vista and Office 2007, Microsoft Corporation has managed a 65% profit increase in its fiscal third-quarter. The world's biggest software maker said it earned a record-high $4.93 billion, or 50 cents a share, in the period ended March 31, compared to $2.98 billion, or 29 cents a share, during the period a year earlier. Meanwhile, revenue rose to $14.4 billion from $10.9 billion. Because of the software releases, analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial projected Microsoft's monetary numbers to be particularly high. They underestimated, however, as they expected Microsoft to earn 46 cents a share, on revenue of $13.89 billion.

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News source: MarketWatch