Microsoft Corp posted a bigger-than-expected 60 percent jump in quarterly profit, helped by strong sales of Windows 7. Windows 7 has proved to be Microsoft's strongest-selling operating system to date after the disappointing Vista. PC sales grew 15.2 percent last quarter. In addition, Microsoft expects the business technology spending to recover this year.
Oct-Dec 2009 (Q2 Fiscal) numbers for the world's biggest software maker:
Net profit Oct-Dec 2009______________$6.7 billion
Net profit Oct-Dec 2008______________$4.2 billion
Increase (YoY)_____________60 percent
Revenue Oct-Dec 2009____________$19.02 billion
(Including $1.71 billion of deferred revenue from the Windows 7 launch in October)
Revenue Oct-Dec 2008____________$16.68 billion
Growth (YoY)____________________ 14 percent
Rivals IBM, Google Inc and Apple Inc have all beaten average Wall Street estimates in the quarter under focus.
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