Microsoft posts loss, slight revenue increase in Q4
IDG News Service (Miami Bureau)
MIAMI – Microsoft revenue rose slightly but due to several one-time items, it posted a net loss during its fourth fiscal quarter, when the Windows division’s sales fell 13 percent. Revenue in the quarter ended June 30 came in at US$18.06 billion, up 4 percent year-on-year but below the $18.13 billion expected by financial analysts polled by Thomson Financial.
The company posted a net loss of $492 million, or a loss of $0.06 per share, compared with net income of $5.87 billion, or $0.69 earnings per share, in 2011′s fourth quarter. The results were significantly affected by two one-time items the company had previously disclosed: a $540 million revenue deferral related to an upcoming upgrade program for its new Windows 8 OS; and a charge of $6.19 billion for the impairment of goodwill on its online services division.