Microsoft sees revenue increase with Windows XP

Microsoft posted a quarterly profit of $4.37 billion on revenue of $15.06 billion. The manufacturer benefited from the popularity of netbooks and the Xbox 360 sold well, but profit growth was disappointing.

Both profit and revenue in the first quarter of Microsoft’s broken fiscal year are higher than in the same period last year. Turnover over the past three months was 9 percent higher, profit increased by just under 2 percent. Despite this, Microsoft has revised its forecast for the full year downwards: the software maker expects to realize revenues between 64.9 and 66.4 billion dollars in the current fiscal year. Previously, the company had expected a turnover of at least $ 67.3 billion.

The increased turnover is according to Microsoft primarily thanks to the growth of its Client, Microsoft Business Division, and Server and Tools divisions. The growth of the Client division seems to be largely due to the success of netbooks and the extended lifespan for Windows XP as a result. Although Microsoft sold 2.2 million Xbox 360s in the past three months – 400,000 units more than a year earlier – the Entertainment and Devices arm of the manufacturer has actually seen sales fall. The results of the first quarter last year were already higher due to the $ 330 million additional revenue as a result of the introduction of Halo 3, but the decreased prices for the Xbox 360 also caused the disappointing figures, Microsoft says.