7/19/2001

Microsoft

Microsoft said it earned $66 million, or 1 cent a share, meeting its own 1 cent a share fourth-quarter profit forecast given last week when the Redmond, Wash.-based software giant announced it would take a $2.6 billion charge because of certain telecom investments.

During last year's fourth quarter, the company earned 44 cents a share.

Revenue, which had been guided higher, hit $6.58 billion, in line with the company's own target range of $6.5 billion to $6.6 billion.

Next quarter, Microsoft said, revenue will be between $6 billion to $6.2 billion with per-share earnings of 39 cents to 40 cents.

Analysts currently expect first-quarter revenue of $6.3 billion and earnings per share of 45 cents, according to the consensus estimate of analysts polled by First Call.

For fiscal-year 2002, Microsoft forecasts revenue of $28.8 billion to $29.5 billion with a per-share profit of $1.91 to $1.95.

Analysts currently expect revenue of $28.83 billion and earnings per share of $1.94.

During last year's second quarter, the company brought in $5.8 billion in revenue. Read full story.

Shares of Microsoft (MSFT: news, chart, profile) ended the regular session up $2.03 to $72.60.